Standard Options in Sparkling Winemaking

Question 1

1) Climate (traditional & other methods)
2) Grape physiology (traditional & other methods)

Answer 1

1) For traditional method: cool marginal climates in greater latitudes ( Champagne, England, Tasmania).
2) For other methods: warmer regions, cheaper / easier to cultivate areas (plains, fertile soil)
3) Grapes suitable for Traditional Method: just ripe, retaining high acidity and with slow sugar accumulation (9-11% potential alc), with less intense fruit flavours (due to lees ageing)
4) Grapes suitable for other methods: can be more aromatic as primary aromas will be dominant.

Question 2

Why is it commonly used in the production of premium & super-premium sparkling wines?

(flavour profile, physiology, viticultural characteristics and disadvantages)

Answer 2

1) Flavour proflle: subtle apple & citrus aromas compliment autolytic aromas (becomes creamy)
2) Physiology: retains high acid / low potential alc without unripe flavours.
3) Viticultural characteristics: early ripenning (suits cool climates); more disease resistance then PN; yields can be high in good year without loss of quallity
4) Disadvantages: early budding (vulnerable to frosts); prone to coulure, millerandage and echaudage.

Question 3

Why is it commonly used in the production of premium & super-premium sparkling wines?

(flavour profile, physiology, viticultural characteristics and disadvantages)

Answer 3

1) Flavour profile: delicate red fruit character (in cool climates) complements autolytic aromas; brings body to the blend
2) Physiology: retains high acid / low potential alc; low tannings (cool climate); could project unripe flavours (vegetal)
3) Viticultural characteristics: early budding / early ripening, suits cool climates
4) Disadvantages: less disease resistant than Chard; prone to coulure; thin skinned - more prone to downy & powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot, fan leaf & leaf roll; quality drops if yield is too high.

Question 4

Why is it commonly used in the production of premium & super-premium sparkling wines?

(flavour profile, physiology, viticultural characteristics and disadvantages)

Answer 4

1) Flavour profile: fruity wines; brings softness to the blend; red fruit aromas
2) Physiology: retains high acid / low potential alc; low tannings (cool climate)
3) Viticultural characteristics: early budding but buds later than Pinot Noir; less prone to spring frost does well on heavy soils (clay)
4) Disadvantages: sensitive to botrytis

Question 5

4 General factors to consider:

Answer 5

1) Yields: higher than for still wines - high acid levels, low potential alc, delicate flavours.
2) High yields can also provide an assurance that a reasonble crop will avoid disease.
3) A number of trellising / training system will be used (depending on variety, nutritional content in the soil, climate)
4) Priority: clean & healthy fruit (off-flavours are enhanced by CO2 and lactase released by botrytis can cause serious oxidation).

Question 6

3 General harvesting factors to consider:

Answer 6

1) Harvesting happens early than for still wine (preserve acid / low potential alc)
2) Early harvest reduces the risk of fungal diseases / increases the risk of unripe grapes
3) Hand harvesting / machine harvesting will depend on the region / local wine laws

Question 7

Advantages (2)

Disadvantages (3)

Answer 7

Advantages:

1) Permits sort at picking / post- harvest selection
2) Hand picking + collecting in small crates: minimises splitting / crashing of grapes (oxidation, extraction of phenolics)

Disadvantages:

1) Slow
2) Labour intensive
3) Expensive

Question 8

3 Advantage

1 Disadvantage

Answer 8

Advantages;

1) Faster
2) Cheaper
3) Permits night-time harvesting (cooler grapes, less oxidation)

Disadvantages:

1) Can damage the skin of the grapes, resulting in oxidation / phenolic extraction

Question 9

Whole bunch pressing:

Answer 9

1) It’s gentle, creating a juice low in solids / phenolics
2) Stems create network of chanels through which juices flow more easily (less pressure during pressing)
3) Less bunches can be loaded into the press; pressing becomes more time consuming
4) Pneumatic & basket presses are more common - ability to press very gently

Question 10

Talk about: fractions, clarification, nutrients & fining

Answer 10

1) Juice is split into different press fractions: free run (lower in phenolics, ph & solids) and press juice (the opposite).
2) Juice is clarified before fermentation (same as white wines)
3) Nutrients need to be present (through solids) for both primary & sencondary fermentations
4) If there’s excessive tannins or colour, juice will be fined (casein, gelatine, PVPP)

Question 11

What’s the common temp for primary fermentation and the most commonly used vessel? Explain why.

Answer 11

1) Happens at a lower temp (14 - 20oC) to retain primary flavours.
2) Temp is controlled to ensure it’s not too cold for the yeast (ph is very low)
3) Common in stainless steel tanks: allow large volumes, temp control, easy to clean before & after

Question 12

Why are selected yeasts more commonly used in sparkling wine production (3 reasons).

Name the most widely available strain.

Answer 12

1) Reliability: the yeast need to finish fermentation to dryness in high acid/ low ph conditions
2) Flavour enhancement: some strains will produce more thinks and esters (preferred in tank method) whilst others produce less (more desirable in traditional method)
3) It’s common for the same yeast be used for both fermentations, so the strain needs to be able to carry out fermentation at high alc, high acid, high pressure, low temp, low nutrients enviroment too
4) Some strains have rapid autolysis & easy floculation are desirable for traditional method
4) EC1118 or Prise de Mousse is the most widely available strain.

Question 13

Can MLC be allowed in Sparklingn wine production?

Discuss (4 arguments)

Answer 13

1) It can be used to soften acidity in high acid base wines
2) It can also be used to add texture (lactic acid is perceived to have a creamier texture than tartaric)
3) Diacetyl will not pe perceptible in the final wine - yeast metabolises it during 2nd fermentation
4) If MLC is inhibited, the wine must be sterile filtered prior to 2nd fermentation in bottle - it can cause haziness, which is difficult to treat in bottle.

Question 14

Discuss maturing wine on its lees / oak (4 points)

Answer 14

All dependant on the style the winemaker wants to create:

1) Base wine can be matured on its lees
2) Base wine can be matured in oak (if so, only a small proportion will be used - traditional method - as oak flavours are magnified by efervescense in wine)
3) When using oak, seasoned barrels are mostly used
4) Oak will not be used in a fruity style (Prosecco, Asti)

Question 15

What different components can be used in blending and what’s the purpose of Assemblage (8 reasons)?

Answer 15

Winemaker can blend different vineyards, vintages, grape varieties, wines that have undergone different winemaking techiniques.

1) Balance (acid, body) - different varieties (Pinot / Chard) or cooler / warmer sites of the same variety.
2) Consistency - for NV wines (from one year to the next)
3) Style - early drinking, longer ageing,
4) Rose wine - some spk roses are made by blending white & red wines
5) Complexity - different vineyards, different vintages, diffferent varieties, different techiniques will add layers to the final wine
6) Minimisation of faults - minor faults can be blended away to rescue the wine.
7) Volume - small vineyard sites blended together, wine from different vintages blended to the final wine increase the volume of wine produced.
8) Price - less prestigious varieties (Meunier) added to the blend to lower the price; more press wine blended into the final wine.

Question 16

Main considerations = 6

Answer 16

1) 2nd fermentation happens in the same bottle the wine is later sold
2) Liquer de triage is added to trigger 2nd fermentation: sugar, yeast, yeast nutrients, fining agents (bentonite / alginate)
3) The amount of sugar depends on the amount CO2 desired (24g / L for a fully sparkling wine = 6 atmospheres)
4) 1.5% alc is added for 24g/L of sugar
5) 2nd fermentation happens at around 10oC - 12oC; slower fermentation, more complex wine. It lasts 4-6 weeks
6) Yeasts must be easy to floculate / have rapid autolysis

Question 17

Describe 5 main considerations on lees ageing.

Answer 17

1) Becomes more detectable at 15-18 months.
2) Can continue for 4-5 years (in some cases up to 10y)
3) Length: depends on the character desired: fresh fruit x autolytic, the price of the final wine and the financial ability of the producer to lay down wines for longer ageing.
4) Protect the wine from oxidation; the longer is spends on the lees, the quicker it’ll evolve after disgorgement.
5) The long a wine spend on its lees, the less able it is to withstand the shock of disgorgement.

Question 18

Describe riddling (3 points)

Answer 18

1) Can be done manually (pulpitres = 8 weeks) or mechanically (gyropalettes = 4 to 5 days)
2) Slow / steady inclination towards vertical + turning causes the lees to floculate and fall towards the neck of the bottle
3) Storage after riddling /before disgorgement: sur pointe

Question 19

Describe disgorgement (5 points)

Answer 19

1) Can be done by hand, mostly automated
2) Aim: to remove yeast with minimum loss of pressure / wine
3) Wine is chilled to 7oC
4) Bottle necks immersed in frozen brine (easier to remove the yeast / it doesn’t fall back in the wine)
5) Bottle turned upright, cap removed and frozen yeast plug escapes by pressure.

Question 20

1) What’s liqueur d’expedition?
2) What’s its 2 main objectives?
3) How des the age of the wine influence the dosage?

Answer 20

1) Mixture of wine & sugar or RCGM (dosage)
2) Objective 1: top up the bottle / determine the final sweetness level
3) Objective 2: balance the acidity in the final wine, specially young wines
5) Perception of acidity rounds up with age: the older the wine, the lower the dosage required.

Question 21

Describe Maillard reaction and its influence in the final wine.

Answer 21

Sugar from liqueur d’expedition reacts with compounds formed during autolysis (amino acids & proteins), encouraging the development of roasted & toasted vanilla aromas.

After disgorgement, wines are stored so the dosage and the aromas from Maillard reaction can better integrated with the wine.

Question 22

Describe the Transfer Method and how it differs from the Traditional Methd

Answer 22

Developed in the 1940s to avoid the cost of manual riddling and yet retain the bready / biscuity notes from autolysis.

1) Up to riddling: some process as traditional method.
2) Wine chilled to 0oC
3) Opened by transfer machines and poured int pressurised tanks
4) Usually sweetened, SO2 added, sterile filtered and bottled.

Because riddling does not take place, floculating agents aren’t added.

Question 23

Describe the Ancestral Method

Answer 23

1) Partially fermented must is bottled - fermentation continues in the bottle, generating CO2 & alc
2) Sugar levels can be accurately measured - final pressure judged accurately
3) Deposit thrown during the final stage of fermentation can be disgorged or not (more common)
4) No dosage

Question 24

Describe Pet Nat and how it differs from Ancestral Method

Answer 24

1) It’s the ancestral method revived in more scale
2) There are no set rules for its production
3) Often low in alc, slightly cloudy, dry to off-dry.
4) Often: unconventinal aromas compared to cider
5) Bottled without addition of SO2
6) Intended for early drinking

Question 25

Other names (3)

General considerations compared to Traditional Method (4)

Answer 25

1) Cuvee close, Charmat and Martinotti
2) Large volumes, reduced labour costs.
3) No riddling, disgorging or dosage.
4) No long period on lees.
5) Wines can be made / released quickly
6) Suitable for semi-aromatic / aromatic grapes as it preserves primary aromas
7) Often seen as inferior because: a) the prestige of Traditional Method; b) as it’s inexpensive, grapes of lower quality are commonly used.

Question 26

Describe the winemaking techiniques for Tank Method (8 steps).

Answer 26

1) First fermentation at low temp to preserve primary aromas
2) Rapid 2nd fermentation in reinforced tanks
3) Fermentation typically arrested (-5oC) when desired pressure / RS achieved
4) Ocasional lees ageing is possible (9months); not very common due to financial costs.
5) Sugar & SO2 levels checked and adjusted if necessary
6) Yeast removed by filtration or centrifugation
7) Wine is chilled to -2oC for stabilisation and to reduce effervescence
8) Bottling with counter-pressure filler.

Question 27

Describe the Asti Method (8 steps)

Answer 27

It’s a variation of the tank method.

1) Must is fermented in pressure tanks
2) during first stages, CO2 is allowed to scape
3) When wine reaches 6% alc (for final wine with 7-7.5%), CO2 is retained in the wine
4) CO2 generated from sugar that produces the last 1.5% creates a 5 atmosphere pressure in the wine.
5) Fermentation arrested by chilling the wine
6) Filtration to removes yeasts / nutrients
7) SO2 levels adjusted
8) Bottled by using pressure filler.

Question 28

Point 5 main considerations on Sparkling wines produced by Carbonation

Answer 28

Least expensive / least prestigious method.

1) Injection of CO2 under pressure.
2) Bubbles die quickly in fully sparkling wines.
3) Successful for petillant, lower pressure wines.
4) Suitable for aromatic wines as it leaves aromas / flavours of base wine intact.
5) Base wine needs to be of good quality - any faults will be magnified by CO2

Question 29

Describe the 7 labelling terms

Answer 29

1) Brut Nature, Zero Dosage = 0 - 3 g/L (no dosage permtted)
2) Extra Brut, Extra Bruto = 0 - 6 g/L
3) Brut, Bruto = 0 - 12g/L
4) Extra Sec, Extra Dry = 12 - 17 g/L
5) Sec, Dry, Secco = 17 - 32 g/L
6) Demi Sec, Medium Dry, Semi-Seco = 32 - 50 g/L
7) Doux, Sweet, Dolce = 50 + g/L

Question 30

Describe both cork (5 points) and crown cap (2 points)

Answer 30

Cork closure:

1) Significantly fatter than corks used for still wines (31mm)
2) Normally composed of aglomerated cork with 2 disks of natural cork glued on.
3) Cork is compressed to be inserted in the bottle
4) Because the neck of the botlle is 18-21mm, the cork remains compressed to about60-70% of it’s original size.
5) Recent technology has led to taint being completely removed from cork; use of technical corks has increased

Crown cap:

1) Used by some producers of ancestral method / pet nat
2) Works like a beer cap.