FWS Fundamentals Flashcards
Who were the Phocaeans and what was their contribution to wine culture in France?
Greeks who settled around Massilia in the 6th century BCE
They introduced viticulture, pruning and grapevine propagation.
What innovations did the Romans introduce to viticulture in France?
The use of barrels for wine storage and aging,
Expanding viticulture across France.
What was the impact of the Roman Empire’s trade networks on French wines?
French wines could be sold throughout Europe, enhancing France’s wine reputation.
How did the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet affect Bordeaux?
It created a political and economic alliance
It secured long-term trade relations between Bordeaux and England.
What was the significance of the Hundred Years War on Bordeaux’s wine trade?
It disrupted wine production
Bordeaux remained a key supplier of wine to England.
What effect did the Thirty Years War have on Alsace’s vineyards?
Widespread destruction
Disrupting viticulture and damaging vineyards in Alsace.
How did Champagne’s wines become associated with the Royal Court of France?
Louis XIV popularised Champagne in Versailles during the 17th Century.
What scientific advancements improved wine quality in the 18th and 19th centuries?
Discoveries in fermentation processes (Louis Pasteur)
vineyard management
new ageing techniques
better consistency, preservation and higher quality
What changes did the Napoléonic Code bring to Bordeaux and Bourgogne’s wine industries?
Bourgogne literally divided their vineyards, consequently they relied on négociants who could bottle many vignerons wine under a single label.
Bordeaux divided estates as paper shares and maintainted their holdings.
What was the impact of the Bordeaux exhibit at the Exposition Universelle of 1855?
It formalised Bordeaux’s wine classification system, reinforcing its dominance in the wine world.
What was the effect of phylloxera on French vineyards?
Phylloxera devastated vineyards, leading to the discovery of grafting European vines onto resistant American rootstocks.
How did WWI affect the Champagne vineyards?
The war caused destruction to vineyards and many Champagne houses were forced to close.
What role did the Weinfürers play during WWII in France’s wine industry?
They confiscated French wine assets and redirected large quantities to German markets.
What are the three administrative divisions of France?
- Commune
- Département
- Region
How do wine region boundaries differ from administrative boundaries in France?
Wine regions like Beaujolais span more than one regions: Bourgogne- Franche-Comté and Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
What are the rift valley, massifs, and basins in France?
- Rift Valleys: Vosges Mountains, Saone Graven, Morvan uplands and Jura Mountains
- Massifs: Massif Central in south-central France (and Massif Amorican in north-west France)
- Basins: Paris Basin, Aquitaine Basin
Define ‘graben’ and its impact on wine regions.
A graben is a block of the earth’s crust that has dropped between two fault lines, impacting regions like the Rhône Valley.
What is the significance of the Massif Central to the Rhône Valley?
It creates a natural barrier (west of the region), blocking cold winds.
Why are vineyards typically planted on slopes?
Slopes allow for better drainage and increased sunlight exposure for grape ripening.
Why are mid-slope vineyard positions considered most prized?
They provide a balance of sunlight and drainage, avoiding extremes of the valley floor and top of the slope.
What does a vineyard’s orientation impact?
It affects sunlight exposure, crucial for grape ripening and wine quality.
Why are vineyards often planted near river systems?
Rivers moderate temperatures and provide reflective light for grape ripening.
Differentiate between the Left Bank and Right Bank in Bordeaux.
Left Bank vineyards are Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, while Right Bank vineyards are Merlot dominant.
Name the major rivers in each French wine region.
Loire (Loir, Vienne (Vouvray), Layon, Aubance)
Garonne: Bordeaux
Dordogne: Bergerac
Rhone:
Saone: Bourgogne
Serein: Chablis
What soil variables significantly impact wine quality?
- Drainage
- Mineral content
- Temperature regulation
Quality vineyards are on shallow, moderately fertile soils
What are the characteristics of warm and cold soils?
- Warm soils: Sands and graveles that retain heat, promote early ripening
- Cold soils: Clays with compact, dense structures that slow grape ripening
Which ocean current affects Western Europe’s climate?
The Gulf Stream current provides milder temperatures beneficial for vineyards.
List the three principal climate types in France.
- Maritime Climate: Mild winters, cool summers
- Continental Climate: Cold winters, hot summers
- Mediterranean Climate: Warm, dry summers, mild winters
What are the temperature parameters for photosynthesis in grapevines?
Photosynthesis occurs between 10°C and 30°C, optimal at 15°C to 25°C.
How do heat and wind affect photosynthesis?
Excess heat reduces efficiency - can cause hydric stress, shut down photosynthesis.
Strong winds cause moisture loss and damage.
How did Europe’s mini-Ice Age contribute to sparkling wine development?
Colder temperatures resulted in incomplete fermentations, which restarted in spring, leading to the accidental creation of sparkling wines.
What damage did the Winter Freeze of 1956 cause?
It froze vine roots in Loire, Bordeaux, and Rhône, leading to crop loss and extensive replanting.
1/4 of Bordeaux vineyards killed, malbec replaced by merlot. Southern F
What are the principal winds of France and the regions they affect?
- Mistral: Rhône Valley and Provence
- Tramontane: Languedoc and Roussillon
- Föhn: Alsace
- Autan: Languedoc and parts of the southwest
How is global warming affecting French vineyards?
Earlier harvests, and potential changes in grape varieties.
South / south-west vineyard orientations may become too warm.
What is the effect of Botrytis cinerea on grapes?
In its noble form, it concentrates sugars and acids for sweet wines; in grey rot form, it destroys grapes.
What are the synonyms for Botrytis cinerea?
- Noble rot
- Grey rot
- Pourriture noble
Why do good vintages often come in pairs?
The buds on the current year’s shoots are developing the following year’s crop so a good year is often followed by another.
Identify the major pruning systems in France.
- Guyot (cane pruned)
- Cordon (spur pruning)
- Gobelet (bush)
- Éventail (fan , spur pruning) used in Beaujolais, Savoie and Languedoc
- Vallée de la Marne (double guyot over one side) used for Meunier
- Chablis (spur pruning) used in Champagne for Chardonnay
Differentiate between conventional, sustainable, organic, and biodynamic farming.
- Conventional: Uses synthetic chemicals
- Sustainable: Uses chemicals when necessary
- Organic: Prohibits synthetic chemicals
- Biodynamic: Incorporates spiritual principles and organic methods
What are the steps in white wine production?
- Harvested, pressed
*( SO2 optional) - Débourbage (settling)
- (Chapitalisation / acidification)
- Fermentation 14-20 degrees
*( Malolactic conversion / sur lie ageing - batonnage) - Racking, SO2 adjusted
- (Blending)
- Clarification
- Cold stabilisation
What are the steps in red wine production?
- Harvesting, (sorting, destemming, crushing)
- (cold soak)
- Fermentation
(Pigeage (punching down),
remontage (pump over),
délestage (rack and return) - Pressing: Liquid separated from solid
Vn de goutte is run off into a tank / barrel for ageing
Skins go into the press to produce the vin de presse - Malolactic conversion to soften acidity
- Wine is racked, often several times (SO2 added)
(micro-oxygenation - mimics barrel ageing - Blending before or after ageing
- Clarification and stabilisation (fining agents)
What are the steps in rosé wine production?
Rosé grapes are picked earlier than red wine grapes and vinified like a white wine.
Direct Press: pressed immediately after harvest to minimise skin contact and extraction.
Fermented as if it were a white wine.
Saignée: grapes are crushed and macherated for 8-24 hours, then some pink juice is bled from the tank to make rosé. The liquid left behind is used to produce a concentrated red wine.
Cuvaison Rapide (rapid soak): grapes are crushed and allowed a brief period of extraction before pressing.
What is fermentation in red wine production?
Fermentation runs warm (up to 32 degrees) and can last 1-3 weeks. Techniques to extract colour and tannin:
(Pigeage (punching down),
remontage (pump over),
délestage (rack and return).
What is the purpose of pressing in wine production?
To separate the liquid from the solid remains after fermentation.
Why is ageing important for red wine?
Red wines are aged (some times in oak barrels) to soften tannins, enhance flavour and add complexity.
What is the main goal of harvesting grapes for rosé wine?
To maintain acidity by harvesting grapes 10-14 days earlier.
What happens during crushing and short maceration in rosé wine production?
The grapes are crushed, and skins are left in contact with the juice for a short period to extract colour.
How is juice separated from the skins in rosé production?
Direct Press: pressed immediately after harvest to minimise skin contact and extraction.
Fermented as if it were a white wine.
Saignée: grapes are crushed and macherated for 8-24 hours, then some pink juice is bled from the tank to make rosé. The liquid left behind is used to produce a concentrated red wine.
Cuvaison Rapide (rapid soak): grapes are crushed and allowed a brief period of extraction before pressing.
How is the fermentation process for rosé wine similar to white wine?
The juice is fermented similarly with temperature control for freshness.
How can a winemaker influence flavour during fermentation?
By using different strains of yeast to maximise or minimise certain aromatics and controlling fermentation temperature.
Residual sugar can be left by chilling the must and filtering out the yeast.
What is the primary fermentation step in the méthode champenoise?
The base wine (vin clair) is made by fermenting different grape varieties separately (usually in stainless steel).
What is tirage in the méthode champenoise?
Tirage is the act of bottling a sparkling wine.
liqueur de tirage: yeast / sugar solution to start second fermentation
What is the process of riddling (remuage)?
The collection of dead yeast cells in the neck of the bottle for disgorging.
What occurs during disgorging (dégorgement)?
The process of freezing the dead yeast cells in the neck of the bottle and removing them.
What is dosage in sparkling wine production?
A mixture of wine and sugar added to adjust the sweetness of the sparkling wine after dégorgement.
also known as liqueur d’expédition
Rank the sweetness levels for sparkling wine from driest to sweetest.
- Brut Nature/Zero Dosage (0-3g)
- Extra Brut (0-6g)
- Brut (0-12g)
- Extra Dry (12-17g)
- Sec (17-32g)
- Demi-Sec (32-50g)
- Doux (sweetest) (50g+)
What defines Champagne?
A sparkling wine made in the Champagne region using the méthode champenoise.
What is Crémant?
Sparkling wine made outside of Champagne but using the ‘Méthode traditionnelle’, aged 9 months on lees.
longer ageing for Crémant de Bourgogne
Define Mousseux.
General term for sparkling wines, 3atm pressure.
What characterizes Pétillant?
Lightly sparkling wines with a lower level of carbonation than mousseux, 1-2.5atm.
What is Pétillant Naturel (Pét-Nat)?
Méthode Ancestrale
Partially fermented, chilled and bottled with some residual sugar. May have sediment, may have been disgorged (no sediment).
Define semi-sweet wine.
Moelleux
Wines that have noticeable sweetness from late-harvest (may be affected by noble rot).
What characterises sweet wine as doux or liquoureux?
Doux: non-botrytised
Liquoureux: botrytised.
What is vin doux naturel?
A fortified sweet wine produced by adding alcohol to fermenting grape must to stop fermentation.
Define reductive winemaking.
Oxygen exposure is minimised during fermentation and ageing for fresh fruit flavours.
Define oxidative winemaking.
Exposure to oxygen is purposeful, leading to nutty, dried fruit flavours.
What is the saignée method?
A method where juice is bled off from red wine fermentation after a short period of skin contact to make a rosé wine.
What is direct press in rosé production?
Grapes are pressed directly to extract juice without maceration.
What is carbonic maceration?
An anaerobic, enzymatic fermentation process inside the berry where whole grape clusters are fermented in a sealed tank with carbon dioxide.
results in banana and candied fruit flavours
How does vatting time affect wine?
Shorter vatting times generally result in more expolosive aromatics
Longer periods add depth, tannin and complexity.
What is the history of ‘place names’ on a French wine label?
Louis XV labelled barrels CDR (Coste du Rhone) to attempt to stop fraud
Boiseaumarie (in C-d-P) worked to delineate zones of production.
Capus codified ‘origin’ into law in 1927 with AOC legislation.
Why did the French codify origin and production standards into law?
To protect the authenticity and quality of their wines.
Who were the key figures in the development of France’s AOC legislation?
Pierre Le Roy Boiseaumarié and Joseph Capus.
What is the least restrictive level in the French/EU wine quality pyramid?
Vin sans IG (vin de France).
What does IGP stand for in wine classification?
Indication Géographique Protégée (vin de pays).
What characterises AOC/AOP wines?
- Come from a delimited area of origin
- Be made from a list of authorised grape varieties
- Adhere to a maximum permitted yield and a minimum alcohol level
What is a Cahier des charges?
A set of regulations that delineate production zone, viticultural practices, and production standards.
