Sparkling Wine Flashcards
What ABV will winemakers try to achieve in the base wine for sparkling. What is done during harvest to make sure this is achievable
10-11 % ABV. The grapes are picked earlier when levels of sugar are lower.
How much will the alcohol level increase during secondary fermentation
1.2 - 1.3 % ABV
Apart from sugar what other differences are there between grapes used for sparkling and still wines
A higher level of acid is desirable for sparkling wines.
Despite relatively low sugars and high acid the grapes must still have sufficient flavor development and no longer have any herbaceous characteristics
Why is it easier to grow grapes for sparkling wines in cool regions than warm ones
In cool regions the change in sugar and acidity happens slowly and it occurs at the same time has flavor development. In warm climates the increase in sugar and decrease in acid can happen quickly. Picking early is the only option however this means the grapes may still be green
In the winery what is vital to production of sparking wine
The grapes and juice must be handled with care
What is done at harvest time to ensure the best quality grapes for Sparkling wine
Hand picking of whole bunches of unsplit grapes occurs in cool climates. In warm climates where grapes are being grown for inexpensive sparlking wine machine harvesting may well be used to ensure all of the grapes are picked quickly at optimum acid and sugar levels
Describe pressing of grapes for sparkling
Grapes pressed asap very gently to minimise extraction of color and tannin. This is esp important when using black grapes for white sparkling wine
Why is it preferrable to use whole bunches of grapes for white sparkling wine
By avoiding crushing contact between the skins and the grapes is minimised
With regard to pressing grapes what is legislated in the EU
The maximum pressure that can be used and the amount of juice pressed from the grapes
In the EU what determines which of the 5 methods is used to produce sparkling wine. What about outside the EU
The local wine laws. Outside the EU it is determined by the style of wine desired or cost
What is the traditional method
Secondary fermentation in the bottle in which it is sold
What are the principle steps of the traditional method ( after pressing )
Making the base wine Blending Secondary alcoholic fermentation Yeast autolysis Riddling Disgorgement and Corking Bottle Aging
How are base wines typically fermented. What is the profile of the base wine. What decision must the winemaker make at this point
In SS temp controlled tanks ( some still use oak vats or barrels for some or all of their base wine ). Dry, low alcohol, high acid and neutral in character
Winemaker must decide if the base wine will undergo MLF or oak maturation prior to second fermentation
When is most base wine used up. Why would some winemakers keep some back
A year after harvest. For Blending
What 3 reasons make blending important
Consistency ( if a house style is being repeatedly made )
Balance ( achieve the best possible characteristics )
Complexity ( eg blending in older reserved wines to add complexity )
What is the name of the liquid added to the blended base wine at the start of secondary fermentation. What does it consist of
Liqueur de Trirage Wine Sugar Yeast Yeast Nutrients A clarifying agent
What is done once the liqueur de tirage is added
The bottle is closed with a crown cap and laid horizontally at a cool constant temp
What pressure might be raised in the bottle after secondary fermentation
5 - 6 atmospheres ( 70 - 84 psi )
What happens after secondary fermentation is complete
Yeast Autolysis. The yeast cells die and over time break down releasing chemical compounds into the wine typically giving bread, biscuit flavors
How long does yeast autolysis take
4 - 5 years but can take as long as 10
What is the name of the A Frame used for riddling. How long does it take to raise the bottle from horizontal to vertical when riddling
Pupitre
Roughly 8 weeks
What is the name of the hydraulic device used to automate riddling. How many bottle can it hold and how long does riddling take
Gyropalet
500 bottles
A matter of days
What happens when riddling is complete
Disgorgement. The neck of the wine bottle is submerged in a cold brine solution to freeze the wine in the neck. The wine is returned right way up, crown cap removed and the pressure ejects the plug of frozen wine
What is the name of the liquid added to the wine after disgorgement. What does this consist of
Liqueur d’Expedition ( Dosage )
Mixture of wine and sugar which will determine the final level of sugar in the finished wine.
With modern automation how long does it take from opening the bottle to disgorge it to recorking
Seconds
What does dosage do. What are wines called that have no sugar added
Balances the acidity and helps with flavor development.
Brut Nature or Zero Dosage
In effect what is the second blending operation
Adding of the dosage
What does a sparkling wine cork look like before insertion into the bottle. What causes the mushroom shape
A cylinder with flat face around 3 times the opening of the bottle. The cork is significantly compressed before inserting into the bottle causing the mushroom effect
Once recorked what happens to the finished wine. When is it ready to drink
It may be bottle aged for a few months prior to release. Typically wine is ready for consumption on release but some may improve with age
What are producers now doing to give consumers some idea of how old NV wines are
Putting date of disgorgement on the label
What is the major different between the traditional and transfer methods of producing sparkling wine
They are the same up til the point of riddling. In the transfer method once secondary fermentation is complete the bottles are disgorged into a tank under pressure. The wine is filtered to remove the lees then rebottled
How can you sometimes tell whether a wine has been produced using the transfer method rather than the traditional
The transfer method wines will often state “bottle fermented” rather than traditional method or “methode traditionelle” on the label
In terms of flavor profile what is the major difference between traditional, transfer and tank methods
Traditional and transfer methods produce wines with autolytic yeasty flavors whereas the tank method yields wines with a pure fruit character retaining the flavors of the base wine
When might it be preferrable to make sparkling wines using the tank method
When using grapes with a strong flavor such as Muscat or Riesling as well as when making light fruity wines such as Prosecco.
Describe the tank method
Base wine is fermented in a temp controlled SS tank to retain the pure fruit flavors. Base wines do not undergo MLF or oak maturation. Liqueur de tirage is added and the secondary fermentation takes place in a tank able to withstand the pressure. Lees are filtered out and wine is bottled under pressure
Why do tank method wines have no autolytic character.
The wine does not spend time on its lees
True or False. The Asti method of sparkling wine production includes 2 fermentations like the traditional and tank methods
False. There is only one
Describe the Asti method
Wine is warmed and fermentation initiates in tanks. CO2 is allowed to escape then tank is sealed and pressure builds to 5 - 6 atmos. ABV reaches approx 7% then wine is chilled to stop fermentation. Filter under pressure and bottle.
What is the cheapest of all sparkling wine production methods. Describe it. When might it be used
Carbonation. Inject CO2 into base wine then bottle under pressure. Used with grapes that have a strong varietal flavor like SB.
