Fortified Wines MS Flashcards
What are the three methods of fortification for fortified wines?
Arresting of fermentation through the addition of spirits while sugars remain
Fortification after fermentation has concluded
Mistelle - fortifications of the must before fermentation
When was port first demarcated?
1756
The production of port is over seen by what wine governing body?
The Duoro Port Wine Institute
What is the lei do teirgo
A law that restricts port sales to 1/3 of their production annually
What is a beneficio authorization?
The max amount of wine that is allowed to be fortified in a given year.
Describe the vineyard scoring system of port:
Grade A - 1200 + Grade B - 1001-1200 Every 1000 points is a letter all the way down through F. Based on 7 soil and climate factors Based on 5 vine factors
What are the 7 soil and climate factors that play a part in the Port vineyard classification system?
Locations, altitude, exposure, bedrock, rough matter, slope and shelter
What are the 5 vine related factors that tie in to the port vineyard classification system:
Tye of vine, vine planting density, yield, training system, vine age
What are the max yields for red and white grapes in the Douro?
White: 65hl/ha
Red: 55 hl/ha
What are the preferred red grapes of port?
Touriga Nacional, Tourica Francisca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cao, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Francesca, Bastardo and Mourisco Tinto
What are the preferred white grapes of port?
Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Rabigato, Esgana Cao, Folgasao
What are Patamares?
The wide terraced vineyards of port (more modern in style) that can be navigated by tactor.
What is a lagares?
An open granite trough used for foot stomping grapes in port
What is an autovinifier?
An austria machine that allows wine to pump itself over based on the build up of its own gas.
How many days does port ferment? Why?
2-3 days - to create the maximum amount of color and flavor extraction in the limited time.
When is the Beneficio added and how much is added?
It is added when approximately one third of the sugar has been converted in to alcohol.
Enough is added to bring the final ABV up to 17-22%
Normally a 1:4 ratio
What is the ABV of Aguardente in port?
77%
What is the traditional size of a pipe?
550L
Which of the two styles of port Tawny and Ruby sees bottle aging?
Ru
Ruby only
Where does Port go to age traditionally?
the port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia it is no longer mandatory as of 1986
Define the style/aging requirements of Ruby Port:
Ruby port is often aged in bulk(wood cement or stainless steel) for 2-3 prior to bottling, no vintage allowd
Define the style/aging requirements of Ruby Port Reserve:
Replaced the term “Vintage Character” and offers more complexity then basic ruby port, but still not a strongly regulated term
Define the style/aging requirements of Vintage Port:
Only 1-3% of productions
Only declared in exceptional years
Must be aged in cask until July 30th, 3rd year following harvest
Define the style/aging requirements of Single Quinta Vintage Port:
One estates harvest
If a port house cannot confidently declare a full vintage it will declare one of its Quintas instead
Same aging requirements as Vintage port - July30th 3rd year after harvest
Must be vintage
Define the style/aging requirements of LBV Port:
4-6 years in cask prior to bottling
Single vintage but varying quality
the best expressions are unfiltered as filtering shortens the life span and weakens the structure
Envelhecido em Garrafa - indicates an addtional 3 years min bottle aging after cask aging.
So min 7 if labeled as such.
Define the style/aging requirements of Tawny Port:
No serious aging requirements, usually just less extracted wines that are paler due to lack of provenance
Define the style/aging requirements of Reserve Tawny:
Must age 7 yrs before bottling.
A blend of multiple vintages
Will not improve with additional aging
Define the style/aging requirements of Tawny with indication of age:
10,20,30,40
Rancio/oxidative
High quality fruit seasoned in wood
Racked and topped once a year with young juice to ensure freshness
No actual minimum age required, it just needs to taste like a certain prefered 10 or 20 year style, very imprecise
Define the style/aging requirements of Colheita Tawny:
Min 7 years in cask. Vintage dated.
Variable in quality due to the fact that some producers will only bottle once an order is received.
What is the climate of Madiera?
Sub tropical
What is the other island in the Madiera Archipeligo that may produce Madiera?
Porto Santo
Define Poios:
The stony basalt Terraces of Madiera
What is the most common vine training system on Madiera?
Pergola system trained on low trellises called latadas
What are latadas?
The low trellises used to support teh pergola trained fines of Madiera
What is a levada?
A water canal that feeds water down the mountains in Madiera
What governing body over sees Madiera wine production?
The wine embroidery and handicraft institute of Madiera over sees Madiera wine productions
What company is responsible for over half of Madiera’s exports?
Justino Henriques
What are the 6 companies that export madiera?
Justino Henriques, Blandy’s, The Madiera Wine Co., Cossart Gordon, Henriques & Henriques, Periera D’Oliveira, Vinhos Barbieto, Faria & Filhos
Broadbent is a example of a Madiera trader or exporter? Why?
They buy wine from Justino Henrqiues
Name the noble white grapes of Madiera in order of driest to sweetness:
Sercial(esgana cao)
Verdelho(gouveio)
Boal(bual, Malvasia fina)
Malmsey(Malvasia Candida)
What percentage of total madiera production does Tinta Negra make up?
85%
What two grapes previously used in Madiera production were not replanted after Phylloxera struck in 1872
Bastardo - red
Terrantez
Which of the 4 noble white grapes of madiera are early harvesting and which are late harvesting?
Sercial and verdelho are harvested last
Boal and Malmsey picked first
What temperature does an estufagem heat to?
45-50C =113-122F
How long must adiera rest after the estufagem process? What is this process called?
Estagio
The wine must rest a min of 90 days before going into cask
What is the Armazens de calor and who uses it?
It is a process that falls somewhere in between the Estufagem and Canteiro process
Used by the Madiera wine CO
THe armazens de Calor are rooms warmed by nearby pipes rather then having the pipes in the barrels themselves
Ususally this process takes up to a year
Describe the Cantiero process:
The wines are cask aged for 2 years in attics, this prevents the carmelization of sugars that can happen with the direct heat of the estufagem process.
Can be bottled at a minimum of three years of age.
The best vinhos de Canteiro will be selected to be Frasquiera Madiera which require 20+ years of aging
Briefly describe the noble white varietals of madiera and their taste profile:
Sercial: high acid - driest style - usually 40-45 g/l of RS
Verdelho: high acid, smokey honey more full bodied then sercial
Boal: medium sweet and rich, acid and aromatic, darkest in color
Malvasia: sweetest softest style
Describe the following style of Madiera and its again requirements:Rainwater
This style is usually 100% tinta negra
Min 3 years aging
Medium dry-light
Describe the following style of Madiera and its again requirements:Seleccionado
Often labeled finest, choice or select
Must be min 3 years old but younger then 5
Estufagem tank heating rather then cask
Describe the following style of Madiera and its again requirements: Reserve
Must be 5 years of age but max of 10
Describe the following style of Madiera and its again requirements: Special Reserve
Must be min 10 years of age max 15
Usually made of a single noble variety
Heated by canteiro
Describe the following style of Madiera and its again requirements: Extra Reserve
Must be a min of 15 max of 20 years
Describe the following style of Madiera and its again requirements: Solera
Must be made by fractional blending and the Canteiro method.
EU does not permit its production
10 additions of wine each year and only 10% of stock may be drawn off
Bottled with the starting date of the solera
Describe the following style of Madiera and its again requirements: Colheita
Must be 85% from a single stated vintage
Min 5 yrs aging
Can be a single varietal
Not allowed to use the word vintage because of port
Describe the following style of Madiera and its again requirements:Frasquiera
Minimum 20 yrs in cask
Can be single varietal
Only 85% of single vintage is require to allow topping
Sometimes aged for additional time in glass demi johns
When did Sherry become a protected designation of Origine?
1933
What is the hottest region of spain?
Jerez
What is the River that forms the northwestern border of Sherry?
Guadalquivir
What are the three towns of sherry production:
Sanlucar de Barrameda, El puerto de Santa Maria, Jerez de la Frontera
What are the Two DO’s of Sherry? What are the differences?
Jerez-xerez-Sherry
Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda
These two regions both share the exact same boundaries however the latter must be aged in SAnlucar de Barrameda
What are the two winds in that impact Sherry production? Describe their unique affects:
The Levant: hot dry eastern blowing wind all but cooks the grapes on the vines
The Poniente: Humid, alternates with the levant and promotes the growth of flor
Define the level of water retention, general location and make up of Albrazia soil of Sherry:
Albariza - Chalk - moisture retaining - high PH
concentrated on the slopes of Jerez Superior a sub region between Sanlucar de Barrameda and teh Guadalete River which flows in to the Bay of Cadiz just south of Jerez de la Fronterea
80 % of the vines are located here in Jererz Superior
WHat are the three notable vineyards of Jerez de la Frontera? What is the largest?
Macharnudo, Anina, Carrascal
Macharnuo is the largest
Define the level of water retention, general location and make up of Barros soil of Sherry:
More fertile but dificult to work, less water retention then albariza, prominent in the low lying valleys of Jerez
Define the level of water retention, general location and make up of Arenas soil of Sherry:
Lots of drainage, on the coastal regions
What are the 3 white grapes authorized for sherry:
Palomino(listan)
Pedro Ximenez
Moscatel
What are the two varieties of the Palomino Grape? Which is considered superior
Palamino Fino and Palomino de Jerez
Palomino fino is considered superior
Which sherry grape favors Arenas soil?
Moscatel
How long does the Soleo process take? What is it?
1-3 weeks the drying of grape bunches on in the sun on straw or grass mats. This is generally only for PX and MOscatel
Palomino can be sunned but usually not for longer then 24 hours.
Define Vara y Pulgar:
A puning method where growers prune alternate spurs each year
Vara= Stick
Pulgar = Thumb
Define:
Pisadores
&Zapatos de Pisar
The traditional workers of sherry and their cow hide boots with nails
What is the maximum amount of juice that you can press from 100kg of grapes by law in sherry? What happens to the remaining juice?
You can press 72.5 L of juice from 100kg of grapes. The remaining juice may be discarded, declassified or turned into grape juice
What are the three divisions of the must in Sherry? What is done with all three after pressing?
Mosto de yema: Primera yema - free run Segunda yema- second pressing Primera and segunda yema are fermented serparately Then acidified and allowed to settle. Mosto prensa - wine for distillation
How did producers clarify sherry in the past? How do they do it now? What is Yeso?
In the past they would ad plaster to the grapes before pressing - the yeso
Which when combined with cream of tartar produced tartaric acid
Now:
Most producers add acid directly and utilize a system of racking to clarify the wines
What is desfungato?
Sherry racking
What are traditional sherry fermentation vessels vs. modern sherry fermentation vessels
Tradional: 600 liter new american oak butts
Modern:50,0000 liter stainless steel tanks
What are the two stages of sherry fermentation:
1st fermentation is hot and tumltuous lasting up to a week.
Lenta or slow fermentation-high temps subside and any remaining sugar in the wine is converted to alcohol of a course of a few weeks.
The resulting base wine is 11-12.5%
What do the labels palo and Gordura mean and where would you find them?
They are the labels given to the sherry barrels after fermentation; this marks them for either oxidative or biological aging.
Palo - fortified up to 15-15.5 and set for fino or manzanilla styles
Gordura - fortified to 17-18% to inhibit flor growth and create a oloroso style of sherry.
What is Mitada y Mitada?
A mixture of spirit and aged sherry that is added to both Palo and Gordura wine after fermentation to fortify the wines with out shocking them.
Sherry that is destined for Biological aging uses grapes from what type of soil and what pressing of the Yema?
They use grapes from Albariza soil and the Primera Yema because the fineness and elegance of this style of sherry has more to do with the initial product then the oxidative styles of sherry.
What pressing of the yema is used for oxidative style sherry?
Segunda yema
What is the Sobretablas?
The six month aging period in which the future biologically aged sherry can be determined.
Define the six styles of biological sherry:
Palma - fine delicate sherry with good flor growth - generally will develop to fino
Palma Cortada - a more robust fino which may eventually emerge as an amontillado
Palo Cortado - a rarity - although flor is still present the richness of the wine leads the cellar master to redirect it towards an oxidative path, after sobre tablas it will be fortified up t o17% to destroy flor.
Raya - despite initial promise the flor growth has become anemic or the yeast has died completely forcing redirection on an oxidative aging path.
Dos Rayas- The flor has completely disappeared but is character is rough and course. Usually characterized by high levels of VA and usually destined for sherry vinegar.
For every liter of wine draw from the solera how many must remain?
2
What is a trasiego?
The refreshment of older sherry butts with younger sherry
The Solar System is integral to what kind of aging?
Biological aging
What is the final alcohol content of Fino Sherry?
15-18%
What is the final alcohol content of Amontillado Sherry?
16-22%
What is the final alcohol content of Oloroso Sherry?
17-22%
What are the different labeling terms of Sherry in Sanlucar de Barrameda? What regular Jerez sherry terms do they co-incide with
Manzanilla Fina - fino
Manzanilla Pasada - Palo Cortado - Amontillado
Manzanilla Olorosa - Oloroso
What are the difference between the wines of San Lucar de Barrameda and Jerez in terms of the solera system?
The Manzanilla style wines of San Lucar de Barrameda go through the SOlera system at an accelerated rate.
Which styles of sherry are considered Generoso?
What is Generoso?
Dry Fino Amontillado Palo Cortado Manzanilla Fina Manzanilla Pasada Manzanilla Olorosa
What is the Cabaceo?
The assemblage and testing of the final blend of sherry
What is the minimum ABV of base wines entering into the Cabeceo?
17.5
What are the 3 sweetening agents used to sweeten the final blend of Sherry? What are they?
Dolce pasa - mistela produced solely from palamino grapes
Dulce de Alimbar - a blend of invert sugar and fino - rare
Mistela - must
What are the two cooked syrups or, vino de colors, a sherry house can use to adjust the final color and sweetness of a wine? How are they made?
Sancocho - reduced to 1/3
Arrope - reduced to 1/5
Can you legally append the terms milk, golden, brown to a sherry label? If so what do they mean?
These terms are legally allowed
They don’t mean anything
They are meant to appeal to the british market and classic labeling terms
What is an almacenista? Name an example of one:
It is like a partidista in Madiera - They purchase young wines, age them, and sell them to shipers at proper maturity
Lustau has now trademarked the term
What is Vino Dolce Natural when made in sherry? Sugar content, grape varietals?
It is a sun dried wine from Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez, the sugar content is ranges from 180-500g/l RS
What is the governing body for Sherry?
Consejo Reulador
What are the aging/requirements for the new Sherry label terms: VOS & VORS
When was this introduced?
Intorduced in 2000
VOS - Vinum Optimum Signatum may be applied to Sherry with an average Solera age of over 20 years
VORS - Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum may be applied to sherry with an average solera age of over 30 years
30 L must remain in the solera for every Liter withdrawn
Only Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado and Pedro Ximenez wines are authorized.
Must be tasting panel approved.
May certify 12 or 15 yrs on the label- this label applies to the entire solera not just specific lot of wine
What is a copita?
A sherry cup
Who was the first manufacture of Marsala? What year?
1773 - John Woodhouse
What are the two points in Marsala production that Marsala can be fortified?
During or after fermentation depending on the desired level of sweetness
What are Mosto Cotto and Sifone?
They are the two sweetening agents used for Marsala
Mosto Cotto - regular must
Sifone - cooked must
Which style of Marsala is generally considered lower quality and allows concia? What is concia?
Ambre - concia the addition of mosto cotto
What are the main grapes of Rubino Marsala? What percentage of Rubino Marsala can be white grapes?
Red Grapes: Perricone, Calabrese, Nerello Mascalese
Max 30% white grapes
What are the different sugar classifications of Marsala? What is the level of RS
Secco : 40 max
Semisecco : 40-100max
Dolce: 100 min
What is special about Marco di Bartoli Marsala - Vecchio Samperi?
He releases it as Vino de Tavola because he doesnt want to fortify it.
Does vintage marsala exist? What does the date on the bottle refer to?
Vintage marsala does not exist the date on the bottle refers to the fortification date
