STAPLE DESSERT WINE Flashcards
Royal tokaji:
Hungarian blend, noble rot. Intense sweetness with crisp acidity. On palate tropical fruit, lime, grapefruit. Long finish. Loves and apricot on nose.
NV pommeau de normandie:
Pommeau is an alcoholic drink made in north-westernFrance, from two forms of the region’s specialty fruit: apples (pommes). It is produced by mixing partially fermented apple must with apple eau-de-vie (brandy) – the effect of which is to raise the alcohol level above that at which yeasts can survive. Without the vital yeasts, all fermentation processes stop, leaving a sweet, apple-scented liquid with a final alcohol level of 16–18% ABV.
Bernard boutinet:
A blend of fresh juice of grapes added to aged Cognac during the harvest time. Among the principal rules of the “Appellation d’Origine Controlée”, the juice of grapes and the Cognac must come from the same estate.
Carmes de rieussec Sauternes
Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the Sauternais region of the Gravessection in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, andMuscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known asnoble rot.
Carpineto farnito vind santo del chianti:.
Grapes: Minimum 70% of Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia and maximum 30% of other white grape varietals.
Vinification: the harvested grapes are dried in wooden boxes then slowly barrel fermented during the winter months.
Aging: part of the wine was aged in traditional “caratelli”, small barrels made of chestnut, the other part was aged in oak barrels, all for a total of 16 years. These barrels were housed among our various estates.
Bottle aging: in temperature controlled underground cellar.
Color: golden yellow with bronze hues.
Bouquet: intense and complex with hints of apricot and peach jam, walnut, and typical malvasia aromatics.
Flavor: a good balance between the complex, intense balsamic fragrances, the alcohol and the sweetness. Long and persistent.
Serving temperature: as an aperitif at 5-7°C (41-45°F), with dessert 16-18°C (61-44°F), as a “meditation” wine 20°C (68°F).Gastronomy: can be served as a dessert wine, an aperitif or in accompaniment to strong cheeses such as pecorino or gorgonzola piccante. Excellent also by itself as a “meditation” wine.
banyuls
NV Vial-Magneres tradition Banyuls:
Banyuls Wine
Banyuls wines come from the south-eastern corner ofRoussillon, southern France, just a few miles from the border with Spain. These sweet vins doux naturels come in wide range of hues, from golden-green (Banyuls Blanc) to amber (Banyuls Ambré) and the intense garnet of the standardBanyuls Rouge.
Unusual among France’s vins doux naturels, all Banyuls wines are made predominantly from Grenache grapes of various colors. The Muscat varieties (the mainstay of southern France’s sweet wines) are permitted for use, but only in very small proportions. Dark-skinned Grenache Noir is by far the dominant and preferred variety in Banyuls – it must constitute at least 50% of the blend for red Banyuls (75% for the Grand Cru wines). Pink-skinned Grenache Gris is next in line, followed by Grenache Blanc and a host of other southern French varieties including Mourvedre, Carignan, Macabeu and Tourbat.
As a Grenache-based sweet wine, Banyuls is comparable in style to Maury, from northern Roussillon andRasteau, from the southern Rhone Valley. It is one of the world’s very few fortified red wines, and stands alongsideCommandaria from Cyprus and most obviously Port. Although Banyuls’ winemakers fiercely defend the uniqueness of their wines, red Banyuls bears more than a passing resemblance to younger, fruitier styles of Port. The bouquet of almost all Banyuls wine includes aromas of baked fruits, prunes and sweet spices. The red wines, particularly in their youth, bear Grenache’s trademark aroma of stewed, spiced strawberries, which could easily be mistaken for the port-grape Touriga Franca.
The Banyuls-producing vineyards cover about 2500 acres (1000ha) of sun-baked, terraced vineyards looking out over the western Mediterranean. The corresponding appellation for this area’s dry table wines is Collioure, the name of Banyuls’ neighboring village.
Banyuls wines are made from grapes harvested in the early fall, when they reach a naturally high level of sweetness. The reds are fermented as whole berries, while the whites and rosés are fermented free from any pulp, seeds or skins. During the long maceration period, which lasts from three to six weeks, the naturally high levels of grape sugars are translated into a final alcohol level of more than 15%. The process of mutage (the use of sulfur or alcohol additions to stop must fermenting) is used to stop the fermentation process at the appropriate time, and establish a balance between residual sugar and final alcohol levels. Up to 10% pure alcohol may be added to the wines to bring them up to their target strength. All Banyuls wines are barrel aged for at least 12 months – 30 months in the case of the Banyuls Grand Cru wines.
The term rancio is applied to those Banyuls wines which have been subject to specific and intentional oxidative ageing. This takes place in oak casks of various sizes, and sometimes in large, basket-wrapped glass containers known asbonbonnes, which are left open-ended to allow the wine to oxidize. Another term used in association with these wines isrimage – meaning ‘vintage’ in the local dialect.
The appellation laws surrounding the production of Banyuls wine date from 1936, and are some of the most stringent and specific in all of France. Most significantly, irrigation of any form is forbidden – not just for the growing season (as is the case in Chateauneuf-du-Pape), but at any point of the year. Slightly more mysterious is the clause stating that if fruit trees are grown and harvested in any local vineyard, it will automatically lose its right to claim the Banyuls appellation.
One clause in the appellation law document (known as a cahier des charges) states that grape variety names must not appear on the labels of AOC Banyuls wines, unless the wine in question is made entirely from one variety. The mention of ‘Muscat’ anywhere in the name or on the label is specifically forbidden under any circumstances. This last sub-clause was included to maintain the distinction between these highly regarded and relatively rare wines and the less-prestigious Muscat-predominant sweet wines of the nearbyRivesaltes appellation. In any case, as the current laws stand, only Grenache could be used to make a single-variety wine under the appellation.
P
Kopke Colheita porto:
Porto Kopke (Cop-key) is universally recognized as the first Port house in Port wine history. Kopke was founded in 1638 by the Germans Cristiano and Nicolaus Kopke. In 2013, Porto Kopke is celebrating 375 years of continuous production of fine wine from its famous Quinta São Luiz. The house offers excellent examples of cask-aged and bottled-aged ports. Most wines are available in full and half bottles and showcase the distinctive hand-painted bottles long the tradition in the Port region. Additionally, Kopke is the global leader for Colheita, also known as “single year tawny ports”, exceeding 25% of the global share of this high quality classification of Port. No wonder that these vintage dated ports rank among the top releases, since grapes are harvested from very old vines (up to 100 years old) yielding small amounts of very intense fruit from Kopke’s famous Font Santa vineyard at the Quinta São Luiz with its many gold-medal winning vintages. Colheita Ports are aged in wood casks until they are completely mature and tawny color, then stored in cask in the cellars at Kopke and bottled over time as needed to fill orders (a bottling date appears on the back label). Colheitas are immediately enjoyable upon release and need no further aging. These wines can actually be stored after bottling and shipping for a long time but they are best consumed within 6-8 years after bottling. Colheitas are lighter and more delicate than vintage ports with delicious multi-dimensional layers of aromas and flavors. Vintner Select has access to a huge listing of Colheitas from casks dating back to the 30’s.
NV Don Guido Pedro Ximenez 20 year
Pedro Ximenez Wine
Pedro Ximenez is a white wine grape best known for its role in the sweet sherries of Jerez, Spain. Largely unsuited to table wine production due to its very low acidity, Pedro Ximenez shines as fortified wine either in the Sherry Blend, or as a fortified single-variety wine known as PX. It is grown throughout Andalucia (particularly in Montilla-Moriles) and to a lesser extent in other southern Spanish regions includingValencia, Extremadura and the Canary Islands.
Although Pedro Ximenez is most commonly associated with Jerez, it is actually in Montilla-Moriles that the bulk of Sherry-bound Pedro Ximenez is grown. Around 70 percent of the region’s vineyard area is planted to Pedro Ximenez, compared to less than 5 percent in Jerez. Consequently, the local Sherry laws allow Pedro Ximenez grape must from Montilla-Moriles to be imported to Jerez, where Sherry production takes place.
A Pedro Ximenez wine label
PX wines, the best varietal expression of Pedro Ximenez, are not restricted to Spain and may be produced around the world. The method is to sun-dry the grapes to the point where the juices concentrate and the skins start to raisin. What liquid can be extracted is then partially fermented (the ferment is arrested by the addition of neutral grape spirit) and aged in a solera system of fractional blending. PX wines are lusciously sweet with flavors and aromas of toffee, figs, chocolate and dried fruit.
It is also grown in Portugal, namely in Alentejo, where it is known as Perrum. Here it is used mostly in white blends.
Synonyms include: Pedro Jimenez, Perrum, Don Bueno.
Food matches for Pedro Ximenez include:
· Rice pudding with raisins and cinnamon (arroz con leche)
· Vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce
· Sticky date pudding
