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Wine 101 > Misc Info > Flashcards

Misc Info Flashcards

1
Q

What is the top brand for screw caps?

A

Stelvin

Highly technical liners tailor made for wine
Preserve consistency

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2
Q

What is the best type of uncorking utensil for old bottles?

A

2 pronged tool, avoids breakup

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3
Q

What are qualities of good wine glasses?

A

Tapered at top to trap flavors

Clear to view colors

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4
Q

How high should you fill a wine glass?

A

1/3 full - allow it to express itself fully

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5
Q

What temperature should you keep different wines (sparkling, white, red, lighter fortified, and heavier fortified)?

A 
Sparkling - 39-42
White - 46-53
Red - 64
Light fortified - 46-53
Heavy fortified - 64
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6
Q

What is the difference between aroma and bouquet?

A

Aroma - 1 smell with distinct features

Bouquet - collection of smells and flavors

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7
Q

5 factors in tastes

A 
Sweetness
Sourness
Bitterness (acidity)
Saltiness
Umami
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8
Q

What are the 3 components of flavor?

A

Texture
Taste
Aroma

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9
Q

What is the difference between a dry wine, drying wine, and sweet wine?

A 
Dry = no residual sugar
Drying = dries out the mouth during consumption
Fruitty = Fruit flavors
Sweet = Actual sugar added
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10
Q

Between what lattitudes are best for wine growing?

A

20-50 degrees

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11
Q

What temperature signals to the dormant vines to start growing buds?

A

50 degrees

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12
Q

What are the most fragile moments of the growing process?

A

Early fragile buds susceptible to frost burn

Later during harvest grapes subject to poor moisture that reduce juice

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13
Q

What are the stages of grow?

A

Budding -> Flowering - >Fruit Set (berry showing)

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14
Q

When is the typical wine harvest?

A

End of August to mid october

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15
Q

What signals wine to be ripe for harvest?

A

Soft, full grapes changing from green to red

Some producers eliminate slower growing grapes at this stage to keep only the premium juicy grapes

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16
Q

What does each vine need to produce wine?

A

Nutrients
Water
Light - Colors/flavors/tannens
Heat - Sugars and acid, low heat = fruitty, high heat = savory

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17
Q

What classifies wine as organic? What chemicals are they still allowed to use?

A

No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides etc.
Allow copper and sulfur

Best in dry climate with less risk of mold/pathogens

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18
Q

What classifies wine as Biodynamic? What is the quality of these wines?

A

All chemicals excluded
Cow horn manure applied at schedules of the moon and stars
Oddly some of the highest quality wines

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19
Q

What makes a great wine vintage?

A

Wine balance - enough leaves to ripen grapes, but not too many to prevent light and promote disease.

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20
Q

What are the steps to processing wine?

A

De-stemming machine
Remove small bitter berries (higher quality wines)
Crush - squeeze with just enough pressure to release juice
Add yeast - some do this full natural
Ferment - yeast falls to bottom of barrel
Barrel and age

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21
Q

What does tempature affect during wine processing?

A

Cooler - fruittier

Hotter - savory

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22
Q

What characteristics does time effect?

A

Time extracts color, flavor, and tannens

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23
Q

What is bleeding off?

A

Removing juice without skins to make rose, and leave remaining juice in a higher concentration of skins.
Not the optimal rose process.

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24
Q

What leads to a creamy texture?

A

Battonage - the process of stirring the yeast back into the wine

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25
Q

What leads to a vanilla/nutty flavor?

A

Oak barrel aging

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26
Q

What leads to a butter flavor?

A

Malolactic process - Malic acid converted to lactic acid .

De-acidifies the wine.

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27
Q

What are the levels of ripeness and what are the corresponding fruit analogies?

A

Citrus and apple - early ripeness
Peach and melon - medium ripeness
Tropical flavors (mango etc.) - very ripe

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28
Q

What are the 7 “S’s” to wine tasting?

A

See
Swirl - coat inside of glass to get stronger expression
Sniff
Sip
Slurp - gargle through front of teeth to hit nasle passages in back of mouth
Summarize

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29
Q

What should you evaluate when looking at appearance?

A

Color
Cloudiness/opacity - some may be good
Watery rim (thinner = more full bodied)

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30
Q

What colors do white wine take on over time?

A

Lemon/green, yellow, gold, amber, tawney (15-20 yrs)

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31
Q

What colors do red wine take on over time?

A

Purple, brick red/garnet, tawney (20-30 yrs)

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32
Q

What are the three levels of aromas, where do they come from, and what are examples?

A

1) Primary - from grape variety.
ex: Floral, fruitty, herbal
2) Secondary - from processing
ex: vanilla, nutty
3) Tertiary - from aging
ex: honey (aged white), mocha (aged red)

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33
Q

What is the tears/legs myth? Where do they actually come from?

A

Tears/legs are not correlated with quality, only the way the alcohol evaporates in the glass.

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34
Q

What are the steps in note taking according to the BLICT system?

A

Balance - is the wine extreme or not?
Length - how long can you taste after sip (longer = better)
Intensity
Complexity - bouquet and evolution of bouquet
Texture

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35
Q

Where do textures come from? What are the different descriptions of textures in a wine?

A

They come from the tannens

Gritty - course, sandpaper from tannens not removed
Grainy - rice, large tannens, can be pleasant
Powder - Soft
Velvet - Surface smoothness
Silk - Ultimate surface smoothness

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36
Q

How can you improve your palate for wine evaluation?

A

Put the actual products (fruit etc.) that comprise the taste directly in a glass and taste

Drink multiple types of wines in one sitting for comparison

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37
Q

What are three styles of Chardonnay, and what flavors are typical of each style?

A

Light bodied - Citrus, apple
Medium bodied - apricots, peaches
Full bodied - Pineapple, mango

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38
Q

What factors change the “body weight” of a wine?

A

Acidity, alchohol, sweetness

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39
Q

What climates lead to light, medium, full bodied wines? How does this relate to “ripeness”?

A

Cooler -> Light Bodied
Hotter ->Full Bodied

Light bodied = less ripe
Full bodied = more ripe

40
Q

What is Terroir?

What are the 3 factors that contribute to Terrior?

(pronounced “te-wah”)

A

French for “sense of place.” Characteristics of a wine because of where and how the grapes were grown.

3 Factors combine to create Terrior, or the defining characteristics of a wine.

1) Soil
2) Climate
3) Human management

41
Q

What is the goal of terrior?

A

Uniform likeness of the grape harvested in mid-late autumn.

42
Q

What is crop thinning and how does it relate to terrior?

A

Crop thinning removes offshoot grapes typically 2 weeks behind in ripeness. Removing these keeps the rest of the yield uniform.

43
Q

How are early and late ripening grapes allocated to different climates and why?

A

Early ripening = cooler climates
Late ripening = warmer climates

Goal is to extend growing process, which maintains acidity and color of the wine.

44
Q

What is the foam at the top of sparkling wine called?

A

Mousse

45
Q

What affect does CO2 have on the drinking experience?

A

Hastens the absorbtion of the alchohol into the blood. Drunker quicker.

46
Q

What are the three “types” of wine?

A

Sparkling, still, fortified

47
Q

What are the 4 Process Driven ways to make sparkling wine?

A

Fermented in this bottle - highest quality, method Champagnios.
Bottle fermented - removed from bottle after fermenting for efficient yeast removal
Charmet or “Tank” method - CO2 added in a tank en masse. Large bubbles (prosecco)
Carbonation method - cheapest, CO2 introduced directly

48
Q

What is the method Chanpagnios?

A

Fermented in this bottle. Oldest highest quality sparkling wine process.

1) Put dry white wine in a bottle, add yeast and sugar creating CO2
2) Freeze yeast in neck of bottle, open bottle and remove yeast.
3) Add varying degrees of “dosage liquor” for sweetness

49
Q

What is autolytic character? How do you improve?

A

Key concept of a top tier sparkling wine. Creates bready creamy flavor, releases amino acids therefore creating smaller bubbles.

Creating autolytic character includes leaving the yeast with the wine for long periods, up to 7 years. This is called “late disgorged.”

50
Q

What are the champagne regions in France, and what type of grapes are associated with each region?

A

Valle de la marne - pino meunier - White wine, red grapes
Montagne de Reims - pino noir - White wine, red grapes
Cote de blanc - chardonnay - White wine, red grapes

51
Q

What is blanc de blanc, and blanc de noir?

A

White wine from white grapes, and white wine from red grapes.

52
Q

What are the best regions for sauvignon blanc?

A

Loire valley France - Firm minerally depth
New Zealand (Marlborough) - Tartness
California - Grassy, melon
South Africa - Minerally, fruit

53
Q

What are the three “internationalist” white wine varieties, grown in different regions? What regions are known as producing the best of each type

A

Riesling - Germany
Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand
Chardonnay - France

54
Q

What are three “internationalist” red wines, grown in different regions? What regions are known as producing the best of each type?

A

Pinot Noir - Burgundy France
Merlot - Bordeaux France
Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa, Bordeaux France

55
Q

What are the three most common wine blends?

A

Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc - Sauternes
Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot - Meritage
Grenache/Syrah/Mourverde - GSM Blend

56
Q

What is the best wine coming out of Austria? What are it’s signature flavors?

A

Gruner Vetliner
Lime, lemon, grapefruit
White pepper
High acidity, explodes in mouth

Also called “Grunie”

57
Q

What is the best wine coming out of Hungary? What are it’s signature flavors?

A

Furmint - Explosive green spicy flavors. Bracing acidity.

58
Q

Where is Pinotage from? What is it’s signature flavors?

A

South Africa
Dark, ripe fruit
Bold, sweet, jammy flavor

59
Q

Where is temparanillo from? What is its signature flavors?

A

Spain

Earlthy, fruity. Leather and cherry.

60
Q

What is the best wine coming out of Chile? What are it’s signature flavors?

A

Carmenere
Green pepper, sharp spiciness
Medium bodied, smoky, spicy

61
Q

What is the best wine coming out of Argentina? What are it’s signature flavors?

A

Malbec
Dark fruit, blackberry and red plum
Dry, full bodied, jammy.

62
Q

What is the best wine coming out of Australia? What are it’s signature flavors?

A

Syrah or Shiraz

Dark fruits, medium to high tannins, peppery/spicy flavor

63
Q

What is malic fermentation, what does it do to wine? Where can it not be used?

A

Adds bacteria to wine to reduce acidity and make it creamy/buttery.
Cannot be done in naturally low acidity climates (warmer)

64
Q

What is carbonic maseration? What are it’s limits?

A

Isolate wine with dry ice and cold temperature for 5 days.
Causes fermentation from within the grape.
Explosive blueberry, forest fruits.
Short term wines, the flavor does not age

65
Q

What is Barrel Selection?

A

Around 10% of barrels from the same wine produce the best wines. (Barrel selection)
Around 10% of barrels produce bad wines
The rest are generally high quality

66
Q

What is a Sauternes?

A

Specific region in France.
Combination of semillon and sauvignon blanc

Balanced with sweetness and zest of acidity
Apricots, honey, peaches, but nutty

67
Q

How is Icewine made? What type of wine is it used on?

A

Grapes frozen on vine, ice crystals flow to the top during processing, crystals concerntrated and extracted to increase intensity.
Used for rieslings

68
Q

What is a botyrized wine?

A

A fungus grown on the grape
Creates round, rich, creamy flavor
Best for sauternes

69
Q

What is straw wine?

A

Grapes dried on straw mats for 4-5 months

Creates raisin character, sweet to very sweet

70
Q

What are the two regions of burgundy (North/South) and what are the primary grapes of each?

A

North - Cote de nuits - pinot noir

South - Cote de beaune - chardonnay

71
Q

What are the levels in the burgundy pyramid of quality?

A

Grand Cru - consistently top level year in and out
Premier Cru - consistently very high quality
Village - Wine named by the specific village it’s from
Region - Generic “burgundy”

72
Q

Where on a hill do you find different levels of burgundy and why?

A

Premier Cru - Mid level but not the top. Needs to be below wind damage and frost line.
Grand Cru - Toward the bottom - nutrients concentrate lower on a grade, however too many nutrients can hurt
Village - Bottom with generally too many nutrients

73
Q

What are the two regions of bordeaux, what are they called, and what types are best in each?

A

Left bank - Medoc - Best for cabernet sauvignon, late ripening grape. Gravel soils drain quickly, better drainage quicker ripening.
Stronger, tannic reds

Right bank - St. Emilion - Best for merlot, cabernet franc. Clay soils hold moisture, delay ripening for quicker ripening grapes.
Softer, fruit driven reds

74
Q

What are the grades of bordeaux wines?

A

Best - Premier Grand Cru - First Growth

Premier Cru

75
Q

What are the 5 “Premier Cru” or “First Growth” wines?

A 
Chateau Latour
Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Chateau Margaux
Chateau Haut-Brion
Chateau Mouton Rothschild
76
Q

What are fortified wines fortified with?

A

Grape Spirit, typically 80% alcohol (190 proof)

77
Q

When distilling grape spirit, what are the three components and which is best for grape spirits?

A

Heads
Hearts - Best. Otherwise fiery flavor.
Tail

78
Q

What are the three primary types of fortified wines, and where are they from?

A

Port - Portugal
Sherry - Spain
Madeira - Island off coast of Portugal

79
Q

What are the four types of madeira, listed from dry to sweet

A

Sercial (dryest)
Verdelho
Bual
Malmsey (sweetest)

80
Q

What is rancio?

A

Intense nuttiness when fortified wines are exposed to extremes through oxidation.

81
Q

What temperature is it best to serve ports and madeiras?

A

Slightly chilled, takes down bite from alcohol

82
Q

Why is it best to decant fortified wines?

A

Removes crust/sediment.

83
Q

What is the difference between wood aged and bottle aged fortified wines?

A

Wood aged - ready to drink when bought (10 yr, 15 yr etc.)

Bottle aged - aging improves over time after purchase

84
Q

Three types of wood aged ports with descriptions.

What aged is used for labelling on wood aged ports?

A

White - white grape, cheap pleasant
Ruby - red grapes, easy drinking, cheap
Tawny - Aged ruby, brown amber color. Most complex, full bodied.

The age is the average age of the blends in the bottle.

85
Q

What are the types of bottle-aged ports?

What is the aging profile of bottle-aged ports?

A

Get better over very long periods in the bottle (30-50 years)

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) - 6 years or older ageing before sale

Vintage Port - Top 1% of ports, minimum 15 years ageing before sale

86
Q

What type of grape is used to make Sherry?

What are the three types of sherry and descriptions?

A

White palamino grapes

Fino - Fortified with 15.5 percent alcohol to allow flor (yeast veil) to grow and create almond apple flavors.

Amontillado - starts as fino, after 4 years yeast removed and oxidation creates carmel flavors. Upgraded to amontillado.

Oloroso - Fortified to 17 percent alcohol, preventing flor and allowing oxidation.

87
Q

What are the characteristics of the Douro region of Portugal?

A

Shist rock in soil allows for growth in hot climates, as cracks in rock allow roots to get down to water resovoir below surface.

Lights bouncing off river create intense tannens and flavors.

88
Q

What physical traits in the mouth can change how a person experiences wine?

A

More taste buds - enjoy sweeter wines, difficult to handle alcohol and heavy tannens

More saliva production - easier to handle dry wines

89
Q

What are myths about wine/food pairings?

A

Red w/ red meat, white w/ white meat.

Saltiness of the food is much more likely to bring out the positive qualities of wine no matter the meat. Reduces unpleasant bitterness of wine.

90
Q

How can you differentiate different wines from Burgundy?

A

Grand Cru - Will say on bottle
Premier Cru - Will say premier, or “1st Cru” on bottle
Villiage - Will state name of village + maybe the winemaker (need to learn villages to identify)
Region - Simply Borgogne (burgundy)

91
Q

What does classic, reserve/reserva, and grand reserve mean?

A

Generally differentiates different qualities at the same vineyard, but there is no standard classification system for these wines so reserve doesn’t necessarily mean a certain process or quality.

92
Q

How are German and Eastern European wines labeled?

A

By the sugar content/ripeness of the grapes at picking, and the sugar level in the wine for consumption.

93
Q

What do sulphides do in wine?

A

Protect from bacteria, and add anti-oxidents increasing freshness.

94
Q

If you are vegan or have allergies, what wine should you look for?

A

Unfined and unfiltered (no real processing)

95
Q

How can you observe faults in wine?

A

Too brown for age shows oxidation, vinegary taste.

Wine 101 (2 decks)

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