Sparkling Wine Flashcards
Where does the CO2 come from?
A secondary fermentation - yeast convverts sugar into alcohol and CO2
- a carfully measured amount of sugar plus yeast is added to wine
What is the legal def of sparkling wine?
more than 3.92 grams/litre of CO2
extra
- 1 atmospher pressure
- noticeable fzzy
When is carbon dioxide more soluble?
- higher pressure
- lower temperatuure
- higher alcohol
Where does champagne come from
a region of france tha focuses soley on sparkiling wine
-n01 else is allowed to use the name
champagne - cool continental climate average temp of 16deg, challenging for wine, sugars very low and acids very high
grapes include: chardonnay(light bodied wines and high acid), pinot noir -(greater body) pinot meunier(fruitiness)
PICKED AT LOW SUGAR LEVEL 18-20 BRIX
what are the characteriscs of the bas wine before it is turned into a sparkling?
- low alcohol
- high acidity
- low sulfur dioxide
- dry - no fermentable sugar
- neutral flavour
One method to create sparkling wine is METHODE TRADITIONALLE. What are its features?
also called classique, tradionale methhhod
- very labour intensive
produces high quality wineee
used in champagne
- also used in the best sparkling wines in other regions
wine ferments for 1-3 months
- blending to maintain consistency from vintage to vintage known as “HOUSE STYLE”
- Tirage syrup is added(seconayr fermentation
What does Tirage syrup contain?
Sugar, yeast reserve wine, yeast nutrients
How much sugar is aded METHOD TRADIT?
4grams/litre will tive 1 atmospher pressure
so to get 6 atmosphers add 24gperl
the alcohol will increase per 16g gl by 1% alcohol
what are some features of ageing en tirage?
- dead yeast slowly add flavour
- bread, biscuit, toast
- CO2 becomes fully disolved in the wine
- wine usually aged 1-3 years
MT define riddling?
- after maturation period yeast lees needs to be removed
- bottles are placed into riddling rack
- turned and tipped to move sedment into the neck
MT - what is Disorgement?
bottles placed in a very cold brine to freeze the sediment in the neck of the bottle
- bottles inverted upright
- the crown seal is removed
- Co2 pressure forces the frozen yeast plug out of the bottle
MT - define Liqueur d’expedtion’s purpose?
Lde is added to top up bottle(cane sugar, older wine, brandy)
sugar balances high acidity
cork is inserted
wine cage goes on so cork wont pop off
What is the transfer method? sparkling wine
same as MT : basewine + sugar + yeast are bottled
- no riddling
- bottles emptied into a tank
-filtered in bulk and liqueur d’expedition is added
rebottled
lable says feremented
What is the charmat tank process?
used for inexpensie spakling wine
- secondary fermentation conducted in tank not bottle
- basewine + sugar + yeast
- filtered and bottled at the end of fermentation under pressure
- no yeast flavour
- good for sparkling wines made with aromatic grape varieties
What is the asti method?
variation on the Charmat method
- used for asti frizzante and asti spumante
- muscat grape
- does not start with dry base wine
- stored close to freezing then warmed to ferment in pressurised tank
- co2 allowe to escaped until alcohol reaches 6% abv
- after this point, CO@ is retained
- ferment continues until 7-7.5%
define carbonation?
most inexpensive method
- co2 is injected into wine
- adds bubbles but does not alter the flav of the wine or add any other characterics to the wine
- not considered to produce high quality wines
Define applellation?
A geographical name given to wine to indicate the origin of the grapes used to produce the wine.
When and what is the purpose of the appellation of origin wne law(another name too)? AOC:
1935 - to control and improve wine quality and limit overseas imitations, in response to phylloxera crisis
how is the AOC used?
can be used only according to the regulations. Therefore the appleation can cgive an indication on how the wine will taste.
- controls the reputation of the area
- does not guarantee exclusivity in the market place
- regulates the market preventing oversuppying
What are the AOC production requirments?
- max grape/wine yield litres/hectrare
- minimum ripeness( percent of Brix)
- aging time in barrels
types of barrels
are all french wines AOC?
no, only 35% are
- the rest are:
- not in the AOC region
- do not meet standards
- may still be excellent
- Vin de Pays(VdP)
- Vin de France(de table)
What are the four different types of french wine labeling?
- AOC
- Vin Delimites de Qualite Superieure(VDQS)
- Vin de pays(VdP)
- Vin de France - any varieties, any region
What are negotiants in the Burgundy region?
wine merchants that buy grapes or young wine from growers
difference between bottle from burgandy and bordeaux?
Sloping shoulders compared to high shoulder of the bordeaux bottle.
what are the differences between the two sub regions in burgandy?
Chablis AC
- white wines made from chardonnay grapes
- cool region, high acid wines
- austere, green-plum fruit, apple, stony mineral
- subtle flavours, traces of oak.
Beaujolais AC
- light, fruity red wines made from carbonic maceration
- made from gamay
- raspberry and cherry fruitflavours, light in tannisns
Bordeaux climate and facts?
climate: moderate maritime climate
- Some cool wet summers
- need to chaptalise(addition of sugar)
- vineyard much bigger tahn burg
- winesnot labbeled by vineyard
what are the different boreuax variteties?
varietal blends due to weather conditions - grape varieties ripen at different times
-13 grape varities permmmmitted under AC regulations
in practice though:
- reds Cabernet Sauvignon, merlot cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot
- whites sav blanc, semellion and
bordeuax’s differnece in reds to burgandy?
- more colour
- more tannin
- lower alcohol
Bordeaux appelations?
- region
- subregion
- village
- chateau (castle) :is a winery, main identifier of bordeuax wine
- but not part of the appelation system
what are the facts about the Medoc AC region of Bordeuax?
Medoc AC: - most famous red wine region - left bank -cabernet sav predominant what are the sub regions: - haut-Medoc - Margaux -St-Estephe - Pauilao
what are the facts about the graves AC region in bordaux?
- left bank
- primarily white
sav blanc mostly
some reds too(merlot)
What are the facts about Sauternes AC in bordeux?
- some of the finest dessert wines in the world
- semillon and savblanc
- very sweet whites made from botrytised grapes
- botrytis mould dehydrates the grapes concentrating sugarand the flavour
what are the facts of the Saint-emillion AC and Pomeral AC?`
right bank
- merlot and cabernet franc predominant
