Sparkling Wine Production Flashcards
In the most basic sense what is sparkling wine?
A still wine that has been sealed so that Co2, a natural byproduct of fermentation, is trapped with the wine and is ultimately absorbed by, creating bubbles.
How was sparkling wine invented?
Unintentionally–incompletely fermented wines were kept chilled during the winter but began to referment in bottle during the spring. This is still referred to as Methode Rurale or Ancestrale.
What is the most prestigious method for producing sparkling wine?
“Traditional Method” or “Methode Champenoise”
What is not allowed in most parts of the world and after March 10 in the United States?
The use of the word “Champagne” on bottles produced outside of the region. Until 2010, Champagne could be used in the US as long as it was appended by a place, such as California.
What grape varieties are known for making great sparkling wine in the regions of Champagne, Germany, the Loire Valley, Spain and Italy?
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier
Riesling
Chenin Blanc
Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parallada
Glera, Brachetto and Muscat
What is Cremant?
Sparkling wine made inside France but outside Champagne in the traditional method.
What characteristics must grapes have for traditional method wine?
High acid, early harvest, neutral flavor without hints of green.
How must grapes be handled at the winery for traditional method production?
Very carefully, usually by hand. Free run or early press juice is most suitable for traditional method production.
What do the following terms mean:
Debourbage Degorgement Prise de mousse Pupitre Remuage Reserve Transversage
Juice settling
Disgorgement
Seize the foam–second fermentation
Riddling rack
The act of riddling
Still wine from early vintages, used in blending
Transfer between bottles
What are two types of presses used in the production of sparkling wine?
traditional basket presses and more modern bladder, or pneumonic presses.
What is the difference between early and later pressings with respect to the juice?
Early pressings yield the highest quality juice; later pressings pick up bitter components from skins and seeds.
What two steps take place after pressing but before fermentation?
Settlings; adjustments
Why might a winemaker elect not to allow or initiate malolactic fermentation in the production of sparkling wine?
High, crisp acidity is a hallmark of these wines.
What are the French terms for a blend or blending, and what does it accomplish?
Cuvee, or assemblage. Blending creates a consistent house style.
What steps follow blending in the production of traditional sparking wine?
Fining, racking, cold stabilization
What are three types of cuvees a house might produce?
Prestige, or Tete de Cuvee - the top, or most famous blend.
Vintage - all grapes used in the production of the wine were harvested during a single year; the houses of Champagne do NOT always call a vintage, only in exceptional years.
Nonvintage - blended from multiple harvest to create a consistent style for which the house is known
What are three cuvee styles a house might produce
Blanc de blancs - blended from exclusively white grapes, usually Chardonnay
Blanc de noirs - blended from exclusively black grapes, usually Pinot Noir and Meunier
Rose - usually produced by creating a pinkish base wine, typically with Pinot Noir. Methods involve short carbonic maceration, saignee, or in some instances blending a small amount of red wine in with the dosage.
What separates traditional method sparkling wine production from other methods?
The wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, initiated by the addition of the liqueur de tirage, a mixture of sugar and yeast. The bottle is then sealed with a crown cap and stored at cool temperatures for as long as month or more.
What is the difference in ABV due to second fermentation?
Usually 1%-1.5% so from 10%-11% to 11% to 12.5%
What is the typical pressure in the bottle after second fermentation?
5-6 atmospheres or 75-90 pounds per sq inch
What is autolysis and what are it’s aromas/flavor characteristics?
Autolysis is the process by which spent yeast which have fallen to the bottom of the vessel begin to decompose, contributing characteristics of biscuit, brioche or sourdough.
What two aspects of sparkling wine might be enhanced by aging sur lie?
More pronounced autolytic character and finer bubbles (more integrated CO2)
What two steps follow lees aging in traditional method sparkling wine production?
Riddling and disgorgement.
What devices are traditionally used for riddling?
Traditionally the pupitre; now the gyropalette.
What is dosage and what other name is it known by?
Dosage is the mixture of wine and sugar added to wine after disgorgement–this determines the final sweetness level.
What is another name for the wire cage traditional sparkling wine is packaged with?
muselet
What is special about the cork used to seal traditional sparkling wine?
It’s manufactured to withstand up to 6 atmospheres of pressure and is supercompressed, giving it it’s mushroom shape.
How much residual sugar can be found in wines with the following labeling terms?
Brut Nature Extra Brut Brut Extra Dry Sec Demi-sec Doux
0-3 0-6 6-12 12-17 17-32 32-50 50+
What are three other names for tank method?
Charmat, cuve close and bulk method
What types of varietals are best suited to the tank method?
Aromatic varieties like Muscat and Riesling
Name two sparkling wine categories that are produced via tank method.
Sekt and Prosecco
What is the major difference between traditional and tank method?
The second fermentation takes place in a large vessel or tank, rather than in the bottle.
What are the four main steps of the tank method/
- Still base wines are blended into the desired cuvee.
- Yeast and sugar are added.
- The mixture ferments under pressure.
- The wine is racked off the lees and bottle for immediate consumption.
In what way in the transfer method considered a hybrid?
It follows the traditional method up until the second fermentation. The wine bottles are then emptied in a large en masse, racked of the lees and given the appropriate dosage. This method is often used for small and large format bottles.
What is another name for the Asti Method?
Partial fermentation
What is the main difference between the Asti and other sparkling wine production methods?
A single fermentation occurs in two parts. So rather than starting with a still base wine, the must is fermented, paused (by chilling) then warmed up and sealed under pressure.
What are the characteristics of Asti method wine.
Low ABV (around 5-6%) with considerable residual sugar and a pronounced fruit characteristic.
What is the least expensive sparkling wine productionmethod?
Carbonation, or injection, in which CO2 is injected directly into the wine; does not integrate as fully as other methods.
What are the standard sizes of sparkling wine?
Piccolo - 187.5 Split or Demi - .375 Standard - .750 Magnum - 1.5 Jeroboam - 3 Rehoboam - 4.5 Methuselah - 6 Salmanazar - 9 Balthazar - 12 Nebuchadnezzar - 15
What other name is the ancestral method known by?
method rurale or limoux method ancestrale
Name two wines produced via the ancestral method?
Bugey Cerdon and Gaillac Mousseux Methode Gaillacoise.
Describe the ancestral method.
A wine is bottled after incomplete fermentation, then continues to ferment until 67% ABV and 1-3 atm of pressure remain.
What is an alternate method to the ancestral?
Mehtode Dioise Ancestral - during production wine is kept at 50 degrees for as long as six months. This is to mimic the ancient was of producing sparkling wine, when bottles were submerged in icy rivers.
Clairette de Die and Pays Diois
