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WSET L3 Uber Card > Sparkling Wines > Flashcards

Sparkling Wines Flashcards

1
Q

What is the French name for the dosage used in making Champagne?

A

Liqueur d’expedition

Actually the amount of Sugar is the ‘dosage’

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2
Q

When pressing grapes the first juice is the best, what is it called?
What is the rest of the juice called

A

First juice is the Cuvée

Then the remainder is called Taille

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3
Q

What are the 6 ‘simple’ steps to making a Traditional Method sparkling wine?

A

Alcoholic fermentation, bottling, second fermentation, ageing, disgorgement, dosage

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4
Q

With which 2 sparkling wine production methods can you have yeasty, autolysis, flavours?

A

Traditional Method

Transfer Method

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5
Q

What are the 4 Cs of Traditional Method sparkling wine production?

A

Champagne
Cremant
Cava
Method Cap Classique

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6
Q

In what state are ideal grapes for sparkling wine and why?

A

Hi acidity and low sugar but ripe
First ferment target is just 10~11% abv as 2nd will add 1.2~1.3%
Sparkling wines are meant to be made in a zingy refreshing style

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7
Q

Why are the best grapes for sparkling wine picked in whole bunches?

A

When crushed, it protects the juice better from unwanted colour and tannins

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8
Q

What is the style of the base wine after its first fermentation?

A 
10~11% abv
High acidity
Neutral taste
MLF may be allowed or prevented 
The base wine might be lightly oaked
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9
Q

Give three reasons why blending is so important with sparkling wines

A
  1. To make a consistent ‘House’ style considering grapes from different vineyards, different vintages
  2. To improve balance e.g. Chardonnay adds Citrus whilst Pinot Noir adds body and subtle red fruit flavours
  3. To add complexity e.g. Old reserve wines might bring dried fruit. Some matured in oak would bring toast and spice
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10
Q

What are the 5 ingredients of Liqueur de Tirage?

When is it used?

A

Wine, sugar, yeast, yeast nutrients, clarifying agent

Mixed with base wine to start the 2nd fermentation

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11
Q

What is the pressure in the bottle after the 2nd fermentation?

A

5~6 atmospheres

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12
Q

What is ‘Riddling’ and what is the machine that does the job nowadays?

A

Slowly inverting the bottle after second fermentation to make the yeast sink to the neck of the bottle.
Gyroplattes - can hold 500 bottles

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13
Q

At what stages might blending be done in making Sparkling wine?

A

After the base wine is made various parcels are blended before starting 2nd fermentation
At the stage of adding Liqueur d’expedition the wine used can adjust the flavours of the final wine

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14
Q

What is Liqueur d’expedition made from?

A

Wine and sugar

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15
Q

How is ‘Traditional Method’ shown on bottles?

A

Method Champenoise
Methods Traditionelle
Traditional Method

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16
Q

How are some producers helping retailers and drinkers know the age of Champagne?

A

Some are showing ‘Disgorgement’ dates on the bottle

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17
Q

What are the 5 ways to make sparkling wine?

A 
Traditional Method
Transfer Method
Tank Method
Asti Method
Carbonation
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18
Q

Why is the ‘Asti’ Method unusual?

A

There is only one fermentation

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19
Q

With which sparkling wine production methods can you get autolysis flavours?

A

Traditional Method

Transfer Method

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20
Q

What is the main difference between Traditional and Transfer methods of sparkling wine production?

A

With Transfer method, after 2nd fermentation and lees ageing the bottles are disgorged into a sealed tank under pressure.
The wine is then filtered, Liqueur d’expedition is added then the wine is finally bottled

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21
Q

Why might producers choose the Tank Method to make sparkling wine?

A

It’s cheaper but primarily, because it doesn’t add autolytic flavours, the process retains primary fruit flavours

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22
Q

With the Tank Method of Sparkling wine production, where does 2nd fermentation take place?

A

In a pressurised tank

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23
Q

What grape is used to make Asti?

A

Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains

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24
Q

Which grape variety would be ideally suited to Carbonation?

A

An aromatic such as Sauvignon Blanc

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25
Q

Using the French terms list Sparkling wine sweetness from driest to sweetest

A 
Brut Nature
Extra Brut
Brut
Extra Sec
Sec
Demi Sec
Doux
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26
Q

What is the most popular style of Traditional Method sparkling wine and how much sugar can it contain?

A

Brut

0~12g/L

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27
Q

How much sugar is in the dosage for Brut Nature Sparlking wines?

A

No sugar can be added but residual sugar up to 3G/L is permitted

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28
Q

How much residual sugar is permitted in Demi-Sec Sparkling wine?

A

32~50g/L

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29
Q

Define ‘non vintage’ sparkling wine

A

Grapes harvested in more than one vintage (and made in the House style

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30
Q

Define ‘Vintage’

  • Champagne

- Wine from other countries

A

Champagne - 100% grapes must come from a single year

Other countries - Most grapes must come from a single year but a small % from other years is permitted

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31
Q

How can Rosé sparkling wines be made?

A 
Blending red and white base wines - even permitted in Champagne
Short maceration (some countries only allow short maceration)
  • Colour can be adjusted at final liqueur d’expedition stage
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32
Q

What is ‘Prestige Cuvee’?

A

Not an official labelling term but sometimes used by producers to denote their flagship offering

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33
Q

What are the 3 descriptors for a sparkling wine’s mousse?

A

Delicate
Creamy
Aggressive

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34
Q

What are the 7 WSET flavours autolysis brings?

A

Biscuit, Bread, Toast, Pastry, Brioche, Bread Dough, Cheese

35
Q

What are the minimum ageing times for non vintage Champagne

  • In total?
  • On the lees?
A

Total 15 months

12 months on the lees

36
Q

What are the minimum ageing times for vintage Champagne

  • In total?
  • On the lees?
A

Total 36 months

12 months on the lees

37
Q

What is the minimum lees ageing time for Cremant, Saumur, Vouvray and Cava?

38
Q

What are the minimum ageing times for Asti and Prosecco?

A

None, they are both made to be drunk fresh as soon as possible after making

39
Q

What is the minimum lees ageing time for South African Method Cap Classique sparkling wine?
What ageing does the Cap Classique Producers Assn recommend?

A

Minimum 9 mo to be able to call the wine ‘Cap Classique’

Producers assn recommends minimum 12mo

40
Q

What are the 5 Champagne grape growing regions and what does each, primarily, grow?

A

Montagne de Reims. Pinot Noir
Vale de la Marne. Pinot Meunière
Côte des Blancs. Chardonnay

Côte de Sezanne. Chardonnay
Côte des Bar. Pinot Noir

41
Q

In Champagne which are the two growing regions for Chardonnay?

A

Côte de Blancs and Côte de Sezanne

42
Q

In Champagne which are the two growing regions for Pinot Noir?

A

Montagne de Reims and Côte des Bar

43
Q

Where, in Champagne, is Pinot Meunière largely grown?

A

Valée de la Marne

44
Q

To what is Cru status given in Champagne?

A

The Village

45
Q

How many Cru villages are there in Champagne?

A

44 Premier Cru

17 Grand Cru

46
Q

What additional production requirements are there for Cru villages?

47
Q

What does Chardonnay bring to Champagne?

A

Hi acidity, floral and citrus fruit flavours

48
Q

What does Pinot Noir bring to Champagne?

A

Greater body, structural backbone and some red fruit flavours

49
Q

What does Pinot Meunière bring to Champagne?

A

Brings fruit flavours

50
Q

What is the climate in Champagne?
What is the predominant soil?
What are the main climactic hazards?
How are the hazards best managed?

A

Cool Continental
Largely chalk
Winter Freeze, Spring Frosts. Plant on S facing slopes
Rainy, cloudy weather. Chalk drains excess water well

51
Q

What are Human factors in wine making?

A

Grape growing
Wine making
Maturation
Market forces

52
Q

What are the natural factors in Grape growing?

A

Grapes
Climate
Weather
Soil / Aspect

53
Q

Summarise the major differences between

Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs

A

B de B 100% Chardonnay, light~med body with citrus notes

B de N, 100% Pinot N and M, Fuller body with more red fruit flavours

54
Q

What are the 3 main Cremants?

A

Cremant d’Alsace
Cremant de Bourgogne
Cremant de Loire

55
Q

Cremant sparkling wines are usually made with the predominant grapes for the region, what is the exception?

A

Cremant d’Alsace in that it cannot be made from Gewürztraminer or Muscat but Chardonnay can be used

56
Q

Which two regions are 2nd only to Champagne in volume of Sparkling wine production?

A

Saumur and Vouvray

57
Q

What grapes are used in the best sparkling Saumur?

A

Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc

58
Q

Which grape is most Vouvray made from?

A

Chenin Blanc

59
Q

Where is most Cava produced?

A

Catalonia, around Penedes. Entered on Sant Sadurni d’Anoia

60
Q

What grapes are used to make Cava?
White
Black

A

White - Macebao (Viura), Xarel-lo, Parellada and Chardonnay

Black - Garnacha, Monastrell and Pinot Noir

61
Q

Describe an ‘average’ Cava

A

Dry, medium acidity with som autolytic character

62
Q

Outside the main region, where else can Cava be made?

A

Rioja, Navarra and Valencia

63
Q

Describe Asti

A

Sweet, low abv (7%) grapey, fruity, peachy and floral

64
Q

Where is Asti made?

A

Piemonte, NW Italy

65
Q

Where is Prosecco DOC made?

A

NE Italy around Veneto and Friuli

66
Q

Where is Prosecco DOCG made?

What is the terrain and soil like?

A

NW of Venice
From grapes grown between the towns of
Conegliano and Valdobbiadene
Steep limestone hills

67
Q

What are the two most exceptional vineyard sites in Conegliano-Valdobbiadene?

A

Cartizze and Rive

68
Q

What grape is used to make Prosecco?

69
Q

What does Prosecco taste like?

A

Medium acidity, fresh Green Apples, Pears and Melon

70
Q

What’s the difference between Sekt and Deutscher Sekt?

A

Sekt - Made sparkling in Germany from base wines imported from France and Italy.
Deutscher Sekt - Made only from grapes grown in Germany

71
Q

What grape are the best Deutscher Sekts made from?

If all the grapes come from one quality region how may Deutscher Sekt be labelled?

A

Riesling

Deutscher Sekt bA

72
Q

Which 3 regions, in Australia, produce the best sparkling wines and why?
How are they usually made and from which grapes?

A

Ybarra Valley, Adelaide Hills and Tasmania
Because the climate is cool or moderate
Normally made using the Traditional Method
Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
The wines are Complex and elegant

73
Q

In Australia what is red sparkling made from and what production would usually be used?
What does it taste like?

A

Shiraz is best but also made from Cab Sav and Merlot
Usually made by Transfer or Traditional Methods
Full body, Red berry flavours, smooth tannins with some residual sugar

74
Q

How are bulk sparkling wines usually made in Australia?

A

Carbonation or Tank Method

75
Q

List 3 countries that might use the Tank Method for sparkling wine production

A

Italy - Prosecco
Germany - Sekt
Australia - Bulk sparkling wines
USA - Bulk Sparkling wines

76
Q

What is the South African term for the Traditional Method of making sparkling wine?

A

Méthod Cap Classique

77
Q

Where do the best grapes come from to make Méthod Cap Classique wines?
What grapes are usually used?

A

The Western Cape with the best grapes being from Hillside slopes (SE facing i.e. Away from the sun) or near the coast
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

78
Q

Why does New Zealand have a reputation for high quality sparkling wines?
How are the good ones made and from which grapes?

A

Due to Southern latitude, long sunshine hours, Maritime climate giving cool sea breezes the grapes ripen slowly whilst developing concentrated flavours.
Traditional Method
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

79
Q

Where is most New Zealand sparkling wine made?

A

Marlborough

80
Q

What are the differences in the Sparkling wines made in New Zealand’s North and South Islands?

A

North - Richer style

South - Leaner with higher acidity

81
Q

What Method is used for the best American sparkling wines?
Where are the best locations and why?
What grapes are most used?

A

Best made using the Traditional Method
Los Carneros AVA and Anderson Valley AVA because they are cooler locations allowing slower ripening and grapes to picked at the ideal ripeness.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

82
Q

How are bulk sparkling wines made in USA?

A

Usually Tank or Carbonation

83
Q

How long must USA Sparkling wines spend on the lees after 2nd fermentation?

A

There is no mandated length of time but the best spend up to 5 years on the lees

WSET L3 Uber Card (31 decks)

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