Learning Outcome 2

Question 1

Name 5 techniques of winemaking?

Answer 1

Crushing - involves splitting the grape skin to release some of the juice

Pressing - the remaining juice is squeezed in a machine called a press to extract as much liquid as possible.

Alcohol Fermentation - carried out by microorganisms called yeast that feed on the sugar to create alcohol. The yeast also produce CO2 which is released into the atmosphere. The fermentation stops when the yeast has consumed all the sugar. This results in a dry wine. The level of alcohol depends on how much sugar there is in the grapes. Most dry wines are between 11.5 up to 16 abv

Storage/maturation - the newly made wine is stored prior to packaging. Some wines are stored for a few months and in these instances very little flavours in the wine change. Other wines are stored for an extended period of time. This is referred to as maturation. Over time the flavours develop from primary to tertiary.

Packaging

Question 2

What grapes are red wines made from

Answer 2

Black - the skins must be included in the fermentation to extract their colour and tannins.

Question 3

What’s the order for red wine making?

Answer 3

Crushing
Fermentation
Draining
Pressing
Storage or maturation
Packaging

Question 4

What is punching down and pumping over?

Answer 4

In red wine making a thick layer of grape skin settles on top of the fermenting grape juice. This is known as the cap. This needs stirring thoroughly to extract the colour and tannins.

A technique called Punching down where a plunger is used to push the cap down into the liquid

Pumping over is where the liquid from the bottom is pumped up through a hose and sprayed over the cap

Question 5

What are the two ways of making fry rose wine?

Answer 5

Short maceration - made from black grapes. Same method of red wine making but the fermenting wine is drained from the skins after a few hours. Fermentation then continues at white wine temperatures.

Blending - a rose wine can also be made by blending a red wine and a white wine. This method is not permitted in many parts of Europe.

Question 6

What is the typical order for white wine making?

Answer 6

Crushing
Pressing
Alcohol fermentation
Storage or maturation
Packaging

Question 7

What is the typical order for dry rose wine making?

Answer 7

Crushing
Alcohol fermentation
Draining - roses are drained off the skins after a short maceration. Fermentation then continues without the skins.
Storage or maturation
Packaging

Question 8

What is the sugar that is left in wine after fermentation called?

Answer 8

Residual sugar

Question 9

What four techniques are used to make sweet wines?

Answer 9

Removing the yeast - sophisticated filters that have small enough holes to remove the yeast and hence stop the fermenting. White Zinfandel is an example which uses this technique.

Killing the yeast - alcohol kills yeast. This method is called fortification, raises the alcohol content to between 15-20% abv. An example of this would be Port

Concentrated grape sugars - the juice from extra ripe grapes, botrytis/noble rot effected grapes and frozen grapes has such high levels of concentrated sugar, that it is not possible for the yeast to eat all the sugar. Therefore fermentation stops with some residual sugar remaining. An example would be Tokaji Aszu from Hungary.

Adding sweetness to a dry wine - the sugar that is added comes from grapes. Sometimes unfermented grapes alternatively the sugars can be concentrated, resulting in a very sweet liquid that can be used to sweeten wines. The other option available is to blend a dry wine with a sweet wine

Question 10

What adjustments can the winemaker do to influence the style of wine?

Answer 10

Sugar - in cool climates the level of sugars can be low meaning the wine can lack body. Adding sugar to the grape juice can result in a wine with a higher level of alcohol.

Acid - in warm climates the acid levels can be too low during ripening leaving an unbalanced wine. Winemaker can add acid during winemaking.

Question 11

What temperature is required to ferment white, red and rose wines

Answer 11

White - 12-22 at the lower range fermentations can produce notable fruity aromas

Red - 20-32 red wine needs to ferment at a higher temp to help extra colour and tannins from the grape skins.

Rose - if a rose is being made by a short maceration. Once drained off the skin it’s typically fermented at white wine temps

Question 12

What two types of vessels are there?

Answer 12

Stainless steel or concrete vessels - can be used for both storage and fermentation. They are air tight therefore preventing oxygen from interacting with the wine causing flavour change. Also inert and do not add any flavour to the wine.

Oak vessels - can also be used for fermentation and storage. Can add flavours directly to the wine. Also allows flavours to evolve as a result of the interaction with oxygen during maturation.

Question 13

What is the level of toasting when it comes to oak barrels?

Answer 13

It’s the amount of time the oak staves that form the barrel are heated around an open flame and bent into shape. The length of time and level of heat applied influence the flavours from the oak.

Toasting can produce sweet spice and charred wood aromas and flavours.

Question 14

What flavours would a new oak barrel add?

Answer 14

Vanilla, coconut, charred wood and spice

Question 15

What’s an old oak barrel

Answer 15

It’s a barrel that has been used two or three times. The barrel will add less flavour and aromas

Question 16

During maturation in an oak vessel. Oxygen can enter the barrel and interact with the wine. What flavours would this give?

Answer 16

Caramel, dried fruit, and nut (almond, hazelnut, walnut)

Oxygen helps soften the tannins

These changes occurs more quickly in small barrels as more of the surface are of the wine is in contact with the barrel. Large vessels are rarely used to give oak flavours to wine.

Question 17

Oak barrels are expensive. What are the two oak alternatives?

Answer 17

Oak chippings

Oak staces

Both can be added to inert stainless steel vessels.

Question 18

Explain malolactic conversion

Answer 18

Bacteria lower the acidity in the wine and can give buttery flavours

Malolactic conversion nearly always takes place during red wine making and the buttery flavours are not really noticeable.

During white winemaking the winemaker has a choice. Sometimes the winemaker might want to preserve the acidity in the wine and the buttery aromas would not be suitable for the style of wine. Therefore they can prevent malolactic conversion from taking place.

Aromatic wines such as riesling prevent malolactic conversion.

Certain types of Chardonnay benefit from it

Question 19

What is Lees?

Answer 19

After alcohol fermentation the yeast die and fall to the bottom of the fermentation vessel. This forms a layer of dead cells called lees. If the winemaker chooses to keep the wine in contact with the lees then it can be stirred through the wine during maturation. This can increase the body of the wine adding extra flavours such as biscuit and bread

Question 20

What’s the benefit of blending

Answer 20

Consistency for consumers
Maintain the same style
Can make wine taste more complex

Question 21

Which characteristics would a wine have that would make it more likely to be able to mature in the bottle?

Answer 21

High acidity
In sweet wines, high residual sugar
In red wines, high levels of tannins

Above all else the wines need to have sufficient concentration of flavours that can evolve in a positive way

These components helps to preserve it

Question 22

What colour changes will happen with white wine?

Answer 22

Lemon to gold to amber
Intensity of the colour will become deeper

Question 23

What tertiary characteristics will occur with white wine bottle maturation?

Answer 23

Dried apricot
Honey,
Nut,
Spice

Question 24

What colour changes will occurs through red wine maturation in a bottle?

Answer 24

The wine will go from Ruby, to garnet, to tawny and eventually to brown

Question 25

What happens to tannins as a red wine ages in a bottle?

Answer 25

They soften and become smoother

Question 26

What tertiary characteristics might develop?

Answer 26

Fig,
Prune,
Meat,
Wet leaves