Red and Rose Winemaking Flashcards
True or False: The vast majority of fruit used in red winemaking is destemmed and crushed?
True
In red winemaking, if you press, do you press before or after fermentation? Why?
After.
In normal red winemaking, fermentation occurs in contact with the skins and lees to extract colour, and tannin.
What does ‘Cold Maceration’ or ‘Cold Soaking’ mean and what does it acheive?
After crushing grapes macerate at low temperature before fermentation starts.
The purpose of this maceration is to extract colour and flavour compounds.
What is the range of temperature normally used for red winemaking? How are they different from white winemaking?
20-32 C
Higher temps aid in extraction of colour, flavour, and tannins.
35 and over kills yeast.
What happens to tannin extraction when fermentation begins?
Tannins are more soluble in ethanol. Tannin extraction rises as fermentation continues and ethanol increases.
What is the cap?
The thick mass of pulp and skins on the surface of the wine in the fermentation vessel?
Name 4 common techniques of cap management.
- Punching Down
- Pumping Over
- Rack and Return
- Rotary Fermenters
Explain ‘Punching Down’
Punching down by either hand or mechanized paddles
Punching down too vigorously can result in too much tannin being extracted, leaving a wine that can taste overly bitter and astringent.
Explain ‘Pumping Over’
Drawing off fermenting juice from the bottom of the vat and pumping it on to the top, wetting the cap.
Popular extraction technique. Good way of dissipating heat and oxygenating the juice.
Explain ‘Rack and Return’
Vessel is drained of fermenting juice.in to another vessel leaving the cap behind. Then pumped back over the cap. Usually only used once or twice as it can be very extractive.
Like pumping over, this is a good way of dissipating heat and oxygenating the juice.
Describe a Rotary Fermenter
A rotating horizontal tank that keeps juice in constant contact with the skins during fermentation.
What are three common materials used to make fermentation vessels?
What is unlikely to be used for red wine fermentation? Why?
oak, concrete, and stainless
Oak barrels. It would be almost impossible to maintain skin contact with the juice.
What have some winemakers found with post fermentation maceration?
Very long periods can help create a smoother tannin structure.
What are press fractions?
Separating wine in different stages of the pressing. Later press fractions may then be used to adjust color and tannin in the final blend.
Describe the difference between free run and press wine.
Free run wine is drawn off the skins after maceration is complete.
The remaining mass is pressed (sometimes in stages), creating press wine.
