Red Vs White Winemaking

Question 0

What aromatic wines can be kept in contact with skins for a short period to increase flavour intensity?

Answer 0

Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Riesling, Viognier and Albariño

In most cases after crushing juice for white wine is separated from its skin

Question 1

What is the goal of white wine fermentation? And how do we achieve this?

Answer 1

To preserve fruit flavours - clarify juice before fermentation, cool fermentation 12-18deg,

Low temps preserve volatiles(fruit aromas)

Prevent air exposure during and after fermentation.

Question 2

When are the grapes pressed in red and white winemaking?

Answer 2

White: before fermentation
Red: after fermentation

Question 3

What is the goal when pressing white grapes? Why?

Answer 3

Minimise tannin extraction from skins, seeds and stems.

Why? Tannins in white wines impart bitterness.

Question 4

What are the advantages of white fermentation in oak?

Answer 4

• Adds flavour complexity
• oak flavours desired by the consumer
• wood tannins softer than others
• mainly for Chardonnay but also sav blanc, Pinot Gris,Viognier semillon Pinot blanc

Question 5

How long is white wine kept in the barrels to age?

Answer 5

All white wine bottled within a year

Barrel ageing for some wines is up to 8 months

Question 6

Which whites may be stored cold to preserve fruitiness?

Answer 6

Aromatic whites such as Reisling

Question 7

What are some less expensive ways to ferment whites?

Answer 7

• cheaper grapes from large vineyards
• machine harvest
• crush then press
• tank ferment no malolactic ferment

Question 8

What are some more expensive ways of white fermentation?

Answer 8

• smaller vineyards with high quality grapes
• hand harvest
• whole cluster press
• barrel ferment, age, malolactic ferment.

Question 9

Dry rose wines are traditionally made from what type of grape?

Answer 9

Any red grape variety

• Grenache - carignan
• Sangiovese - cinsault
• Syrah. - Pinot noir
• Mourvèdre

Question 10

Different ways of making rose/blush wines?

Answer 10

• Direct pressing
  grapes crushed as in white wine making,extract small amount of colour from the skin, careful to no extract 2 much tannin.
• drawing off
  Processed as in red wine making, once fermentation under way the juice is drawn out after 6-48 hours of skin contact, longer macerat colours
• bleeding (signee)
  Same as drawing off but only a portion of the juice is removed from the scins to make rose. Create lower quality rose.
• blending
  Small amount of white wine and red wine

Question 11

The key to red wine making is the successful extraction of colour and tannin from the skins. How is this achieved?

Answer 11

Agitating the skins during fermentation. And using ripe grapes. Unripe tannins result in an unpleasant bitter and herbaceous flavour in the wine.

Question 12

What is the goal of pressing red grapes? And how do we achieve this?

Answer 12

Goal is to extract phenolic compounds from skins: tannins and colour

Achieved by : warm fermentation 30-35, we want alcohol

Question 13

What does vigorous carbon dioxide production protect wine from?

Answer 13

Oxidation

Question 14

Define maceration?

Answer 14

Extraction from skins and seeds

May use extended maceration to increase tannins

Question 15

When is a good time and why do we macerate?

Answer 15

Macerate for a short period at low temperature before fermentation( cold soak)

Greater extraction of colour and flavour.

Question 16

What is the skin contact time for light reds, standard wines and aging wines?

Answer 16

Light reds: pres after 3-4 days of maceration
S wines : press at dryness
Aging wines: give extended maceration time of 1-3 weeks

Question 17

Define what the cap is? It’s purpose?

Answer 17

During fermentation co2 bubbles lift the skins to form the cap

The cap must be mixed with the wine to extract phrnolics

Cap may be punched down or wine may be pumped from the bottom of the tank over the cap.

Question 18

Cap management methods?

Answer 18

-Punching down or plunging
Manual or mechanical method must be done 1-4 times people day
- Pumping over
2-4 times per day, good way to dissipate heat and allow some contact with oxygen.
- rack and return
Juice drained from the tank leaving the cap behind
Juice then pumped back over the cap, 2-4 times, good way to dissipate heat.

Question 19

Define carbon maceration? What are its purposes and benefits?

Answer 19

Rapes burst and are then pressed and juice is separated from the skins. Results in well coloured fruitier wine with less tannin.

Question 20

Less expensive ways of red wine making?

Answer 20

Cheaper grapes
Machine harvest
Short Skin contact 
Less expensive barrels
Short time in barrels 
Screw cap
Short bottle age

Question 21

More expensive methods of making red wines?

Answer 21

Smaller better vineyard
Hand harvest 
Long maceration 
More new barrels , French oak
Cork 
Long bottle age