Fundamentals Unit Part 4 - Semi-sweet and sweet wine production

Question 1

Which two types of sweet wine are made in France?

Answer 1

Fortified (grape spirit or brandy added during fermention);
Non-fortified (late harvested or botrytised grapes)

Question 2

How long after normal harvest might late-harvest grapes be left on the vine?

Answer 2

Up to 4 weeks depending on grape and wine style required.

Question 3

What does ‘passillerage’ entail?

Answer 3

A late harvest technique - This is the twisting of the stalks of the bunches on the vine, to stop the flow of sap. This causes the grapes to dessicate due to water loss and concentrates the sugars.

Question 4

Which other late-harvest technique may be used?

Answer 4

Harvesting and drying the grapes at the winery to concentrate sugars and flavours.

Question 5

What are botrytised grapes?

Answer 5

Grapes which have been affected by Noble Rot (Pourriture Noble/ Botrytis Cinerea). The sugars and flavours are concentrated by the action of the fungus. They are late-harvest, handpicked and not destemmed,

Question 6

Why does fermentaion of late-harvest and botrytised grapes end with sweet wine?

Answer 6

The high level of sugars means that the yeast will die before converting all sugar to alcohol, leaving unfermented, residual sugar.

Question 7

Why is malolactic conversion avoided in sweet wine making?

Answer 7

The wine needs the acid for balance with the high sugar level.

Question 8

How are semi-sweet wines defined in France?

Answer 8

“Moelleux” - made from late-harvest grapes which may or may not be botrytised.

Question 9

How are sweet wines defined in France?

Answer 9

“Doux” if non-botrytised;
“Liquoreux” if botrytised.

Question 10

What is “Vin Doux Naturel” (VDN)?

Answer 10

It is a fortified sweet wine. Grapes must be harvested when the potential ABV level reaches 14.5%(225g/l of sugar.

Question 11

How are VDNs made?

Answer 11

Druing fermentation, a 96% neutral grape spirit is added to the must and this ends fermentation by killing the yeasts and leaving residual sugar.

Question 12

What are the RS ranges for VDNs?

Answer 12

4.5% to > 12% (45g/l to >120g/l). Most are in the 85 to 11% range.

Question 13

What determines the sweetness and style of a VDN?

Answer 13

The timing of adding the grape spirit.

Question 14

What is “Mutage”?

Answer 14

Mutage is the name of the process of adding grape spirit to fermenting wine. If the grape spirit is added to a must without solids this process is known as “MUTAGE”.

Question 15

What is “Mutage sur Marc”?

Answer 15

If the grape spirit is added to a must with solids this process is known as “MUTAGE SUR MARC” (marc means pomace or cap).

Question 16

Who discovered Mutage?

Answer 16

Arnaud de Vilanova in 1295

Question 17

What are the three ways to make White VDN?

Answer 17

1. Press, ferment, add spirit -MUTAGE:
2. Destem, crush, short maceration, press,fermentation, add spirit - MUTAGE;
   3.Destem, crush, short maceration,fermentation,add spirit,press skins and juice - MUTAGE SUR MARC;

Question 18

What are two ways to make rose VDN?

Answer 18

1. Red grapes are pressed, fermented, add spirit- MUTAGE;
2. Red grapes are destemmed, crushed, maceration, press skins and juice, ferment, add spirit - MUTAGE

Question 19

What are two ways to make red VDN?

Answer 19

1. Grapes are destemmed and crushed, maceration and fermentation,press and remove solids, add spirit - MUTAGE;
   2.Grapes are destemmed and crushed, maceration and fermentation,add spirit, press and remove solids, - MUTAGE SUR MARC;

Question 20

How is MUTAGE SUR MARC also known?

Answer 20

MUTAGE SUR GRAINS

Question 21

What character does MUTAGE SUR MARC/GRAINS give a VDN wine?

Answer 21

It produces wines with more tannic and intense flavours suitable for ageing.

Question 22

What are the two methods of ageing VDN?

Answer 22

Reductive and Oxidative.

Question 23

What is REDUCTIVE ageing?

Answer 23

The wine is stored in inert vessels or topped up oak barrels, with no oxygen exposure before filtering and bottling. They are typically fresh and fruit-driven.

Question 24

What is OXIDATIVE ageing?

Answer 24

The wine is matured without topping up or temperature control, to encourage oxidation, in concrete or wooden vats, barrels inside or outside. They will experience some evaporation.

Question 25

What are BONBONNES used for in VDN production?

Answer 25

They are large glass containers,(DEMI-JOHNS), used to store the wine outside in the sun. It produces wine with maderised aromas of toffee, walnut and orange zest.