L3- Port - Chapter 44 Flashcards
Where is the port industry located?
The port industry is located 70 km north between twin coastal cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia upstream of the Douro river
Where are vineyards for port located?
What are their climates?
Vineyards are located in 3 sub-regions:
1) Baixo Corgo
-the coolest/wettest climate located in the west
-produces the lightest wines
2) Cima Corgo
-warm continental climate
-where the greatest number of top vineyards are found
3) Douro Superior
-warm continental climate
-sparse plantings but renowned as a source of top quality wine
What are the risks growers contend with in Douro River valley?
Risks are:
-frosts in spring
-heavy downpours which can disrupt flowering as well as harvest
-in summer= day time temperatures can be very high and rainfall throughout the growing season is low
(Schist bedrock allows vines to access deep water reserves that are built up by winter rains through vertical fractures in the bedrock)
What is the topography of the Baixo and Cima Corgo regions?
Both are planted on very tall and very steep slopes that rise up from the banks of teh Douro.
This topography can be exploited by growers
There can be clear temperature changes between the top and the bottom of a slope due to change in altitude.
Some sites have a more northerly aspect and are deliberately used because they face away from the full force of the sun
How were vines traditionally planted in the Douro river valley? What are the complications?
Traditionally vines were planted on narrow terraces called socalcos, supported by stone walls.
No mechanization is possible and they are expensive to maintain.
What is the new style of terrace developed in the Douro River valley called?
The new style of terrace is patamares.
These are built with out retaining the stone walls and are wide enough to fit tractors.
Where the angle of a slope is low an unterraced system called vinha ao alto may be used
Both systems are prone to erosion.
What are the 5 preferred varietals for port production?
Touriga Franca,
Tinta Roriz
Tinta Barroca
Touriga Nacional
Tinta Cao
These grapes tend to be thick skinned, high in tannin, black fruit and floral aromas
When does fermentation of port stop?
What happens as a result of the short fermentation?
Port fermentation is stopped by alcoholic fortification once the alcohol reaches 5-9%.
As a result, fermentation usually only lasts 24 to 48 hours
Because of the short fermentation- extraction techniques usually used in red wine are not vigorous enough to get the level of tannin and color expected.
What methods are used to get the level of color and tannin expected in port wines?
Because of the short fermentation- extraction techniques usually used in red wine are not vigorous enough to get the level of tannin and color expected.
ALternative methods to achieve this are:
-Foot treading
-Autovinifiers
-piston plungers and robotic lagares
What is foot-treading?
Foot treading is the traditional method of color/tannin extraction for port. Large teams of workers tread grapes for 3-4 hours in shallow granite troughs or lagares. Once feremntation is underway foot treading stops and the cap is then regularly punched down to extract more tannin and color (Rare, but used for premium wines)
What are autovinifiers?
Autovinifiers are one of the earliest methods to automate of color/tannin extraction –still widely used. Crushed grapes are put into sealed vats and rising pressure of CO2 given off by fermentation pushes the juice up through the pipes into a holding tank.
When pressure reaches a set level the valve is released and the wine, no longer supported by CO2 gas pressure floods down over the cap. Similar to pumping over but the amount of contact between the wine and skins is much higher because when fermentation is very active a cycle will complete every 15 to 20 minutes.
What are piston plungers and robotic lagares?
Piston plungers and robotic lagares are designed to imitate foot treading as cloasely as possible
Piston plungers are round stainless steel vats where the cap is pressed down with robotic pistons
Involves shallow stainless steel tank that imitated size of traditional laga
robotic feet move up and down with a self-propelled gantry that copies the act of foot treading, crushing grapes against the floor of the tank
Widely employed in production of premium wines
What happens at fortification?
What spirit is used?
What amount?
Compared to sherry?
Fortification kills the yeast to create a stable sweet wine with between 19-22% abv
The spirit aguaradente is used and can be no stronger than 77%
20% of a bottle of port is spirit
Compared to 3.5% in sherry
Where does port generally mature?
In Vila Nova de Gaia, because the cooler coastal climate is well suited for the slow maturation of port wines.
What type of vessel does port take place in?
Either old oak vessels or very large stainless steel vats.
new Oak is not desirable on port wine
