General Specifications Flashcards
Name the parts of a grape (4)
Pulp, skin, seeds and stems
How does the skin of a grape contribute to wine?
Creates colours, tannins and flavours
How do the seeds and stems of a grape contribute to wine?
Tannins
What does a vine need to produce healthy grapes (5)?
Warmth, sunlight CO2, water, nutrients
Name the stages of grape formation (4)
Flowering, Fruit Set, Veraison, Ripening
Name the tree types of grape ripeness (3)
Unripe, ripe and extra-ripe
What happens to the acid and sugar levels in grapes as they ripen?
Acid drops, sugar increases
As grapes ripen, they develop greater herbaceous flavours. True/False
False, the herbaceous flavours decrease as grapes ripen.
How do the aromas in a white grape change as the grape ripens?
It goes from green fruit and citrus to stone fruit and tropical fruits.
A less ripe black grape has less tannin than one that is more ripe. True/False
True, tannins continue to develop as grapes age.
Which stage of the grape formation does the grape actually begin to develop into small, hard, dark green berries?
Fruit Set
What part of the formation process sees the grapes start to swell and ripen?
Veraison
What is the temperature range for a moderate climate during the growing season?
16.5 to 18.5
What season are vines typically pruned?
Winter
Name two ways grape growers irrigate their vines.
Flood the field
Add water systems to water individual vines
What are fungicides used to control?
To kill fungal disease
Why would a grape grower use a herbicide
To control weeds
If a vineyard is certified organic, they are still able to use fungicide. True/False
True, some sprays are permitted to control really bad fungal diseases
What is yield?
The measure of the number of grapes produced per unit of area.
What is the risk of a high yield (2)?
Diluted flavours and lower sugar levels.
What is the risk off a low yield?
The crop will be too small to be commercially viable.
Hand harvesting produces are far greater quality of wine. True/False
False
Describe grapes that are harvested earlier in the ripening process.
Sugar
Acid
Flavours
Low Sugar
High Acid
Herbaceous FWhelavours
Describe grapes that are harvested later in the ripening process.
Sugar
Acid
Flavours
High Sugar
Low Acid
Ripe Flavours
What type of wine is typically produced from extra ripe grapes?
Sweet Wines
Describe the ideal weather conditions for Botrytis to be beneficial.
Damp misty mornings
Warm, dry afternoons
What type of wines is typically produced from grapes affected by noble rot?
Sweet wines.
Frozen grapes produce the best wines when they thaw before they are pressed. True/False
False, they need to be frozen at time of pressing,
List the labelling terms used in the EU (2)
PDO, PGI
List the labelling terms used in France (4)
AOC/AOP, VdP, IGP
List the labelling terms used in Italy (3)
DOCG, DOC, IGT
List the labelling terms used in Spain (2)
DOCA, DO
List the labelling terms used in Germany (3)
Landwein, Qualitatswein, Padikatswein
List the labelling terms used outside of the EU (1)
GIs
What is the term for Old Vines
Vielles Vignes
Producers that use the term Old Vines must be producing wines that come from vines greater than 50 years of age. True/False
False
Vintage on a label refers to the year in which the wines are released to market. True/False
False, it is the year the grapes were harvested.
A wine from Australia will be half a year older than a wine from California. True/False
True
What region is allowed to use the term Vendanges Tardives
Alsace
Wines produced from late harvest are always described as sweet wines. True/False
False, they can be dry, off-dry, medium or sweet.
Describe the alcoholic fermentation process.
Yeast converts sugar into alcohol and CO2.
What are the steps in the red winemaking process?
Crushing, fermentation, draining, pressing, storage or maturation and packaging
What are the steps in the white winemaking process?
Crushing, pressing, fermentation, storage or maturation and packaging,
What is the difference between storage and maturation?
Storage is typically less than a year where there is little change in the wine; Maturation is described as wines that are stored for extended periods of time to develop the flavours and body of the wine.
Name the two processes used to ensure black grape skins are in frequent contact with the fermenting liquid
Punching Down
Pumping Over
What are the two common methods used to make rose wines?
Short maceration and blending
Rose wines use the same temperature as red wines for the fermentation process. True/False
False, they use the same temperatures as white wines.
What is the term used to describe sugar that is left in a wine after fermentation.
Residual sugarW
How does a winemaker “Kill the yeast”
Add alcohol
List 4 techniques used in making sweet wines.
Use extra ripe grapes, frozen grapes of botrytis affected grapes.
Remove the yeast
Kill the yeast
Add sweetness
Which two components could be altered when making adjustments to wine?
Sugar and Acid
What is the result when a winemaker increases the level of sugar in the grape juice?
A wine with a higher level of alcohol
What is the temperature range in the red wine fermentation process?
20 - 32
Why does the fermentation process in red winemaking require a higher temperature range.
To extract the colour and tannins from the skins.
What is the temperature range in the red wine fermentation process?
12 - 22
White wines that are at the lower or higher end of the fermentation range produce wines that have noticeable fruity aromas.
Lower
What are the benefits of using an oak vessel during fermentation and storage and maturation?
Oak can add flavours
Oak allows flavours to evolve as a result of interaction of the wine with oxygen during maturation.
What flavours does Toasting add to a wine
Sweet Spice and Charred Wood
What flavours does new oak add to wine?
Vanilla, coconut, charred wood, and spice.
What is the term used to describe barrels that have been used before.
Old oak
What are the flavours that result when oxygen comes into contact with wines in a barrel?
Caramel, dried fruit and nuts.
Does oxygen soften the tannins in a wine?
Yes
What does the addition of bacteria do to a wine.
Lowers acid
What is Lees
Dead yeast the forms at the bottom of the fermentation vessel.
What flavours develop from Lees contact?
Biscuit and bread
Why would a winemaker Blend wines?
To create a consistent wine year over year
Complexity
What characteristic would a wine that is suitable for aging have?
High acid
Do high levels of sugar benefit or harm the aging process
Benefit
Do red wines become more pale or more dark with age?
Paler
What happens to tannins in red wine as it ages?
They become softer and smoother
List some tertiary characteristics in an aged red wine.
Fig, Prune, Meat, and wet leaves
List some tertiary characteristics in an aged white wine.
Dried Apricot, Honey, Nut and Spice
What does Chateau refer to in Bordeaux
The wine has been made from grapes grown on the producers land
What are the classifications in Bordeaux that were meant to rank the best wines from the Best Chateaux?
Grand Cru Classe
Cru Classe
Name one other classification that can be used in Medoc if the Grand Cru Classe cannot be applied.
Cru Bourgois
