Texture Flashcards
Pressing regime and pre-fermentation skin contact examples (3)
Alejairen, Bodegas El Vinculo, La Mancha DO uses skin contact to add texture and freshness to lower acid Airen.
Dom. Joel Delaunay, Loire: Practices pre-press skin contact for increased thiols, greater palate weight and expression.
Villa Sandahl, Badacsony, play with different press fractions to differentiate their different ranges (based on quality) of Riesling texturally.
Pressing regime examples, sherry (2)
Fino/Manzanilla: “primera yema” only for very delicate dry style.
Oloroso: more phenolic press fraction can be used due to more robust oxidative style, more “segunda yema”
Press fraction red example
Chateau Ste Michelle uses press fraction reds for Indian Wells tier wines. These wines are more astringent and under microoxygenation to smooth the profile.
Maceration and cap management examples (4)
Vajra, Piedmont: does 20 day maceration for entry-level wines with some submerged cap. Gentle technique results in softer tannin texture appropriate for entry-level product.
Gaia Wines, Nemea/Santorini: Prefers pumping over to punching down when aiming to produce a fruity red with low concentration in structural tannins - red for rapid consumption. Other way around when high tannin long-ageing potential red is the goal.
Virginia Willcock, Vasse Felix. Margaret River. Some red varieties like of Malbec, Petit Verdot, Shiraz, undergo carbonic maceration and whole bunch fermentation for textural purposes. Stems = more mineral and tannin.
In Port different extraction regimenes are used to increase the tannin texture in wines destined for longer aging. It is standard to have a shorter and less extractive maceration on wines destined for entry level ruby port while vintage ports will have a longer and more thorough maceration for increased tannin texture.
Changing oak regime example
Bodegas Numanthia, Toro: Moved away from 200% oak, highly concentrated style, due to change in consumer tastes. The shift towards larger barrels has softened the texture, as there is less oak tannin than before, but still contributes the oak flavor that the brand is known for.
Concrete examples (3)
Fall from Grace, McLaren Vale: Uses both concrete and clay for aging to get the smooth tannin texture that is desired but without overt oak flavor.
Chateau Marquis de Terme, Margaux, Bordeaux: Portion is matured in concrete eggs as they feel it enhances the wine’s texture, then blended with wines aged in mix of new and old French oak.
Spottswoode, Napa: Sauvignon Blanc is blend of stainless and concrete eggs for texture.
100% stainless example
Louis Michel (Chablis) ages in 100% stainless steel at all quality levels because they find oak obscures the terroir resulting in a very linear, lean style.
Indigenous yeast for texture examples (2)
Ridge Monte Bello, California: Only use ambient yeasts. Experiment with Mataro - one with yeasts added, one not. Cultured yeast flavors became dominant flavor with clean red fruit, natural wine had varietal nuances and terroir character. Even after 15 years, the wild yeast fermentation still has greater texture and complexity.
Carol Shelton Wines, California: Known for her Wild Thing Zinfandel, produced entirely without yeast inoculation, ferments using yeasts upon organic grapes that not only complete alcoholic fermentation but also give the wine a creamier mouthfeel while integrating well with the alcohol.
Cultured yeast for texture example
Lallemand SIMI WHITE™ yeast is specifically bred to produce “creamy fruit” in Chardonnay due to high biomass.
Sparkling lees contact examples (2)
Graham Beck, South Africa: Considers lees time important for refined bubbles. The non-vintage wines receives 15 months on lees while the more integrated “icon” receives 60.
Fred Loimer, Kamptal: the fuller textured Grosse Reserve receives 54 months on lees in bottle while the Reserve receives a shorter 24 months.
Lees in Chardonnay, compare/contrast
Cupcake Chardonnay versus Littorai Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast): entry level Cupcake receives no lees and thus no labor intensive lees stirring.
Upscale Littorai has extended aging on the lees (9-11 months) with rare battonage to increase palate weight and texture.
MLF examples (4)
Dark Horse Wines, California: MLF used in Chardonnay and all reds, primarily for textural impact. Much softer mouthfeel compared to wines that haven’t gone through malo.
Champagne. For Billecart-Salmon MLF is a choice depending on the cuvee; those that are fermented in oak do not go through malolactic fermentation. Sufficient texture from oak.
Champagne Gaston Chiquet blocks MLF to retain freshness and structure.
Similarly, Charles Heidsick generally does full MLF, but not in warmer vintages as freshness and acidity need to be retained.
