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VB - Court of Master Sommeliers - Certified > Fortified Wines > Flashcards

Fortified Wines Flashcards

1
Q

Identify Port on a map

A
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2
Q

Identify Madeira on a map

A
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3
Q

Identify Sherry on a map

A
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4
Q

Identify Marsala on a map

A
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5
Q

Identify Roussillon on a map

A
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6
Q

Identify Southern Rhône on a map

A
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7
Q

Name the French fortified wine appellations

A

Roussillon: Banyuls AOP
Southern Rhône: Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP

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8
Q

Name the Italy appellations

A

Marsala DOC

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9
Q

Name the Sherry Appellations

A

It’s in Southwest spain

(-) Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
(-) Sanlúcar de Barrameda on the
coast

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10
Q

Madeira appellations

A

Funchal is the main city on the island Madeira

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11
Q

Port appellations

A

Same geographic area as Douro DOP, Portugal

Subregions:
(-) Cima Corgo
(-) Baixo Corgo
(-) Douro Superior

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12
Q

Where are the Australia fortified wine appellations

A

Rutherglen
Victoria

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13
Q

Where are the South Africa fortified wine appellations

A

Klein Karoo
Western Cape

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14
Q

Climate of Madeira

A

Hot Subtropical

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15
Q

Climate of Madeira

A

Hot Maritime

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16
Q

Climate of Port

A

Warm to hot Mediterranean

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17
Q

Physical Features of Madeira

A

Mountainous hillside

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18
Q

Physical Features of Sherry

A

Close proximity to the Atlantic

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19
Q

Physical Features of Port

A

Mountainous hillside

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20
Q

Soil type of Madeira

A

Volcanic

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21
Q

Soil type of Sherry

A

Albariza (chalk)

Barros (clay)

Arenas (sand)

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22
Q

Soil type of Port

A

Schist

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23
Q

Winemaking of Port

A

Fortified during fermentation

Sweeter styles are fortified closer to the beginning of fermentation.

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24
Q

Estufagem

A

(-) A heating method used in Madeira wine production to replicate the natural aging effects of long sea voyages in warm climates.

(-) Wines are heated to 45–50°C (113–122°F) for 3–6 months in stainless steel tanks or concrete vats.

(-) Enhances oxidation and caramelization, creating Madeira’s signature rich, nutty, and complex taste.

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25
Q

Canteiro

A

(-) A traditional, slow-aging method for Madeira wine, using wooden casks stored in warm, sunlit warehouses.

(-) Relies on ambient heat to mature the wine over years or decades, typically for higher-quality Madeira.

(-) Produces complex, refined flavors with balanced acidity, often reserved for premium wines.

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26
Q

Canteiro vs Estufagem

A

Heating Method:
Canteiro: Uses natural, ambient heat over years in wooden casks.

Estufagem: Involves artificial heating in stainless steel or concrete tanks for 3–6 months.

Wine Quality:
Canteiro: Reserved for high-quality, premium wines.
Estufagem: Typically used for more affordable, younger wines

Flavor Development:
Canteiro: Produces nuanced, complex flavors with greater depth.
Estufagem: Results in robust but less refined flavors.

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27
Q

Winemaking of Madeira

A

Fortified during fermentation, oxidized, exposed to heat.

28
Q

Winemaking of Sherry

A

Fortified after fermentation, oxidized

29
Q

What is flor?

What does it do?

A

Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A thin layer of yeast, Saccharomyces, that develops on the surface of a maturing wine in barrel. It develops here because Sherry barrels aren’t filled up all the way, and that headspace allows for oxygen which in turn encourages the flor to form.

It protects the wine from heavy oxidation and spoilage.

30
Q

Biological aging vs. oxidative aging.

A

Biological Aging:

(-) Occurs under a layer of flor yeast that protects the wine from oxygen.

(-) Requires a cool, humid environment and fortified wine at ~15% ABV.

(-) Produces lighter styles like Fino and Manzanilla with delicate, tangy, and nutty flavors.

Oxidative Aging:

(-) Exposes wine to oxygen in partially filled barrels without flor.

(-) Happens at higher alcohol levels (~17–18% ABV).

(-) Produces richer styles like Oloroso with deep, complex, and caramelized flavors.

31
Q

Running the scales of the Solera

A

A fractional blending system which has levels, or ‘scales,’ that hold wines at varying stages of development (some of which are decades old).

The younger wines at the top of the solera are progressivley blended with the older, lower scales of the solera.

The bottom row of the solera system is called solera.

32
Q

What are the 2 ways to age, or develop, Sherry?

A

a. Biological aging
b. Oxidative aging

33
Q

What are the 4 styles of Sherry made with biological aging?

A

Manzanilla

Fino

Amontillado

Palo Cortado

34
Q

What are the 2 styles of Sherry made with oxidative aging?

A

Oloroso

Cream Sherry

35
Q

When making Fino-style Sherries, it’s important to keep adding new wine to barrels so that the ____ remains intact.

A

Flor

The newly added wine has nutrients which the flor metabolizes and needs to stay alive.

36
Q

What’s the purpose of a solera?

A

A solera creates a unique, distinct flavor profile for wine, making Sherry – when you smell and taste it – unmistakable.

The solera allows the winemaker, or Sherry house, to produce a consistent style of wine.

37
Q

What grape is Port

A

Touriga Nacional

38
Q

Grapes in Madeira

A

Sercial

Verdelho

Bual

Malmsey

Tinta Negra

39
Q

Grapes in Sherry

A

Palomino

Moscatel

Pedro Ximénez

40
Q

Grapes in Banyuls

A

Grenache

41
Q

Grapes in Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

A

Muscat

42
Q

Grapes in Rutherglen

A

Muscat

43
Q

Grapes in Klein Karoo

A

Muscat de Frontignan

Muscat à Petits Grains

44
Q

What is Vila Nova de Gaia (Port)

A

Location: Vila Nova de Gaia is a city across the Douro River from Porto, Portugal, traditionally used for aging and storing Port wine.

Climate: Its cooler, coastal conditions are ideal for slow aging and maturation of Port in cellars.

Significance: Historically, it served as the hub for Port wine trade and export, with many major Port houses headquartered there.

45
Q

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)

A

(-) Grapes from top quintas blended together

(-) Ages 4-6 years in cask before it’s bottled

(-) Still quite fruity

46
Q

Single Quinta

A

Single vineyards

47
Q

Port is almost always:
a single grape variety
a blend of several grape varieties

A

A blend of several grape varieties

48
Q

Describe a Vintage Port

A

(-) Made only from best quintas in exceptional vintages (usually ~4 per decade)

(-) Aged 2 years in cask before being bottled where it can/should spend at least another decade (or three, or five….)

(-) Most expensive

(-) Most age worthy

49
Q

Marsala sweetness levels

A

Secco

Semi-Secco

Dolce

50
Q

When is Port made

A

Understand vintage Port is only made in the best vintages

51
Q

Between 2005 - 2020, what years were declared vintages in Port?

What might be considered the top three?

A

2007
2008 (not widely declared)
2009 (not widely declared)
2011
2015
2016
2017

52
Q

Name 4 styles of Tawny Port.

A

Tawny

10-year Tawny

20-year Tawny

30-year Tawny

40-year Tawny

53
Q

Name 4 styles of Ruby Port.

A

Ruby
LBV (Late Bottled Vintage)
Vintage
Single Quinta

54
Q

Describe a Ruby Port.

A

Young
Blend of vintages and vineyards
Inexpensive
Fruity

55
Q

Describe an LBV Port

A

Grapes from top quintas blended together

Ages 4-6 years in cask before it’s bottled

Still quite fruity

56
Q

Describe a Vintage Port

A

Made only from best quintas in exceptional vintages (usually ~4 per decade)

Aged 2 years in cask before being bottled where it can/should spend at least another decade (or three, or five….)

Most expensive

Most age worthy

57
Q

Describe a Single Quinta Port

A

Fruit from the top quintas (or vineyards) in non-declared vintages

58
Q

Aged Tawny: Colheita (min 7 years aging)

A

Colheita Definition: A single-vintage aged Tawny Port, made from grapes harvested in a specific year.

Aging Requirement: Must be aged in wooden barrels for a minimum of 7 years before bottling.

Flavor Profile: Offers complex notes of dried fruits, nuts, and spices, reflecting both the vintage and extended barrel aging

59
Q

What are the 4 white grapes of Madeira, and what are the styles of wine they’re made into?

A

Sercial - made dry
Verdelho - made off-dry
Boal - made semi-sweet
Malvasia / Malmsey - made sweet

60
Q

Service of Beverage

A

(-) Old Vintage and Single Quinta Ports require decanting for sediment.

(-) By-the-glass pours are typically 2 oz (51.9 ml).

61
Q

Food and Beverage Pairing Understand how sweetness, age, and amount of oxidation can affect a pairing with these wines.

A
62
Q

Business of the Sommelier Know general shelf life of the wine after opening.

A
63
Q

Tawny Port and Sweet Sherry

A

55°- 62°F // 13°- 17°C

64
Q

Sweet Madeira and Vintage Port

A

55°- 62°F // 13°- 17°C

65
Q

Dry Sherry and Dry Madeira

A

48°- 55°F // 9°- 13°C

VB - Court of Master Sommeliers - Certified (49 decks)

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