Making Table wines and dessert wines

Question 1

What is the major difference in making different style (colors) of wine?

Answer 1

Contact with the skins and seeds
* Red - Fermentation occurs with skins and seeds present
* Rose - some contact with skin and seeds
* White - no contact with skin and seeds

Question 2

What is maceration?

Answer 2

Extraction of phenolics and aroma compounds from skin and seeds into the juice/wine.

In creasing maceratio time increases total phenolic concentration

Question 3

What are typical maceration times for Rose, light red, and dark red wines?

Answer 3

Rose - 12 to 24 hours
Light Red - about 4 days
Dark Red - 10 to 30 days

Question 4

What is extended maceration?

Answer 4

Maceration of longer than 10 days

Doesn’t add color, but increases total phenolics

Question 5

What is “Cap Management?”

Answer 5

During fermentation, CO2 will “float” skins and seeds to the top. Cap Management mixes skins and seeds though either a “punch down” or “pump-over.”

Question 6

What is Carbonic Maceration

Answer 6

Process in which whole berries are sealed for 8-10 days (or longer) in a fermentation vessel filled with CO2 to create an anaerobic atmosphere.

This produces fruit-forard wines with low tannin and pigment concentrations

Typical of “drink now” Beaujolais Nouveau wines

Question 7

What is “sur lies” aging?

Answer 7

Process where wines are left on the “lees” for several months after fermentation.

Enhances flavors and texture of the wine

Question 8

What are Orange wines?

Answer 8

wine made from white grapes using the red wine making process, leaving grapes and seeds in contact with the juice.

Creates amber/orange colored wines

Question 9

How are Rose wines made?

Answer 9

Wines made from red grapes but with little or no skin contact.

Question 10

How is “sweet wine” defined

Answer 10

Wines having more tha 5% residual sugar

Question 11

What creates high sugar levels for sweet wines?

Answer 11

• Late Harvest Grapes - allows sugar concentration
• Dried or Raisined grapes
• Botrytis Cinerea infecetion - Noble Rot
• Freezing or chilling grapes - Ice Wine

Question 12

How are fortified wines made?

Answer 12

Made by arresting fermentation with distilled spirits before sugar has been fully utilized by the yeast.

Typically yields greater than 16% ethanol in the final wine.