Mastering Wine Flashcards
Name 2 perspectives on wine.
Subjective vs objective: O: Shakespear. validity & understanding “classic.”
What is a possible weakness of subjective analysis?
Frame Error: inaccurate assessment due to jaded foundation/context. …Parkerization. skewed palete: avoid superimposing your ideas of how it’s supposed to taste. LISTEN first to what it’s saying.
List 5 keys to a great wine.
Distinct varietal character, integration, expressiveness, complexity, connectedness.
Describe: distinct varietal character
presents its inherent aromas & flavor in straightforward, clear, focused way. …Granny Smith to taste more like Granny Smith. Kraft vs Blue= may not like it, but doesn’t mean its all that should be.
Describe: integration
impeccably interwoven so no one quality stands out: acid, tannin, alcohol, etc. More than just balance: a good tension of opposites…come together in a harmonious fusion.
Describe a non-integrated wine vs integrated.
Star vs sphere. Non-int are easier to describe & pinpoint. Int are round & harmonious.
Describe: expressiveness
well defined & clearly projected. blk n wh vs color.
Name possible faults prohibiting expressiveness.
Winemaking…overhandling= discombobulated.
Describe: complexity
force that pulls you in b/c each time, you discover something new
Describe: connectedness
1) embodiment of a single piece of earth. 2) bond btw a wine & where it was born (cultural ID). ie. B&B vs chain hotel.
What wine exemplifies integration?
white Mersault
What wine exemplifies expressiveness?
NZ sbl
What wine exemplifies complexity?
10yr old Bord or Napa cs
What wine exemplifies connectedness?
C-Rotie or tart Mosel Riesling
What is the % makeup of a grape?
75% pulp, 20% skin, 5% seeds
What does the skin of a grape do for the wine?
aroma, flavor, color, tannin
What do the seeds of a grape do for the wine?
tannin
What does the pulp of a grape do for the wine?
water, sugar, acid, mineral, pectin compounds, vit’s.
Fermentation
yeasts eat sugar => alc & CO2. (in most cases, CO2 is allowed to escape as a by-product.
What does alc contribute to a wine?
aroma, flavor, body, texture
What does ripeness lead to?
greater sugar, greater alc
What’s a bonus of high alc?
Can support hi acid & still taste balanced. Also softer & more developed tannin.
Acid
Natural component of wine; tastes zesty, vivacious & refreshing/thirst quenching. Preservative= helps wine age. Too litte= flabby. Excess= sharp/biting. Multiple acids in wine.
Name the 3 most important acids in wine.
tartaric, malic, & citric (all from the grapes…others may be produced during fermentation).
What happens as sugar/ripeness/alc level rises?
Acid goes down. (harvest at opt bal)
Can hot wine be adjusted?
Yes. Common in CA & Australia by +2/3 g/L during fermentation = focus.
V.A.
All wines have a tiny amount, usu imperceptible. In excess, Volatile Acidity, gives a sharp vinegary aroma. Occurs bc unwanted bacteria have produced ACETIC acid (result of poor winemaking/exposure to O).
Tannin
A Phenol compound derived from skins, seeds & stems of grapes & barrels. Beneficial bc firm structure & preservative. Not tasted as much as felt. High=puckery when young. (if made from mature, ripe grapes, it will soften over x). Excessively dry, harsh, scratchy tannin may never ameliorate. Often called “green/unripe” T, from grapes picked b4 physiological mature.
Do whites have tannins?
Tiny amounts bc not fermented on skins or barrel aged for long periods.
If tannins were architectural, they’d b equivalent to…
flying buttresses of a cathedral (aesthetic & form).
Is tannin measurable?
Yes, but only by tasting the grape.
Too much tannin is like a tea bag left too long. How do you fix it?
Add milk to soften (fat & protein). Bad wine softened w/chz.
Pros & Cons of leaving grapes hanging well after sugars develop.
Total physiological maturity, but climactic risks.
What happens in total physiological maturity?
Small astringent tannins polymerize (group together) into larger molecules which are perceived as softer.
Fruitiness
In young whites; especially Gewurtz (litchi) & gamay (blk cherries).
Fruit
Part of wines aroma & flavor that comes from grapes. The fruit in a wine is distinguished from the wine’s alc or acidity.
Fruity
Catchall term for the pronounced flavor/aroma that comes from the wine grapse themselves. Wines are generally most fruity when they are young & of certain varietals (gewurtz, gamay, zin).
What does sweetness & dryness refer to?
The original sugar content of grapes (all converted= dry, only some= residual sugar).
What are two benefits of leaving residual sugar?
Balances tart acid &/or augments fruit.
What is the common % of residual sugar in dessert wines?
5-30%
How does wine taste at 3% residual sugar?
Off-dry or even slightly sweet.
What is the Latin definition of Viticulture?
Vita= source of life
What is the difference btw agriculture & viticulture?
A: inexpensive quaffing jug wines, standardization, uniformity, high yield, consistency on as large a scale as possible. V: honoring quirks of individuality, synergistic= climate, soil, variety, clone, rootstock, spacing…
What climate do vines love the most?
Temperate regions. Thrive in long, warm, frost-free.
What are the temperatures of activity for the vine?
Grow at 50* (varies w/grape). Dormant below 50. Flower at 63-68 (flowers that fertilize & SET become berries). Above 85*, don’t set & die to SHATTER. Growth stride & flourish mid 80s. (FF= opt temp 4 vine growth is diff from that 4 wine)
What are a few influences in microclimates?
Water (ocean, bays, etc), hills/mts, slope, orientation, altitude, wind, clouds, precipitation.
What effect does water have on a microclimate?
It tempers & stabilizes.
What are two CA examples of waters influence on microclimates?
1) NAPA= cool Carneros (SAn Pablo Bay), warm band from Oakville to St. Helena, warmer Calistoga. 2) several of Sta. Barbara’s are CA’s coolest (E/W valleys=wind tunnels for breeze & fog)
What is photosynthesis?
plants convert sugar to energy
What are the four needs & 1 final step of photosynthesis?
1) green chlorophyll molecules of leaves. 2) sunlight. 3) little water. 4) CO2 from surrounding air. Then, leaves become PHOTOCELLS (capture light energy & convert it to sugar).
What are five ways for a vineyard to be planted so that it catches the sun?
hillsides, mts, crevices, caverns, canyons
What are four ways in which mountains affect a vineyard?
1) windshields. 2) fog & frost slide & pool in valley below. 3) clouds…moisture/rain on 1 side, dry on other (ie WA Cascade Mts= W extremely rainy, E near desertlike (grapes thrive w/irrigation). 4) altitudes (ie 2,500 ft cooler than 500ft).
What is ideal planting for cool regions?
south facing slope (or north if in southern hemisphere). Ie Mosel’s steep slopes facing south.
What are the names of hillside planting in Piedmont?
“Bricco”= sun catching crest. “Sori”= south facing slope where sun melts snow first. Ie “Bricco Asili Vnyd” by Ceretto, or “Sori Tildin Vnyd” of Angelo Gaja.
What are 4 negative effects of too much sun in the vineyard?
Bakes acidity, makes vegetal, hyperactive leaf growth, turns to raisins/sunburn.
At what temperature of sustained heat, does it become intolerable for most vines?
104*
Where do most CA plantings prefer?
North facing to slow ripening & prevent sunburn
What type of balance in the climate of the vnyd is every viticulturists trying to find?
Btw vigor & fruitfulness. V: growth rate of leaves & shoots. F: # of grape clusters/vine & #/size of berries per cluster.
What is the balance of leaves?
Too much= shade grapes & competition for growth. Too little= vine allowed to overcrop can produce more clusters than can ripen giving a lackluster/weak flavor.
What kind of stress can a vineyard endure & is it good/bad?
Lack of water, sun, nutrients. Too severe & vine shuts down. An endurable amount of adversity forces grapevines to struggle & adapt.
What happens when healthy vines work to grow and the plants are forced to concentrate their sugars in a limited # of grape clusters?
greater character & concentration
What 2 types of temperature fluctuations can be good?
diurnal & from spring to fall
What are 3 ways in which cool nights are good?
They shut down the ripening process, helps preserve acidity, expand hang time from bud break to harvest (=>physiological maturity).
What type of grape would not do well in a cool area with cooler nights?
CS =>green bell pepper
What do grapevines need from the seasons?
Uniformity. Precise temperature cues for bud break, grape development, maturation.
What negative effect could warm winters have?
waken vines w/nutrients being pumped into shoots, confusion & vines bud in wrong season.
What could happen if vines bud to early?
Uneven patchwork quilt of schizophrenic vines maturing diff rates/times
What are 3 damages if frost hits early fall?
ravages foliage, prevents grapes on final push to full ripening, often kills young vines.
What happens if frost hits in the spring?
Kills buds/shoots, thus destroying crop potential
What happens in the vineyard at below 25*?
Vine’s trunk may split, leaving it open to infection. Prolonged temp=> vine & root system die.
What are 4 precautions against frost & their success rates?
1) Burning oil in smudge pots so wind carries wisps of heat= meh. 2) Windmills= meh. 3) Helicopters= critical degree or 2 above freezing. 4) Sprinklers= thin glove of ice insulating from windchill & traps plants natural heat, plus tiny amt of heat given off in water turning to ice (works if doesn’t get colder).
What are 8 examples of how much water is optimal for a vine?
Age & size of the vines, length of growing season & temperatures, wind, humidity, drainage & water holding capacity of the soil, & vine spacing.
How do vines grow?
In search for water.
Why is dry soil good?
Encourages roots to burrow deeper into the earth: stable moisture & nutrients so can handle drought, etc…
What could too much water do to the bunches?
Vine produces too many bunches & leaves at the expense of quality grapes.
When is rain ideal?
Ideal= spring right before flowering as jump start (need it to set flowers properly to create grape berries), & at veraison (early summer where grapes change color)…lack of H2O= small immature grapes.
When is it best to avoid water?
Just before harvest (grape swelling/diluting)
stefåni
“crown”. Vine training low to the crown in a round basket shape. Santorini, Greece. Grown for wind protection & for 20 yrs before the trunk is strong enough to train upright.
How can wind be good?
Gentle breeze cools the grapes and promotes air circulation as a guard against rot.
How can wind be bad?
Strong wind: after flowering= prevents vines from proper setting by scattering flowers in the air (so never become grapes). Can also break off tender parts of the vines, damage canes, bruise leaves, rip away fruit, windchill (critical in cold regions), close stomata.
What is a stomata & what happens when it’s exposed to high winds?
It’s the tiny microscopic holes in the undersides of the leaves that are responsible for evaporation. Strong winds “close” them.
What happens when the stomata closes?
The vine ceases to draw water thru its root tips. Eventually, all growth halts.
Describe the soil of Champagne.
white chalk, ancient seabeds & sea fossils.
Describe the soil of Santorini, Greece.
jet-black pitted stones, relics of massive volcanic explosion
Describe the soil of Mosel, Germany.
cool blue-gray slate shards, remnants of the path of glaciers.
What quality makes for the best vineyard soil?
Soil structure that allows good drainage.
What is the name of Sherry’s soil & what makes it special?
Albariza. It’s a crumbly mixture of clays, carbonates, & prehistoric sea fossils. Light/soft like flour, tilled to compact it & increase its water holding capacity (prevent vine shock in droughts).
Why is good drainage so important?
Ensures that vines push roots deep for a stable source of water & nutrients.
What’s more important: good drainage or fertility?
good drainage
How are the types of soil defined?
By the size of the soil’s particles.
What type of soil particles are important for good drainage?
Sand and larger particles.
Are there any benefits to small particles?
Yes. Silt= forms loams & clays that hold just enough water to support growth. Rocks & organic matter= help create balance of drainage vs retention, aerate soil, +minerals/nutrients.
How can geological formation of the land be an important element in drainage?
Limestone & schist have large verticle planes sliced by fissures–perfect for vine roots tunneling in search of water.
How can geological formation of the land be a detrimental element in drainage?
Dense subsoil or an impenetrable horizontal formation may cause the roots to remain closer to the surface where they can drown in heavy rains.
How did color and ability to reflect sunlight dictate vineyard practices in Champagne?
Vines trained low to take full advantage of warm sun bouncing off white chalky ground. They even used to scatter garbage.
What 3 building blocks/flavorings do grapevine roots absorb from the soil?
Molecules, ions, minerals.
Terroir
Total impact of any given site= soil, slope, sun orientation, elevation, climate => rainfall, wind velocity, frequency of fog, cumulative hours of sunshine, average high/low temp…
Name 5/6ish keys to matching the right grape to the right ground.
Varieties respond differently to heat, hours of sun, water, wind, all climate nuances, & soil.
Name 3 grapes that prefer relatively warm temps.
CS, Zin, SBl
What happened to CA Ch, petite sirah, & CS from ‘78 to ‘98?
Ch= 13k acres to 93k. PS= 13k to 2.7k. Ch & CS became 33% of vinifera grapes crushed in CA.
How long is the Bordeaux old rule of thumb for vines to properly ripen?
100 days, but some varieties take 90, some 180.
How does time frame for ripening affect vineyard plantings?
Dictates which grapes can be grown where.
Name 2 sunlight influences on matching right grape to right vineyard?
Length of growing season & amount/intensity of sunlight.
What is the planting philosophy of DRC or Bernkasteler Doctor?
Plant w/single variety that supremely expresses the uniqueness and inherent greatness of that plot of land. (make wines of legend/masterpieces of nature)
How many grapes are usually ideal for certain sites around the world & give an example?
- Ie Bordeaux & NoCal= CS & merlot.
What is a benefit of planting 2 or more varieties?
Vineyard= ripen at diff rates, if storm hits & one is lost (economic hedge against bad weather). Cellar= more to blend with for quality/complexity.
Why do clones exist?
Bc grapevines are unstable & spontaneously mutate slightly over time as well as result of viruses. So, each variety is made up of subtypes called clones.
Clone
Population of vines all derived from cuttings of single mother vine.
Why clone & give an example.
Clone for desirable traits (taste, intensity..). Ie each PN clone has diff characteristics & a viticulturist can see the difference in the vines (some larger/robust, smaller berries…)
When were clones discovered?
1920s, but only in the last few decades have producers been able to request specific clones from nurseries.
Are most vineyards one clone? Why or why not?
Most are a mixture of clones. Never replanted & offers complexity/nuance.
What is a bonus of clone research?
Matching right clone to right sight.
Scion/Budwood
portion being grafted
Name a fashion advantage to grafting.
Can change from Ch to SBl by shaving off & regrafting to same rootstock.
