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WSET Diploma > Standard Options in Sparkling Wines > Flashcards

Standard Options in Sparkling Wines Flashcards

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1
Q

In what climates would you expect sparkling wine production?

A

Cool Climates

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2
Q

Why are cool climates suited to sparkling wines? (3 points)

A

Allows for just ripe flavours
Lower potential alcohol
High acidity

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3
Q

Name 3 areas that benefit from a high latitude for fizz

A

Champagne
England
Tasmania

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4
Q

Name 2 regions that uses cooling influences to regulate temperature for fizz production.

A

Sonoma - Near the coast

Trentodoc - Altitude

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5
Q

Why is Chardonnay well suited to sparkling wine? (4 points)

A

Suits autolytic flavours by complimenting
Early budding and early ripening
Brings high acidity to blends and for longevity.
Yields can be high without loss of quality

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6
Q

What are the issues with growing Chardonnay? (3 points)

A

Early budding - susceptible to frost
Prone to Coulure and Millerandange
Susceptible to powdery mildew, grapevine yellows and botrytis.

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7
Q

Why is Pinot Noir well suited to sparkling wine?

A

Early budding and early ripening with a natural high acidity

It lends body to a blend

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8
Q

What are the issues with growing Pinot Noir? (4)

A

Susceptible to frost
Prone to coulure
Yields are more moderate than Chard and quality drops as yields increase.
Thin skinned and prone to mildew (both), botrytis, fan leaf, leaf roll.

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9
Q

Name the 3 factors within the variety that can influence the style of sparkling wine.

A

Intensity of aromas (aromatic or neutral)
Ability to retain acidity
How the base wine responds to autolysis
(Chardonnay - creamy) (Xarel-lo - smokey)

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10
Q

What are the advantages of high yields for sparkling wine? (2 points)

A

Will achieve just ripe flavours, low potential alchohol, high acidity
It can provide some insurance in poor weather regions incase some crop is lost to damage.

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11
Q

How is high acidity and low potential alcohol achieved in the vineyard?

A

Picking early

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12
Q

What are the advantages of picking early?

A

High acidity, low potential alcohol

Less likely to be affected by autumn rains

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13
Q

What are the advantages of whole bunch pressing for sparkling wine? 2 points

A

Gentlest form of pressing so low in solids and phenolics

Stems create channels for fluid to flow reducing pressure needed.

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14
Q

What is the fermentation range for traditional sparkling?

A

18 - 20 degrees. More towards 20 as fruit flavours not important.

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15
Q

What challenges do the yeast face in primary fermentation? (traditional)

A

Low pH

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16
Q

What type of yeasts are used for primary fermentation and why?

A

Cultured yeasts as it is important the must is reliably fermented to dryness
Neutral yeasts that do not produce fruity esters

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17
Q

Why is malolactic often carried out?

A

To soften texture and reduce acidity

To avoid it happening later in the bottle and causing a haze.

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18
Q

Why are buttery aromas not present in sparkling wines?

A

Diacetyl is metabolised by the yeast in the second fermentation

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19
Q

State the options in the handling of the base wine

A

Wine can be matured in oak

Left of the lees

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20
Q

What are the concerns with maturing wine in oak before second fermentation?

A

Oak flavours can be magnified by the second fermentation, seasoned barrels are often used instead

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21
Q

What styles of sparkling would not typically mature in oak?

A

Fruity styles (Prosecco, Asti)

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22
Q

What is the other term for blending?

A

Assemblage

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23
Q

What are the reasons for blending?

A 
Balance
Consistency
Style
Rose
Complexity
Minimisation of faults
Volume
Price
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24
Q

Describe what traditional method means

A

The second fermentation occurs in the bottle in which the wine is sold.

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25
Q

What is Liquer de Tirage?

A

The mixture added to create a second fermentation

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26
Q

What does the Liquer de Tirage consist of?

A 
Wine and/or must
Yeast nutrients
Sugar
Cultured yeasts
Clarifying agent (bentonite and/or alginate)
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27
Q

What is one of the most common yeasts used for sparkling wine?

A

Prise de mousse (EC118)

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28
Q

What are ideal characteristics of yeasts that will be used in sparkling wine?

A

Able to start fermenting in high alcoholic conditions 9.5-11% abv
Able to withstand low pH <3
Continue fermenting in low temperature, high pressure and poor nutrients.
Rapid autolysis and easy flocculation in traditional

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29
Q

The pressure inside the bottle depends on what?

A

The amount of sugar added

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30
Q

What type of sugar is added to the liquer de tirage?

A

Sucrose

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31
Q

In fully sparkling wines how much sugar would be added?

A

24g/l

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32
Q

What pressure would a fully sparkling wine have?

A

6 bar

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33
Q

What is the typical 1st fermentation time for tradition method?

A

4-6 weeks

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34
Q

In what position are bottles 2nd fermented in traditional method?

A

Sur latte

35
Q

What temperature does 2nd fermentation of tradition method take place?

A

10-12 degrees

36
Q

Define autolysis

A

The enzymatic breakdown of yeast cells.

37
Q

How long does autolysis happen for?

A

4-5 years but known to go for 10

38
Q

What are the benefits of keeping wine on the lees in terms of storage?

A

The yeast has anti-oxidative properties

39
Q

What minimum time on the lees would be expected for autolytic character to be apparent

A

15 months.

40
Q

What two pieces of equiptment can be used for riddling?

A

Pupitres

Gyropalettes

41
Q

How long does riddling by hand take?

A

8 weeks

42
Q

How long does riddling by gyropalette take?

A

3-4 days

43
Q

How is a wine stored after 2nd ferment and before disgorgement?

A

Sur pointe, necks facing down.

44
Q

Describe riddling

A

The gradual process of twisting or rotating the bottle while bringing them from horizontal to vertical to allow the lees to flocculate towards the neck of the bottle.

45
Q

What temperature is a wine chilled to before disgorgement?

A

7 degrees

46
Q

What liquid is the neck of a bottle submerged into for disgorgment?

A

Bath of frozen brine

47
Q

What is the liquer d’expedition?

A

The mixture of wine and sugar added after disgorgement

SO2 can be adjusted here also

48
Q

What is the malliard reaction?

A

It is a reaction when sugar from the dosage reacts with autolytic compounds to produce a positive roasted vanilla aroma in the wine.

49
Q

When and why was the transfer method invented?

A

1940’s, to achieve the same autolytic aromas but avoiding the cost of riddling.

50
Q

What are the advantages of transfer method?

A

There is a reduction in bottle variation
It is easier to make final adjustments
It is used to fill larger format style bottles

51
Q

What would you not expect to see in the liquer de tirage in a transfer method?

A

Flocculation agent

52
Q

What is a disadvantage of transfer method?

A

It is less advantageous with the advancements in automated riddling but can still save costs and time for large producers.

53
Q

Briefly describe the ancestral method

A

Putting partly fermented must into bottles and allowing the fermentation to finish in bottle with the remaining sugar in the must.

54
Q

How would an ancestral method winemaker estimate the final pressure of the wine?

A

Accurately measuring the sugar levels in the must.

55
Q

Describe a popular style of ancestral method wines

A

Petillant naturel ( Pet Nat)

56
Q

Name 2 disadvantages of ancestral method

A

Final outcome is not consistent

Fermentation may stop due to yeast becoming unviable

57
Q

Give 3 names for tank method

A

Charmat
Martinotti
Cuve Close

58
Q

What is the main advantage to tank method?

A

It enables large volumes of sparkling wines to be made inexpensively, quickly and with significant reduction in costs (labour)

59
Q

What aspects of tank method would reduce the cost? (3)

A

No riddling
No dosage
No long periods of aging

60
Q

What type of varieties are suited to tank method?

A

Aromatic (muscat) and Semi Aromatic (Glera)

61
Q

Why is tank method seen as the inferior method?

A

It is often uses lower quality grapes for inexpensive wines

It does not have the prestige of traditional method

62
Q

What is the temperature range for first fermentation in tank method?

A

16 - 18 degrees

63
Q

How and when will a tank method 2nd ferment be stopped?

A

Once the desired pressure and residual sugar is reached the ferment will be stopped by chilling the must to 2-4 degrees

64
Q

If a tank method was to age on the lees what time could you expect? What is the disadvantage of this?

A

9 months

It ties up expensive pressurised tanks and the advantages of using tank method can be lost.

65
Q

How would the yeast/lees be removed in tank method?

A

Centrifugation or sterile filtration

66
Q

How is a tank method wine bottled?

A

Using a counter-pressure filler, prevents the loss of CO2 and the entrance of 02.

67
Q

State what the Asti method is.

A

A variation of the tank method that produces a sparkling wine in a single fermentation.

68
Q

Briefly describe of the asti method is achieved.

A

Must is fermented in reinforced tanks
CO2 is allowed to escape through a valve
The valve is then closed and the CO2 is retained, the timing depends on the style of the desired wine.
The ferment is stopped by rapid chilling.

69
Q

State what carbonation is.

A

Process of injecting CO2 under pressure

70
Q

What are some advantages to carbonation?

A

Cheap

Retains flavours and aromas of the base wine

71
Q

What are some disadvantages to carbonation

A

Least prestigious
Any faults in the base wine can be accentuated by the bubbles
The bubbles are fleeting.

72
Q

What is the sugar levels for Brut Nature?

A

0-3 g/L

73
Q

What is the sugar levels for Extra Brut?

A

0-6 g/L

74
Q

What is the sugar levels for Brut?

A

0-12 g/L

75
Q

What is the sugar levels for Extra-Sec?

A

12-17 g/L

76
Q

What is the sugar levels for Sec?

A

17-32 g/L

77
Q

What is the sugar levels for Demi-Sec?

A

32-50 g/L

78
Q

What is the sugar levels for Deux?

A

50+ g/L

79
Q

What is unique about Brut Nature?

A

Dosage cannot be added and any residual sugar remains naturally after the fermentation.

80
Q

What are sparkling corks usually composed of?

A

Agglomerate cork onto which two disks of natural cork has been glued.

81
Q

How do ancestral method winemakers close their wines?

A

Crown cap

82
Q

What type of material is the most common closure for sparkling wine?

A

Cork

83
Q

Name 5 factors that affect the formation and size of bubbles.

A

The amount of sugar available to be turned into C02
The capacity for CO2 to be dissolved in the wine (varieties, grape health, winemaking processes)
Length of time on the lees - CO2 lost over time but longer lasting foam
How well the disgorgement process is carried out
The size and shape of the glasses, temperature of the wine and how it is served.

WSET Diploma (13 decks)

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