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CAPS 1 - Sensory Development of Wines > Sparkling Wines > Flashcards

Sparkling Wines Flashcards

1
Q

What is a “sparkling” wine?

A

Generic term to wine with bubbles (trapped inside by fermentation or other methods)

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2
Q

When is champagne often drunk?

A

Celebrations
Also can be drunk with food

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3
Q

Can sparkling wine be inexpensive?

A

Yes. Sparkling has a wide range of price points and quality levels.

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4
Q

Name 4 different “ranges” of Champagne.

A
  1. Delicate to powerful
  2. Dry to sweet
  3. White, red and rosé
  4. Young or aged
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5
Q

Where is Champagne?

A

Northern region of France
Climate on the outer limits of grape production - hard to grow and ripen

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6
Q

What is the CIVC? What does it do?

A

Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne
* Regulates and protects the industry

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7
Q

Describe the soil of Champagne.

A

Chalk and limestone

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8
Q

What is the climate of Champagne?

A

Cold continental

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9
Q

Describe Champagne’s weather. What does it cause?

A

Extremely variable, which means that not every year is vintage

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10
Q

List the 3 grapes grown in Champagne.

A
  1. Chardonnay - elegance and finess
  2. Pinot Noir - structure, richness and body
  3. Pinot Meunier - youthful fruitiness
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11
Q

Is it expensive to produce Champagne?

A

Yes: very specific, expensive and time-consuming way of making a sparkling wine requiring long aging and investment.

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12
Q

List the 5 subregions of Champagne

A
  1. Côte de Sézanne
  2. Montagne de Reims
  3. Vallée de la Marne
  4. Côte des Blancs
  5. Côte de Bars
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13
Q

Can the “Methode Champagnoise” be used everywhere?

A

Before: could be used outside of Champagne
Now: banned outside of Champagne

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14
Q

List the 10 steps to making Champagne

A
  1. Harvest
  2. Pressing
  3. First fermentation
  4. Cuvée assemblage
  5. Secondary fermentation
  6. Bottle ageing
  7. Remuage
  8. Dégorgement
  9. Dosage
  10. Cork and bottle
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15
Q

Describe the Harvesting process in the making of Champagne.

A
  • Early harvest so low sugar and high acid
  • Different grapes can be picked at different times
  • Careful picking so grapes are preserved
  • Hand picking - grapes are low to ground so hard
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16
Q

Describe the Pressing process in the making of Champagne.

A
  • Quick and gentle
  • Pressed immediately to maintain freshness
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17
Q

How much juice can be pressed?

A

2550 litres from 4000kg grapes
First 1 - 50 litres: often dusty and darker so added to the taille
Cuvée: next 50 - 2050 litres
Taille - last 2050 - 2550 litres

2% more can be extracted
Called La Rebêche
Used to make Ratafia, sweet aperitif

Skins and stalks: distillery to make:
1. Marc de Champagne
2. Industrial ethanol - fuel for Reims public transport

More than the usual of 1 litre per 1 kilogram

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18
Q

Describe the First Fermentation process in the making of Champagne.

A

Create a dry base wine with high acid and 10-11% alcohol

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19
Q

What is the base wine called in French?

A

Vin clair

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20
Q

Is all the base wine used?

A

Some reserved for future wines.

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21
Q

Describe the Cuvée Assemblage process in the making of Champagne.

A

One of the most complicated production processes
Team blends dozens of wines to achieve a “house” style that is consistent year over year
Some older wines may be included in the blend

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22
Q

Describe the Secondary Fermentation process in the making of Champagne.

A

Base wine is bottled with a dose of yeast and sugar
Bottle sealed with a crown cap
Second fermentation happens
CO2 is trapped in the wine

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23
Q

How long does the fermentation process in the bottle during the Second Fermentation stage?

A

6-8 weeks

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24
Q

Describe the Bottle Ageing process in the making of Champagne.

A

Wine laid down in cellar for long time
Yeast cell break down and impart flavour and aromas (autolysis)

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25
How long is NV champagne aged for in bottle?
15 months
26
How long is Vintage Champage aged for in bottle?
36 months
27
Describe the Remuage process in the making of Champagne.
Wines were "riddled" by hand; now done by machine Process that slowly tilts the bottle from horizontal to vertical, moving sticky yeast cells down to the neck so they can be removed
28
Describe the Dégorgement process in the making of Champagne.
Bottle neck is dipped in brine and freezes lees like a plug Cap removed, pressure pushes out the frozen lees Bottle is topped up with a mixture of wine and sugar
29
Describe the Dosage process in the making of Champagne.
The process of disgorgement will lose a little bit of wine At this stage, a bit of wine is added and sugar (if any) to determine the final style/sweetness of the wine.
30
List 3 sweetness levels of wine and the corresponding name
Brut Zero: 0-3 g/l Extra Brut: 0-6 g/l Brut: 0-12 g/l
31
What is the pressure in a bottle of Champagne?
4-6 atmospheres
32
What are the different packaging components of a champagne bottle?
1. Cage / muselet: keeps cork in bottleneck 2. Cork: pressure makes it mushroom shaped 3. Stamp: appelation, house, vintage, disgorgement date codes printed on side of cork 4. Bottle: Dark green to prevent light strike Thicker and heavier to withstand pressure The punt strengthens the bottle, makes it easier to pour
33
What are the 2 categories of Champagne?
Non-vintage (NV) and Vintage
34
Describe a NV champagne.
The product of multiple blended wines to achieve a house style Minimum 15 months aging at the winery before released Usually drunk within 5 years
35
Describe a Vintage Champagne.
Only 2-3 vintages a decade 95% of the wine in the bottle on a vintage year must be from that vintage Minimum 3 years aging before released Can age and improve for a decade or more in the bottle after purchase.
36
What is the Tête de Cuvée?
Top wine from a grower Usually has a House name: Veuve Cliquot - ‘La Grand Dame’ Moet & Chandon ‘Crystal’
37
What is Grower Champagne
Small family owned vineyards and businesses Very fashionable especially with sommeliers RM (Récoltant Manipulant) on a label
38
What does RM mean on a bottle of Champagne?
Récoltant Manipulant (Grower / producer)
39
Name the 8 sparkling wine regions in France.
1. Champage Crémants de: 2. Loire 3. Bordeaux 4. Limoux 5. Alsace 6. Bourgogne 7. Jura 8. Savoie 9. Die
40
Describe Crémant's style and production in France.
Eight Crémant AOCs within France Made in the traditional method Minimum aging of 9 months on lees and 12 months total aging Typically made in a Brut style
41
Describe a typical Crémant.
Typically show less autolytic character, with more emphasis on fruit and varietal character
42
What is Franciacorta?
Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Bianco DOCG Longer minimum ageing requirements Non-Vintage:18 months on the lees Vintage: 30 months on the lees Riserva: 60 months on the lees
43
Describe a typical Franciacorta.
Less marked acidity, more generous fruit than Champagne with more autolytic character and a richer, rounder mouthfeel
44
What method is used to make Franciacorta?
Traditional method
45
Where is 95% percent of Cava made?
Cataluña
46
Where else can Cava be made?
Valencia, Aragón, Rioja and the Basque country.
47
How is most riddling of Cava carried out?
Gyropalettes
48
Describe a typical Cava.
Simple citrus fruit character and a bit of rustic earthiness along with subtle autolytic notes.
49
What method is used to make Cava?
Traditional
50
What 5 regions in the world make sparkling wine using the Traditional method?
1. Champagne 2. Crémant 3. Franciacorta 4. Cava 5. Cap Classique
51
For how long is Cava aged?
Cava - 9 months on less Cava Reserva - 15 months Cava Gran Reserva - 30 months
52
What grape varieties are used to make Cava?
1. Macabeo (Viura) 50% of blend Light and aromatic 2. Xarello: earth, mushroom 3. Parellada: finer wines, low in body 4. Char, Garn, Mon, PN and Trepat (rosé only)
53
What are the sugar levels in Cava?
Brut Nature: 0-3 g/l Extra brut: 0-6 g/l Brut: 0-12 g/l Extra Seco: 12-17 g/l Seco: 17-32 g/l Semi-seco: 32-50 g/l Dolçe/dulce: 50+ g/l
54
When did Champagne houses start to invest in Northern California?
1970's and 80's
55
Name 3 Champagne houses that have invested in California.
1. Domaine Chandon (Moët et Chandon) 2. Roederer Estate (Louis Roederer) 3. Domaine Carneros (Taittinger)
56
What are notable sparkling wine AVA's in California?
Carneros Anderson Valley
57
What are the principal sparkling wine grapes in California?
Chardonnay Pinot Noir
58
Describe a typical sparkling wine from California
Warmer climate, different soils lead to riper, rounder, and fruitier styles than Champagne.
59
60
What is the Transfer Method?
Goes through second fermentation in a bottle. Entire contents of the bottles are poured into a tank and the wine is clarified and dosage added. This is great for large formats of Champagne. It does not go through remuage. Does not usually have the same quality of bubbles or flavours. They may label these wines as ‘bottle fermented’
61
What are two other names for the tank method?
1. Charmat 2. Cuvée close
62
Describe the tank method.
Base wine transferred to pressurized tank for 2nd fermentation Little or no time on lees Yeast filtered out at bottling Cheaper, faster, and less labour intensive
63
Describe a sparkling wine using the Cuvée close method.
Fruity sparkling wines Less autolytic character Slightly lower carbonation
64
Name 2 regions that make sparkling wine using the Cuvée close method
Prosecco Sekt
65
# x What is the classic zone in the Veneto for producing Prosecco?
Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG: Classic zone in hills between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene
66
What grape is used to make Prosecco? What is the minimum percentage?
Glera grape. Must be at last 85%
67
What are some local varieties that can be added to Prosecco (max 15%)
1. Verdiso 2. Bianchetta 3. Perera 4. Glera Lunga
68
What does "Sui Lieviti" mean on a bottle of Prosecco?
On lees
69
List the different dryness levels of Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Extra Brut: 0-6 g/l Brut: 0-12 g/l Extra Dry: 12-17 g/l Dry: 17-32 g/l
70
In what region is Moscato d'Asti DOCG produced?
Piedmont
71
What method is used to make Moscato d'Asti?
Tank method
71
Describe a typical Moscato d'Asti
Lightly sparkling, golden- colored wine produced in the northwestern Piedmont region Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains Low alcohol content (5.5% ABV) Lightly sweet flavor, and soft, gentle bubbles (frizzante in Italian) Aperitif or dessert wine pairing
72
How are sparking red wines made (think skin contact and tannins)
Base red wine made with 2 – 5-day skin contact Often some sweetness to balance tannins
73
Where is Lambrusco made?
Emilia-Romagna
74
Describe a Lambrusco
Different varieties Pale to deep red colour Taste: Fruity with crisp acidity, low tannins
75
Describe a sparkling Shiraz.
Sourced from warmer climates in Australia Base wine may see oak maturation Taste: Full bodied with high tannins and alcohol
76
Describe the Ancestral Method for making sparkling wine.
Original sparkling wine production method Bottling young wines before full dryness Fermentation continues in bottle Carbon dioxide becomes trapped in wine
77
Describe a sparkling wine using the Ancestral Method.
A lightly sparkling wine Some sweetness Cloudy with some sediment Generally sealed by a crown cap
78
Can you define: 1. Sekt-Germany 2. Espumante-Portugal/Argentina 3. Martinotti Methos 4. Sui Lieviti-Italian 5. Methodo Classico 6. Traditional Method 7. Cap Classique from South Africa

CAPS 1 - Sensory Development of Wines (13 decks)

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