Standard Options in Sparkling Winemaking Flashcards
Why are cool climates important for the production of sparkling wine?
Sugar
- Accumulates slower in cooler climates. Grapes can achieve phenolic ripeness while maintaining a low ABV (9-11%) in base wine.
Acid
- Grapes retain their acidity better in cooler climates
What are some cooling influences that exist in different growing regions?
Higher Latitude
- Champagne, England/Wales, Tasmania
Ocean/large bodies of water
- Sonoma Coast
Altitude
- Trentodoc
What are the pros/cons for making sparkling wine in warmer regions?
Pro:
- Grapes ripen more reliably
- Fruitier profile might be preferable in wines not intended for long term aging
Con:
- Lower acidity, less balanced, won’t age as gracefully
- Fruity profile might be too dominant for wines that see longer lees aging
What kind of land are grapes intended for sparkling wine production usually planted on?
Cheaper wines:
- Cheap land, easy to cultivate, fertile plains
Land less suitable for still wine:
- Grapes can’t achieve full ripeness or concentration
What are the most common grapes for premium sparkling wine?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What are the pros/cons of growing Chardonnay for sparkling wine?
Pro:
- Early ripening, develops fruit character early
- Retains acidity and low levels of alcohol
- It’s fruit character (apple and citrus) compliments autolytic flavors
- High yielding without loss of quality in good years
- More disease resistant than Pinot Noir
Cons:
- Early budding, susceptible to frost
- Prone to millerandage and coulure
- Susceptible to powdery mildew, grape vine yellows, and botrytis in wet stages before harvest
What are the pros/cons of growing Pinot Noir for sparkling wine?
Pro:
- Early budding and ripening
- Adds more body than Chardonnay
Con:
- Lower yields than Chardonnay
- Quality decreases if yields are too high
- Early budding, prone to frost damage and coulure
- Thin-skinned: prone to downy mildew (!), powdery mildew, bunch rot, botrytis, fan leaf, and leaf roll
What factors within a grape influence its style of wine?
- Intensity of aromas
- Ability to retain acidity
- Wine’s response to autolysis
Why are high yields typical for vines making sparkling wines?
It leads to desirable characteristics for sparkling wine
- High acid
- Less concentrated fruit flavors
- Lower ABV
Provides some insurance for removal of damaged crop in cooler, wet climates
Why are grapes for sparkling wine picked earlier?
- They have higher acidity, lower sugar
- Generally picking before wet autumn weather starts, lowering disease pressure
Picking early runs the risk of unripe flavors
Pros/cons of hand harvesting
Pro:
- More quality control, two rounds of selection (picking and post-harvest selection)
- Gentler on the grapes, less risk of damage, oxidation, and phenolic extraction
Con:
- Slow and expensive
- Need access to short-term labor
- Time of harvest won’t be as uniform
Pros/cons of machine harvesting
Pro:
- Cheaper for higher volumes
- Quicker, more reliable to fully harvest at optimal ripeness
- Diseased/damaged grapes can be removed after harvesting, but more expensive
Con:
- Less quality control
- Expensive machinery might not be financially possible for smaller producers
- Better for night harvesting -> cooler temperatures -> less risk of oxidation
Pros/Cons of whole bunch pressing
Pro:
- Less extraction of phenolics and anthocyanins
- Stems provide more channels for juice to flow through, meaning gentler pressing is possible
Con:
- Stems take up space, lower volumes pressed at a time
Why does pressing need to occur quickly in sparkling wine?
To minimize extraction, especially for the black varieties
Why are pneumatic and basket presses more common for sparkling wine?
They both have the ability to press very gently
Why would winemakers split the juice into press fractions?
- Amount of pressed juice allowed is controlled in some regions
- More control when blending
What style of wine is pressed juice useful for?
It’s higher in phenolics, solids, and pH, which is better for short maturation wines ready for consumption.
When is the juice clarified for sparkling wine? What are some clarifying agents that can be used?
Before fermentation, using any available clarifying agents.
If there has been too much extraction of tannin or color before fermentation, what are some fining agents commonly used?
Casein, Gelatine, or PVPP (polyvinylpolypyrrolidone)
What’s a typical fermentation temperature for sparkling wine?
57-68°F (14-20°C)
What can make fermentation for vin clair difficult?
The low pH can make be stressful for yeast
What kind of yeast is normally used for primary fermentation and why?
Cultured yeast, because a reliably healthy fermentation is a top priority in low sugar, low pH environments.
Why is stainless steel the most common choice for primary fermentation?
- Easier temperature control
- Higher volumes
- Easier to clean
What flavors will a typical yeast used for sparkling wine producer?
Depends on method of production.
Tank Method: Promotes thiols and esters, creating a fruitier profile
Traditional Method: a more neutral profile that won’t compete with autolytic flavors
What are the properties contained by most commercially available yeast intended for secondary fermentation?
It’s common to use the same yeast as primary, BUT:
- Must be able to start fermenting in alcoholic conditions (between 9.5-11% ABV)
- Lives in low pH (below 3)
- Can survive low temperatures, usually commences around 61°F (16°C)
- High pressure
- Low availability of nutrients
- Rapid autolysis
- Easy flocculation (clumping of particles)
- Especially in traditional method
What is a common cultured yeast used in sparkling wine?
Prise de Mousse (EC1118)
What is the function of malolactic fermentation in sparkling wine?
- Reduces acidity in excessively acidic wine
- Produces a creamier texture
Why are the “buttery” flavors normally associated with MLF not as prominent in sparkling wine?
Yeast will metabolize diacetyl during secondary fermentation
What can happen if MLF doesn’t occur during secondary fermentation? What are the options to mitigate the risk?
It can happen later in the bottle, creating a hazy finished wine.
The winemaker can either allow MLF during secondary fermentation or sterile filter before.
If sparkling wine is undergoing oak or extra lees aging, when would this occur?
Before secondary fermentation
Usually only a small percentage of new oak will be used, if any, because it’s presence is magnified after secondary
What is the purpose of assemblage (blending)?
- Balance
- Consistency
- Style
- Rose
- Complexity
- Minimizing faults
- Volume
- Price
When does tartrate/protein stabilization occur in Traditional Method wines?
Before secondary fermentation in bottle
What is included in a liqueur de tirage?
- Wine/Must
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Yeast nutrient
- Clarifying agents (bentonite, alginate)
In a fully sparkling wine, how much sugar (sucrose) is usually added to the base wine?
24g/L, resulting in an additional 1.5% ABV
What’s a typical amount of pressure within a bottle of sparkling wine?
6 atmospheres, AKA 6 “bars”
What’s the purpose of adding sugar in liqueur de tirage?
Adding pressure/ABV only. Yeast ferments to dryness at this stage.
What is “Prise de mousse”?
Another name for secondary fermentation, meaning “capturing the sparkle”
What does “sur latte” mean?
It refers to the aging of wine on it’s side during secondary fermentation
At what temperature are wines kept sur latte?
50-54°F (10-12°C)
How long does secondary fermentation typically last?
4-6 weeks
How much lees aging does it take for autolytic flavors to become present?
15-18 months
What are the factors in determining how long a wine will age on its lees?
- Style of wine being produced
- Attainable price of finished wine
- Financial ability to invest in extra-aged wine
How long can autolysis continue to develop flavors in a wine?
Usually 4-5 years, but up to 10
How does extra lees aging after autolysis is completed affect a finished wine?
It will slow oxidation prior to disgorgement, but will decrease the wine’s ability to age post-disgorgement.
Will a wine that’s seen extra lees aging continue to develop after disgorgement?
No, it’s intended to be drunk upon release.
What are “pupitres”?
A-framed boards that turn a bottle from “sur latte” to “sur pointe” (horizantal to vertical) to prepare for disgorgement
How long does the process of riddling take?
By hand: up to 8 weeks
Mechanically (gyropalatte): 3-4 days
At what temperature does disgorgement occur? Why?
45°F (7°C). Helps to freeze sediment (along with the brine), and increases solubility of CO2, reducing risk of wine gushing out upon opening.
What is included in a Liqueur d’Expedicion?
Wine and sugar/RCGM (rectified concentrated grape must)
What does the Liqueur d’Expedicion determine?
The sweetness of the final wine
What is the primary role of dosage?
To balance acidity
How does the age of a wine post-disgorgment affect its typical dosage?
Younger: Higher dosage to balance more youthful acid
Older: Less dosage required to balance rounded acidity
Besides level of RS, what does Liqueur d’Expedicion contribute to?
Development of flavor via Maillard Reaction.
Sugar reacts with autolytic compounds to create toasted, roasted vanilla flavors
What is the transfer method?
Almost the same process as traditional method up to riddling (clarifying agents might be added post-disgorgement rather than included with liqueur de tirage).
- Chill wine to 32°F (0°C)
- Wine is opened and poured into pressurized receiving tanks
- Dosage, SO2
- Sterile filtering
- Final bottling
What are the pros/cons of the transfer method?
Pro:
- More cost efficient (no labor/space/machines associated with riddling required)
- Reduces variance between bottles
- Retains all the same flavors as traditional method
- Easier to make final adjustments
- Usually used for any bottles not 750-1500ml
Con:
- Not allowed in all regions
- Automated riddling has more or less caught up to the advantages provided by this method
What is the ancestral method?
- Partially fermented must is bottled.
- Disgorgment (sometimes, but sediment is usually kept)
- Dosage (similar to disgorgement, this usually doesn’t happen)
Pros/cons of ancestral method
Pro:
- Cheap to make
- Good for early drinking
Con:
- High risk of bottle variance (sweetness, alcohol level, pressure)
- Not built to age (especially if no SO2 is added)
- Often result in a hazy wine
What are other names for the Tank Method?
Charmat, Cuve Close, Martinotti
What is the process of the tank method?
- Ferment base wine
- Add sugar and yeast
- Secondary fermentation in pressurized tanks
- Cool wine to 30-40°F (2-4°C) to halt fermentation once desired pressure/flavors are reached
- Filter out yeast or undergo lees aging
- Cold stabilization
- Adjust sugar and SO2 levels
- Chill to 28°F (-2°C)
- Bottle
At what temperature do tank method wines usually ferment?
61-64°F (16-18°C)
Low enough to retain fresh fruit/floral character, but not too low as to lose them
57-68°F (14-20°C) is typical for traditional method wines
What kind of grapes are typically used for tank method wines?
Aromatic (Muscat) or semi-aromatic (Glera)
The point of the tank method is to preserve fresh/fruity character
Is lees aging ever used in tank method production?
Sometimes, depending on desired style.
- Typically no more than 9 months
- Kept at temperatures of 26-40°F (2-4°C)
- Paddles within tanks can perform battonage
If a tank is taken up by lees aging, it can defeat the cost saving advantages of this method
What is a counter pressure filler?
It’s the process by which tank method wines are bottled. It prevents entrance of oxygen and loss of CO2
- Bottle is filled with CO2 under pressure
- Bottle is then filled with chilled wine
How many fermentations are involved in the Asti Method?
Only one
How are levels of CO2 controlled in the Asti Method?
A valve at the top of pressurized tanks. This is usually open for the beginning of fermentation
How is fermentation halted in the Asti Method?
Rapid chilling followed by sterile filtration
What is the cheapest method of producing sparkling wine?
Carbonation
What styles of wine would the carbonation be used for?
Fruity, cheap and early drinking.
Low pressure wines.
Why is the quality of the base wine important for carbonated wines?
Bubbles will accentuate any faults
What are the EU labelling terms for dosage?
EU labelling terms:
Brut Nature, Brut Zero: 0-3 g/l, no dosage
Extra Brut: 0-6 g/L
Brut: 0-12 g/L
Extra Dry: 12-17 g/l
Dry, Sec, Secco, Trocken: 17-32 g/l
Demi-Sec, medium-dry, abboccato: 32-50 g/l
Doux, Dulce, Sweet: 50+ g/l
How are sparkling wine corks made? Why?
Agglomerate (ground up and reshaped) cork glue to two natural disks
It’s almost impossible to make a cut of the right diameter (31mm) from mature cork
What function do thicker corks serve for sparkling wine?
18-21mm neck for a 31mm cork means it will adhere more tightly to the glass, and withstand the pressure without leaking
What closure is mainly used for pet-nat and why?
Crown caps
Informal styling of wine
Why does WSET not comment on the nature of mousse in sparkling wines?
There are too many variables that affect mousse:
- Amount of sugar converted to CO2
- Capacity of CO2 to be dissolved into wine
- Length of lees aging (some CO2 will be lost, but the foam will last longer)
- How well disgorgement is carried out
- Time in bottle and shape of closure
- Size, shape and cleanliness of glasses
