Fortified Wines Flashcards
What is used to fortify wines?
Distilled spirits of grape origin with no flavors.
Why were wines originally fortified?
To preserve the wine for long distance travel.
What are the two timing options for fortifying wine?
- During fermentation (ex. port)
2. After fermentation (ex. sherry)
Why would a winemaker choose to fortify during fermentation?
To retain sugars and freshness.
Why would a winemaker choose to fortify after fermentation?
To produce a dry wine.
What are the aging techniques for fortified wines?
- no-aging (no oak)
- biological aging
- oxidative aging
What is the result of not aging the wine?
Primary fruit aromas and flavors are featured.
What is biological aging?
Aging is a barrel with a film of yeast called flor (ex. sherry)
What is result of oxidative aging?
- brown coloring
- loss of primary fruit aromas/flavors
- development of tertiary aromas
What is flor?
The thin veil or layer of indigenous yeast cells that forms on top of sherry wines and protects them from oxidation.
What are the different types of sherry?
- Fino
- Amontillado
- Oloroso
- Palo Cortado
- Cream
What is unique about the process of aging fino and mazanilla sherries?
They are biologically aged (*flor), keeping it free of qoxygen exposure.
How is amontillado sherry aged?
The process beings with biological aging (like fino and manzanilla), the flor dies and separates creating openings, and the wine oxidizes.
How is oloroso sherry aged?
Oxidative aging only (it is produced without flor yeast).
*It is fortified to 18% alcohol after fermentation so no yeast can develop.
How is palo cortado sherry produced?
Originally destined to be fino sherry, but the wine is refortified after the flor dies.
What are the five main port grapes?
- Touriga Nacional
- Tinta Barocco
- Tinta Francesa
- Tinta Roriz
- Tinta Cao
What are the types of barrel-aged port ?
- Tawny
- Colheita
- Garraeira
What are tawny port aging levels?
A barrel-aged port, aged 10, 20, 30, or 40 years.
What is a colheita port?
It is a single-vintage blend of tawny ports.
What is a garrafeira port?
A single vintage port aged both oxidatively (barrel) and in the bottle.
What are the types of bottle-aged port and how long do they age before being released?
- Ruby (2-3 Y) (book)
- Reserve (5-7 Y)
- Rose port (?)
- White port (?)
- Late bottled vintage (4-6 Y)
- Vintage (2 Y)
What is the primary grape for Madeira?
Tinta Negra Mole
What are the four styles of madeira?
- Sercial - driest style (aperitif)
- Verdelho - medium dry style (aperitif)
- Boal/bual - dark amber (dessert wine)
- Malmsey - Dark Amber (dessert wine - sweetest style)
What are the quality levels of madeira and how long does each age?
- Finest (3 years)
- Reserve (5 years)
- Special Reserve (10 years)
- Extra Reserve (15 years)
- Vintage (at least 20 years)
What is the process used to age sherry?
The solera system
What is the name of the process used to produce madeira and explain it?
The estufa process
After the spirit is added to the wine, it is heated in an oven room and kept at 104 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit for several months. This process speeds up maturation of the wine and caramelizes the sugar.
