Sparkling Wine

Question 1

Condition to make sparkling wine / Why cool climate region?

Answer 1

1. low sugar level
2. low alcohol, second fermentation will increase alcohol by a further 1.2%-1.3%
3. higher acidity

Therefore, winemakers will generally aim to produce a still dry base wine with 10-11% which is easier to achieve in cooler climate region

Question 2

How to serve sparkling wine?

Answer 2

Flute glass
1. remove the foil and loosen the wire cage
2. the cock must be held securely in a place from the moment the wire cage is loosened.
3. tilt the bottle at an angle of 30, gripping the cork, use the other hand to grip the base of the bottle
4. turn the bottle, not the cork
hold the cork steady, resist its tendency to fly out, and ease it slowly out of the bottle
5. the gas pressure should be released with a quiet “phut”, not an explosion of flying cork.

Question 3

What is the pressing used in the sparkling wine?

Answer 3

whole bunch pressing

Question 4

Method of sparkling wine

Answer 4

1. tank method
2. traditional method
3. transfer method
4. Asti method
5. carbonation
6. ancestral method

Question 5

How to make wine in Asti method?

Answer 5

1. production of sweet sparkling wine
2. only one fermentation involved.
3. juice is chilled and stored till needed
4. fermentation takes place in pressured tank
5. part away through fermentation the tank is sealed and CO2 is retained
6. fermentation stopped when the alcohol level reached 7% then filtered under pressure and bottled for immediate sale.

Question 6

Reason to make Tank Method?

Answer 6

1. retain the flavours of the base wine
2. high volume at a lower price

Question 7

Production of Tank Method?

Answer 7

1. first fermentation takes place in a temperature-controlled stainless tank to retain pure fruit flavours
2. usually not undergo malolactic conversion or oak ageing
3. yeast, sugar, yeast nutrients and clarifying agents are added to the wine and second fermentation take place in a sealed tank
4. CO2 is created and dissolved then filtered under pressure
5. No note of yeast autolysis
6. some producer interrupt fermentation by chilling to leave some residual sugar.

Question 8

Difference of Sekt and Deutscher Sekt

Answer 8

Sekt: grape sourced from Frace or Italy
Deutscher Sekt: grapes from Germany, best are made from Riesling, no required to use traditional method

Question 9

Region of Tank Method

Answer 9

Processo (Processo DOC / Congeliano Valdobbiadene DOCG)

Question 10

Why Blending?

Answer 10

1. achieve house style
2. improve the balance of the wine
3. enhance complexity

Question 10

Traditional Method Procedures

Answer 10

Base Wine > Blending > Second Fermentation > Yeast Autolysis > Riddling > Disgorgement and Corking > Bottle Ageing

Question 11

What to add in second fermentation?

Answer 11

liquer de tirage –> mixture of wine, sugar, yeast, yeast nutrients and clarifying agents

Question 12

Describe yeast autolysis.

Answer 12

1. dead yeast cells start to break down releasing chemical compounds into wine
2. most active over the first four to five years
3. keep the lees in contact with the wine can maintain the wine freshness for years

Question 13

what is the function of yeast autolysis

Answer 13

contributing flavours like bread, biscuits, toasty notes

Question 14

What is the machine use in some riddling method?

Answer 14

Gyropalette –> machine holds 500 bottles and complete riddling

Question 15

Describe Dosage.

Answer 15

topped up with liqueur d’expedition, a mixture of wine and sugar –> determine the sweetness level
- liqueur d’expedition can be fresh or toasty from oak and dried fruit from bottle aging to achieve the style.

Question 16

Describe how transfer method remove the sediment

Answer 16

1. same as traditional method up to the point of riddling
2. bottles are disgorged into a sealed tank under pressure then filtered to remove yeast
3. Liqueur d’ expedition is added and rebottle into a fresh bottle
4. labelled as “bottle-fermented”
5. undergo a second fermentation in bottle

Question 17

Why do people choose transfer method?

Answer 17

to avoid costly and complex process of riddling and disgorgement.

Question 18

What is the requirement of Cremant?

Answer 18

1. traditional method
2. spend a minimum of 9 months on lees

Question 19

Why vintage sparkling wine can be sold in a premium price?

Answer 19

1. age minimum 36 months, 12 months on lees
2. made in the best year
3. considered as more toasty, biscuity notes, which have more complexity
4. benefit from several years cellaring
5. it is in a single year
6. generally made from the best parcels of grapes
7. many winemakers choose to age these wines on lees for linger than non-vintage wines

Question 20

What soil is Champagne use?

Answer 20

chalk soil

Question 21

What is Cuvee?

Answer 21

first liquid come off the press which contains the purest juice

Question 22

Sub-region of Champagne

Answer 22

1. Montagne of Reims (Pinot Noir)
2. Cotes de Bar (Pinot Noir)
3. Vallee de la Marne (Meunier)
4. Cote des Blancs (Chardonnay)
5. Cote de Sezanne (Chardonnay)

Question 23

What is the requirement of Cava?

Answer 23

Traditional method with 9 months on lees
- DO covers a number of different non-contiguous areas across Spain

Question 24

Differences between Champagne and Cava?

Answer 24

1. Region
   Cava: DO covers a number of different non-contiguous areas across Spain, including Navarra, Rioja and Valencia. The vast majority comes from the Catalan. // Champagne: Only Champagne can call Champagne
2. Months
   - traditional method
   Cava: 9months on lees
   Champagne: 12 months on lees

3.White grape:
Cava: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada
Champage: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

Question 25

What is Method Cap Classique?

Answer 25

1. From South Africa
2. Traditional method sparkling wine with minimum 12 months on lees

Question 26

Which place in Australia is good for sparkling wine?

Answer 26

1. Yarra Valley
2. Adelaide Hill
3. Tasmania
4. Riverina (inexpensive, carbonation and tank method)

Question 27

Which place in New Zealand is good for sparkling wine?

Answer 27

South Island
- Sauvignon Blanc –> carbonation or tank method

Question 28

Which place in USA is good for sparkling wine?

Answer 28

1. Los Carneros AVA
2. Anderson Valley AVA
3. Central Valley (tank / carbonation method)

Question 29

Describe Ageing in Champagne

Answer 29

1. spend times to age on lees but the duration varies.
2. Yeast autolysis: dead yeast cells start to break down chemical compounds into the wine = flavours of wine, bread, biscuits, toasty notes = last for 4-5years
3. wine spend longer on their lees normally develop a more pronounced yeast character

Question 30

State the labelling term usually used for wine made by transfer method

Answer 30

bottle-fermented

Question 31

Explain why a producer of traditional method sparkling wines requires grapes with relatively low sugar levels.

Answer 31

1. producer tend to produce a dry base wine of 10-11% abv
2. allow an increase in alcohol during 2nd fermentation of 1.2-1.3% abv
3. high level of ascid with low sugar level are required for a refreshing style of sparkling wine

Question 32

Name and describe the process by which the traditional method of sparkling wine acquires flavours of bread and biscuits.

Answer 32

Yeast autolysis

1. once the second fermentation is complete the yeast die and form a sediment of lees in the bottle
2. dead yeast cells break down and release chemical compounds into the wine
3. the longer wine spends in contact with the dead yeast cells, the more intense the flavours

Question 33

Identify and describe two ways of making sparkling wine sweet

Answer 33

1. Use of liqueur d’expedition
   - adding a wine sugar solution to a dry sparkling wine
   - the amount of sugar in the solution will determine the level of sweetness, known as dosage
2. Tank method / Asti method
   - fermentation is stopped early before all the sugars are fermented
   - fermentation stopped by chilling the wine
   - wine is filtered to remove the yeast and bottled immediately.