Methods of Production Flashcards
Traditional Method (white wines): Overall process
Harvest; Whole-bunch pressing; First fermentation; Blending; Bottling and Tirage; Second fermentation; Lees ageing; Riddling; Disgorging; Topping up and Dosage
How are grapes harvested under the traditional method?
By hand
Why are grapes harvested by hand under the traditional method?
To ensure whole, healthy berries which minimizes phenolic extraction and oxidation
What is the desired must weight for grapes harvested under the traditional method?
Lower must weights than still wines to ensure a lower alcohol base wine (typically 10.5% to 11%)
What are the best sites for premium sparkling wine?
Cool but produce grapes with no unripe green flavours, low levels of sugar and high acidity
Does yield determine quality for sparkling wine?
Within limits, no
What is whole-bunch pressing and how does it work?
Gentle extraction of juice with minimal phenolics–pressing with stems provides channels for juice to escape minimizing pressure required
Important for red grapes
How are levels of extraction determined?
Determined by winemaker but also limited by law
How does sparkling first fermentation compare to white wine fermentation?
Usually rapid and warmer than most while wine fermentations
Some producers use oak vessels
What type of vessels are used for first fermentation and why?
Typically occurs in large temperature controlled stainless steel vats > dry, high acidity, neutral flavors
Some producers use oak vessels
Does MLF occur in first fermentation?
Some producers encourage MLF to reduce excessive acidity and produce certain aromas
How long is first fermentation?
Depends on producer
Describe blending in sparkling production
May blend several base wines, including wines from different vineyards, grape varieties and fermentation processes
Reserve wines from past vintages may be added
What are non-vintage blends?
Blends made every year and designed to reflect house style
What are vintage blends?
Blends made in certain years that reflect character of the year
What is tirage?
Mixture of wine, sugar, yeast, yeast nutrients, clarifying agent
Approx. 24 g sucrose per litre
What is typical source of sugar for tirage?
Beet, case or grape base
What type of yeasts are used for tirage?
Specific strains of inoculated yeasts for both first and second fermentation to minimize off-aromas and achieve consistent result in unfavorable fermentation conditions
Saccharomyces can function at alcohol level, SO2 concentration, low pH and low temperature of second fermentation
How is bottling done?
Bottle closed with crown cap with plastic cup insert and stacked horizontally
How is sparkle made?
CO2 generated by yeast dissolved into wine resulting in sparkle > pressure (5-6 atmospheres)
Describe the second fermentation
Slow (takes 4-8 weeks), low temperature (around 10 degrees)
1.2-1.3% abv
Describe lees ageing (yeast autolysis)
Min 9 months for most sparkling wine
Creates toasty, bready flavours
Reduces risk of oxidation
What is riddling?
Move bottle slowly from horizontal to inverted vertical position (sur point) so yeast sediment collects in plastic cup insert
Traditionally done by hand in pupitre (6 weeks or more) now use gyropalette (3 days)
What is disgorging?
Inverted vertical bottle neck is put in cold brine solution > freezes wine in neck > bottles put upright > crown cap seal removed > pressure ejects frozen wine, plastic insert and sediment
Yeast beads, yeast membranes?
Made by done by hand (a la volee)
What is dosage?
Liquer d’expedition: sugar syrup that determines final sweetness
Balances acidity, helps with flavor development
Adjusts color of wine (if permitted)
Is sparking aged after it finishes the fermentation and bottling process?
Depends on the producer
May be aged to integrate dosage
What is the process for the transfer method?
Same as traditional method up to and including lees aging > wine including dead yeast is chilled and transferred to a tank > wine is clarified (filtered) > dosage added > bottled under pressure
What are the benefits to the transfer method?
Avoids cost and complexity of riddling and disgorgement
How is transfer method sparkling wine labelled?
Labelled as “bottle-fermented”
How is this method used in Champagne?
Used for formats larger than Jeroboams and most quarter bottles
What are other names for the tank method?
Charmat Method Martinotti Method (Italian term) cuve close bulk method granvas (Spanish term)
What is the process for the tank method?
Same as traditional method until bottling and tirage
Base wine undergoes second fermentation in a sealed tank; tirage liquor added to tank to initiate second fermentation
When around 5 atmosphere pressure reached, wine chilled to negative 5 degrees celcius
Dosage added
Wine bottled under pressure
What are the benefits of the tank method?
Wine retains fruit flavours due to minimal lees contact; Some producers choose to mature wines in tank with periodic lees stirring to create more yeasty wines
Cheaper, faster and less labour intensive than traditional method
What are some representative tank method sparkling wines?
Muscat, Riesling, fruity styles like Prosecco
What is the Asti method?
A variation on the tank method:
Must storage: Juice chilled and stored until needed
Fermentation: Juice warmed > fermentation in pressurized tanks > CO2 allowed to escape then sealed to retain > alcohol reaches 7%, pressure at 5 to 6 atmospheres (leaving some residual sugar) > fermentation stopped by chilling > filtered and bottled under pressure to remove yeast
Where is the Asti method used?
Asti region of Piedmont
What type of wine does the Asti method make?
Sweet fruity sparkling wines
What is the carbonation method?
CO2 injected into still wine and bottled under pressure
What is required of wine to undergo the carbonation method?
Wine must be clear and stable and ready for routine bottling
What are the benefits/ drawbacks of the carbonation method?
Benefits: cheap, useful for retaining aromatic fruit flavours
Drawback: bubbles fade rapidly
What is general alcoholic strength of sparkling wine?
Varies
Dry sparkling wines: about 12%
Sweeter, lighter Spumante: between 5.5 and 8%
How is rose sparkling made?
Two methods: blending, maceration
How is rose sparkling made by blending?
Red must fermented on skins until 6% abv > skins removed > fermentation continues until wine is dry > red wine blended with white base wine
What is benefit of blending in rose sparkling production?
Makes wine that has suitable color but minimal tannin
What is issue winemaker may face when blending in rose sparkling wine production?
Yeast cells absorb color so winemaker must compensate for color loss in second fermentation; may use liqueur d’expedition to fix
Where can blending be used to make rose sparkling?
Historically only Rose Champagne
Legislation changed in 2009 but many individual appellations do not allow method to be used
New World rose sparkling may use this method
How is rose sparkling made by maceration?
Red grapes macerate on skins for short period > pressed > fermented > rose base wine
What is the benefit of maceration is rose sparkling production?
Releases color but minimal tannin
How is color controlled in rose sparkling production by maceration?
Depth of color depends on length of maceration and grape variety used
Yeast can absorb color in both first and second fermentation
Cannot correct by blending in red wine with dosage under this method
