Standard Options in Sparkling Wine Making Flashcards
What type of climate favors growing the ideal grapes for sparkling wines?
Cool Climates where grapes struggle to ripen
Why are Cool Climates preferred when making sparkling wines?
The grapes are just-ripe in flavor, but retain the acidity required for high-quality sparkling wines
How does ABV play a role in sparkling wines?
- Since sugar accumulates slowly in cooler regions, the abv is generally between 9-11% for the base wines
- Low abv in base wine is important because many methods of sparkling wine production produces an additional 1-2% abv
Grapes for sparkling wines are grown either in regions of greater _________, or regions that have _______ ______.
- Greater Latitudes
2. Local cooling influences
What are the most commonly used grape varieties for producing premium and super-premium sparkling wine?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Why is Chardonnay one of the preferred grapes for making sparkling wines?
- Early budding and early ripening
- Has subtle apple and citrus aromas
- Flavors on the palate complement the aromas produced from autolysis
- Being early budding and ripening helps it retain its natural acidity
- Yields can be high without seeing a loss in quality
List some of the potential threats to Chardonnay
- Early ripening so it is susceptible to spring frost
- Prone to coulure and millerandage
- Susceptible to powdery mildew, grape vine yellows and botrytis bunch rot.
Why is Pinot Noir also a preferred grape for making sparkling wine?
- Early budding and early ripening
- It lends body to the final blend
List some of the potential threats to Pinot Noir
- Susceptible to spring frost
- Prone to Coulure
- Quality can drop if the yields are too high
- Thin skinned and more disease prone to downy mildew, powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot, fan leaf and leaf roll
What factors within the grape variety influence the style of sparkling wine they become?
- Intensity of aromas
- Ability to retain acidity while ripening
- How the base wine responds to autolysis where applicable
What are some examples of how grapes react to autolysis flavors differently?
- Chardonnay becomes creamy
- Xarel-lo becomes toasty and smoky
True or False,
Grapes for sparkling wines are grown at lower yields than for still wines?
False! This is because things like, high acid levels, low potential abv, and delicate flavors are desirable in most sparkling wines.
These characteristics are better achieved by high yields
What is another benefit from having high yields?
That in cool, relatively rainy climates like Champagne, can still have a reasonable crop size even if some of the fruit is damaged or rotten
What is the top priority in all areas when it comes to fruit?
That is will be clean and healthy
How does the enzyme laccase, potentially end up in sparkling wine, and how can it affect the wine?
The enzyme Laccase is release by botrytis-infected grapes.
Laccase can cause serious oxidation in wines, so it should be avoided at all cost.
What are the two different methods of harvest used?
- By hand
- By machine
Why are grapes used to make sparkling wine harvested earlier?
They are harvested earlier to achieve the high acid and low alcohol levels desired for sparkling wines
While low potential alcohol and high acidity are desirable, __________ is not
Unripe flavors
Can you harvest by machine everywhere?
No, some local wine laws will call for the wines to only be harvested by hand.
What are some options for sorting when doing machine harvesting?
Growers can go through the vineyard before harvesting the grapes and select which clusters to remove if there any diseased or infected clusters
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages to hand harvesting?
Pros:
- Hand harvesting permits sorting at picking and post-harvest selection to remove any diseased or infected clusters
- Hand harvesting into small crates also minimizes the the chance of spoilage from split or crushed grapes
Cons:
- Hand harvesting is slow and labor intensive, which can drive up cost.
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages to machine harvesting?
Pros:
- Grapes can be harvested almost whenever the grower wants
- Grapes can be harvested quickly
Cons:
- Machinery is expensive
- There is not a good way to sort before or after harvesting the grapes that does not increase the cost
What is the preferred method of pressing when making premium, traditional method sparkling wines?
Whole-bunch pressing
Why is whole-bunch pressing preferred when making super-premium sparkling wine?
- It is one of the gentlest forms of pressing
- The juice produced is delicate, and is low in solids and phenolics.
- The stems create a pathway for the juice to easily escape, reducing the amount of pressure needed
- It is important to note that this method takes more time as not as many grapes get pressed at one time, making it more time consuming.
What is an important component to remember when pressing grapes, especially when using black-skinned varieties?
- That pressing should be performed as quickly and gently as possible
- When using black-skinned varieties, such as Pinot Noir, minimizing maceration on and extraction from the skins is important
- Minimizing extraction and maceration is done to make sure that there are no unwanted tannins and color
List the two most commonly used presses used in the production of sparkling wine
- Pneumatic Press
- Basket Press
True or False,
A common winemaking practice for sparkling wines is to split the juice into different press fractions?
True! For instance in France there is the Cuvee and the Taille.
What are the main differences between press fractions?
The more pressure applied to the grapes, the juice becomes cloudier, and there are higher level of phenolics, solids, and pH.
What is usually considered to be the best juice in a pressing?
The Free Run juice
The juice may be clarified before fermentation, but what options do winemakers have if there is excessive tannin or color in the juice?
Winemakers may choose to fine with PVPP, gelatine, casein etc… to amend the juice
What is the most common temperature range for the primary fermentation for sparkling wines?
14-20°C (57-68°F)
Does the pH of the wine affect the yeast during the primary fermentation?
Yes. It is a more acidic environment is stressful for the yeast
How can yeast selection vary between Traditional Method sparkling wines and Tank Method sparkling wines?
- For traditional method sparkling wines, there is not a desire for a lot of fruit flavors as they may compete with autolytic flavors
- For tank method sparkling wines, pronounced fruit flavors are desired as there is an emphasis for those wines to be drank young. Yeast that promote the development of those primary flavors may be desired.
