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WSET 3: Revisions > Grape profiles > Flashcards

Grape profiles Flashcards

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1
Q

Cabernet Sauvignon

A
  • Thick skin
  • Late ripening, can struggle to ripen in cooler places (or poor weather) => astringent tannins, herbaceous flavors
  • Haut Medoc: grippy tannins in youth, cedar and blackcurrant leaf aromas. With age, tannins soften and flavors more expressive
  • Fully ripe (warm): full-body, ripe blackcurrant, black cherry, smooth tannins

Bordeaux

South France, Italy, Spain

Napa Valley

Coonawarra, Margaret River

Hawke’s Bay

Stellenboch

Colchagua Valley

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2
Q

Cabernet Franc

A

・Less body and tannin than CS
・Unripe: herbaceous, stalky
・Ripe: vibrant fruit, floral note
・perfers well drained soils

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3
Q

Merlot

A

・Buds, ripens earlier than CS
・Fully ripe: intense purple, concentrated blackberry, plum, soft velvet tannins, toasty (oak)
・Early harvest: medium body and alcohol, higher acidity, fresh red fruit, vegetal, leafy

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4
Q

Sauvignon Blanc

A

・Highly aromatic grape, high acidity.
・Early ripening => well suited to cool climates

・Cool climates: green apple, asparagus, hint of wet pebbles
・Intense sunlight: gooseberry, elderflower, grapefruit, passion fruit

Loire Valley, Sancerre, Puilly Fumé
Malborough
South Africa
Chile
Margaret River

Pessac-Léognan (oak)

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5
Q

Chardonnay

A

・Early budding
・cool: green fruit, citrus
・moderate: fleshy fruits, white peach, melon
・warm/hot: tropical fruits, banana, pineapple (can lose acidity)
・subtle aromas make it perfect canvas for winemaking techniques (MLF, lee ageing, oak fermentation and maturation)
・with age: complex aromas of nuts and mushrooms

Burgundy
Russian River Valley, Los Carneros
Adelaide Hills, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula
Gisborne, Marlborough
Casablanca Valley

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6
Q

Pinot Noir

A

・Early budding, early ripening
・Thin skin
・From light and fruity with red cherry
・To complex earthy, spice, forest floor
・color and tanning tricky to extract
・not fully ripe: vegetal notes, cabbage, wet leaves
・too hot: jammy and unattractive

Burgundy
Baden
Los Carneros, Sonoma
Martinborough, Marlborough, Central Otago
Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania
Walker Bay
Casablanca Valley

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7
Q

Petit Verdot

A

・ripens fully only in very hot years (Bordeaux)
・very deep-colored, tannic wine, ages slowly
・used in blends for adding tannin, color and spicy notes

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8
Q

Malbec

A

・deeply colored, full body wines, notes of black fruit, high levels of soft tannins

・elegant styles: more gentle extraction
・high quality: matured in new oak, adding spices

・low altitude: fuller-body, richer black fruit
・higher altitude: more elegant, fresh, floral

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9
Q

Tannat

A

・deeply colored, high tannin.
・traditionally needed long period of bottle aging to soften tannins.
・today, riper grapes and modern winemaking mean the best wines have concentrated black fruit and high level of softer riper tannin

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10
Q

Petit Manseng

A

・High acidity
・Sweet wines: free of botrytis, undergo passerillage.
・prononced apricot and grapefruit, sometimes spicy notes from oak

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11
Q

Gamay

A

・if not well managed, can produce large yields, which results in lower quality wines

・fragant wines, with aromas of raspberry and cherry fruit
・medium levels of tannin and body

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12
Q

Riesling

A

・Very tolerant to cold winters, buds late (avoir Spring frosts)

・Cool climates: green fruit, floral notes
・Warmer climates: richer in flavors, citrus, stone fruit

・Mid to Late ripening depending on style
・Can cumulate sugar without loosing high acidity
・Can mature for years: honey, toast, petrol (some) but keep acidity

Germany
Alsace
Austria
Clare Valley, Eden Valley
Washigton States

fruity, off-dry:
New Zealand
Finger Lakes AVA

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13
Q

Pinot Gris

A

・early budding, early ripening
・can accumulate high sugar but lose acidity

・Alsace style: dry to off-dry, medium acidity, oily texture, ripe tropical fruit, hint of ginger and honey
・Grape skins have deep colors => golden appearance in wine

Alsace
New Zealand
Tasmania
Oregon

Alto Adige, Trentino, Friuli-Venezia Giulia

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14
Q

Gewurztraminer

A

・pungent aromatic spicy nose
・lychees, roses, sweet baking spices
・skin has light pink tinge, gives gold color to some wines
・full body, rich oily texture, low to medium acidity, high alcohol (14% common)

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15
Q

Muscat

A

・Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains: intensely aromatic, orange blossom, rose, grape.
・light to medium body, low to medium acidity
・prone to poor fruit set and rot

・Muscat Ottonel: less aromatic, but more reliable

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16
Q

Pinot Blanc

A

・light, simple, refreshing, commonly used for sparkling in Alsace
・non-aromatic

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17
Q

Melon Blanc

A

・Ripens early, frost resistant
・vast majority grown in Nantais

・high acidity, light body, subtle green fruit

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18
Q

Chenin Blanc

A

・high acid, non-aromatic
・grapes can reach different levels of ripeness within one bunch
・can result in green, herbaceous if care not taken

・young wines: vary from fresh apple to tropical fruit depending on ripeness
・dry wines: steely, smoky
・sweet: apricot, citrus peel from noble rot

・can age for decades. with age, becomes richer, develops honey, toast and hay which balance high acidity

Savennières (best dry)
Coteaux du Layon (best sweet)
Vouvray, Saumur, Anjou

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19
Q

Syrah

A

・small, thick, darly colored skin
・won’t ripen in very cool climate

・From: medium-bodied with pepper and fresh black fruit
・To: smooth full-bodied with intense, very ripe fruit and hints of liquorice

・intense fruit + deep color + high tannin => suitable for long aging

Northern Rhône
Languedoc, Roussillon
Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley (soft, earthy, spicy, concentrated black fruit)
Great Southern, Geelong, Heathcote (leaner, more peppery)

Chile
South Africa
Hawke’s Bay
Washington State

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20
Q

Grenache

A

・Late ripening, needs warm/hot climate
・high tolerance for drought conditions

・sweet, thin skinned grapes => high alcohol, low acidity, full body, soft tannins, red fruit

Priorat
Rioha Baja
Calatayud, Cariñena, Navarra
Southern Rhône, Languedoc Roussillon
Barossa Valley, McLaren Valley

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21
Q

Carignan

A

・naturally high in tannin, acidity and color, but can lack fruit or finesse
・old vines on poor soils can produce quality

・was popular because can produce enormous yields

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22
Q

Mourvèdre

A

・needs very hot conditions
・deeply colored, very high in tannins

・fully ripe, develops dense black fruit, gamey and meaty aromas

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23
Q

Viogner

A

・full bodied wines with perfumed aromas of blossom and apricots, flavors of stone fruit
・low acidity, high alcohol (grape deon’t develop their aroma signature until very late)
・grapes need careful handling in the winery so wines do not develop overly oily character

Condrieu (100%)
Côte Rôtie (up to 20%)

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24
Q

Cinsault

A

・supporting role in red wine blends
・red fruit

・best known as blending partner with Grenache for the production of fresh fruity rosé

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25
Q

Marsanne

A

・usually blended with Roussanne
・has richness and weight

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26
Q

Roussanne

A

・usually blended with Marsanne
・acidity and perfumed fruit character

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27
Q

Picpoul

A

・refreshing high acidity, green fruit and citrus flavors

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28
Q

Silvaner

A

・delicately perfumed with some richness
・less acidic and less fruity than Riesling
・can sometimes have an earthry quality

Alsace
Franken

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29
Q

Müller-Thurgau

A

・crossing made in the 1880s between Riesling and Madeleine Royale
・ripens earlier than Riesling but have same high acidity of flavor intensity
・can produce attractive floral and fruity wine

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30
Q

Dornfelder

A

・deeply colored wines

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31
Q

Grüner Veltliner

A

・high quality grape
・tends to produce fresh but unexciting wines at high yields, but we grown with care, full bodied concentrated wine with natural high acid
・youth: flavors of citrus, stone fruit, hints of white pepper
・develops: layers of honey, toast

Austria
Weinviertel DAC

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32
Q

Blaufränkisch

A

・medium tannins, high acidity, peppery, sour cherry flavor

33
Q

Zweigelt

A

・Crossing of Blaufränkisch x St Laurent
・deeply colored reds with soft tannins and bramble fruit

Austria
Burgenland

34
Q

St Laurent

A

・similar in character to Pinot Noir

Austria

35
Q

Furmint

A

・concentrated, high acid
・flavors of apples when young, developing into nuts and honey
・can make premium quality dry wines but
・late ripening and susceptibilty to botrytis => pincipal grape for Aszú wines

36
Q

Hárslevelű

A

・late ripening, contributes perfume to a blend

37
Q

Sárga Muskotály

A

・used for aromatic qualities

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

38
Q

Xinomavro

A

・often compared to Nebbiolo
・high levels of tannin and acidity
・medium color that quickly fades to tawny
・tends to lack fresh fruit even in youth
・long-lived wines, can develop complex spice and earthy aromas

Naoussa PDO

39
Q

Agiorgitiko

A

・best wines have deep ruby color, high levels of smooth tannins, low to moderate acidity, sweet spice and red fruit flavors
・great affinity for oak and age well

Nemea PDO

40
Q

Assyrtiko

A

・dry wines display perfumed aromas and concentrated flavors of ripe citrus and stone fruit
・natural high acidity

Santorini PDO

41
Q

Zinfandel

A

・tendency to ripen unevenly, harvested fruit can contain both raisined and underripe grapes.
・raisining can result in concentrated, full body, high alcohol levels, sometimes residual sugar
・Flavors: red, black fruit, dried berries, liquorice
・some display herbaceous from underripe grapes
・large volume rosé Zinfandel made from early-picking: White Zinfandel. fruity, pale color, medium-sweet, low alcohol

California
Dry Creek Valley AVA (old vines)
Sonoma Valley (old vine)
Paso Robles AVA (high quality)
Lodi AVA (oldest, best in State)

42
Q

Carmenère

A

・late ripening, most successful in warmest/sunniest sites
・full body, high levels of tannins
・overly herbaceous when underripe, but good example achieve balance between black fruit and herbal

Chile
Aconcagua Valley
Cachapoal Valley (valley floor)

43
Q

Torrontés

A

・intense fruity, floral perfume
・medium body and acidity
・stone fruit, melon

・usually fermented in inert, temperature controlled vessels

Cafayate from Salta
La Rioja (Argentina), San Juan, Mendoza
44
Q

Bonarda

A

・second most planted in Argentina
・late ripening, deeply colored grapes with high acidity and tannins

・high yield: easy drinking, medium to deep color, fruity raspberry and blackberry
・low yield: greater concentration and structure

Mendoza
San Juan

45
Q

Pinot Grigio

A

・made in dry style
・light to medium body
・high acidity, citrus and green fruit flavors

Alto Adige

46
Q

Corvina

A

・thin skin, moderate color
・low to medium tannins, high acidity
・red cherry, red berries

Veneto (Valpolicella)

47
Q

Garganega

A

・medium to high acidity
・medium body
・aromas of pear, red apples, stone fruit
・sometimes white pepper
・best examples can age developing almonds and honey

Veneto (Soave)

48
Q

Trebbiano

A

often blended with Grechetto (Orvieto) or Malvasia (Frascati)

Orvieto style: light in body, medium to high acidity, flavors of ripe grapefruit and peaches

Frascati style: medium in body, medium to high acidity, flavors of citrus fruit

Umbria (Orvieto DOC)

Lazio (Frascati DOC)

49
Q

Nebbiolo

A

・high levels of acidity and tannins
・but little color
・grapes ripen slowly at altitudes and develop perfumed aromas of sour cherries, herbs and sometimes dried flowers
・in best years, full bodied, with high acidity and tannins and have ability to develop in bottle

Piemonte

50
Q

Dolcetto

A

・earlier ripening than Nebbiolo and Barbera (therefore can be planted in cooler sites)
・deep, often purple, color
・medium to high tannins, medium acidity
・aomas of black plums, red cherries, dried herbs

Piemonte

Dolcetto d’Alba DOC

51
Q

Barbera

A

・late ripening
・medium to deep color
・low to medium tannins, high acidity
・aromas of red cherries, plums, sometimes black pepper

Piemonte

Barbera d’Alba DOC

Barbera d’Asti DOCG

52
Q

Cortese

A

・high acidity, floral character
・pale and light-bodied, flavors of citrus, green apples, pears

Piemonte

Gavi DOCG

53
Q

Sangiovese

A

・high acidity and tannins
・late to ripen, needs warm climate
・aromas of red cherries, plum, dried herbs
・generally aged in oak to soften tannins and add spicy flavors
・with bottle age develops meaty and gamey aromas

Tuscany

54
Q

Verdicchio

A

・high acidity
・flavors of green apple, lemon
・sometimes displays notes of fennel, almonds
・many are simple and fruity, but the best have greater concentration and can develop notes of honey, almonds with bottle age

Marche

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC

55
Q

Grechetto

A

・often blended with Trebbiano (cf)

Umbria Orvieto DOC

56
Q

Malvasia

A

・often blended with Trebbiano (cf)
・brings floral, orange blossom

Lazio Frascati DOC

57
Q

Montepulciano

A

・high levels of color and tannins
・medium acidity and flavors of black plums and cherries

Abruzzo

58
Q

Aglianico

A

・deep color with high tannins and acidity
・flavors of black fruit
・develops earthy, forest floor notes

Campania (Taurasi DOCS)

Basilica (Aglianico del Vulture DOC)

59
Q

Greco

A

・more acidity, leaner in body (than Fiano)
・green apple, stone fruit, passion fruit flavors
・develops aromas of honey and mushrooms

Campania

Greco di Tufo DOCG

60
Q

Fiano

A

・medium acidity, medium to full body
・aromas of stone fruit, melons, mango
・develops aromas of wax and honey

Campania

Fiano di Avellino DOCG

61
Q

Negroamaro

A

・medium tannins and acidity, high alcohol
・baked red and black fruit

Puglia

Salice Salentino DOC

62
Q

Primitivo

A

・full body, medium tannins and acidity
・high alcohol
・prononced flavors of very ripe berry fruit

Puglia

63
Q

Nero d’Avola

A

・medium to full body
・medium levels of acidity and tannins
・aromas of plums and black cherries
・often made in a fruity style

Sicily

64
Q

Tempranillo

A

・thick skinned
・medium levels of acidity
・needs warmth to develop its flavors
・needs high diurnal temperature range to preserve acidity

Synonyms: Cencibel (Valdepeñas, La Mancha)

Rioha

Ribera del Duero

Toro

Navarra

65
Q

Graciano

A

・highly valued but challenging to grow
・used as part of blend
・small quantities used to add concentrated black fruit, acidity and tannin to the structure, to help it age

Rioha

66
Q

Cariñena

A
  • high acidity, tannins and color
  • Synomym: Mazuelo

Calatayud, Cariñena Priorat

67
Q

Mencia

A

・suits moderate climates
・fresh fruit, medium to high acidity
・sometimes hint of herbaceousness

Bierzo

68
Q

Monastrell

A

・thick-skinned
・drought tolerant
・needs hot sunny conditions to ripen
・very deeply colored, full-bodied
・high levels of tannin and alcohol
・low to medium acidity
・flavors of ripe blackberry fruit

Yecla

Jumilla

69
Q

Airén

A

・most planted grape in Spain
・vast majority in La Mancha
・one of the few varieties that can cope with extreme heat and drought
・can be made in acceptable dry white wine
・mostly used in production of Brandy de Jerez

La Mancha

70
Q

Touriga Nacional

A

・low yields of grapes
・intense color and flavors
・high tannins, full body
・rich black fruit

71
Q

Alfrocheiro

A

・Deep in color
・Intense aromas of blackberry and strawberry

72
Q

Baga

A

・thick skin
・deep in color
・high tannin
・rich black fruit

73
Q

Trincadeira

A

・drought resistant
・spicy red berry
・high tannin

74
Q

Alicante Bouschet

A

・high color
・high tannin
・used in blends

75
Q

Welshriesling

A
  • not related to Riesling
  • dry: fresh, simple, citrus, green apple, high acidity
  • susceptible to botrytis => high quality dessert wines
    ​

Austria

76
Q

Viura

A

・unoaked style
・subtle herbs and spice aromes

Synonym: Macabeo

77
Q

Verdejo

A

・highly susceptible to oxidation
・with protective winemaking, can be made in light bodied, high acid, melon and peach
・can be made in richer, fuller-body style with skin contacct and barrel maturation

78
Q

Albariño

A

・thick skin (resist fungal disease)
・naturally high in acidity
・refreshing wines with citrus and stone fruit
・can be made in richer, fuller-bodied style

WSET 3: Revisions (2 decks)

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