Theory & Grapes Flashcards

1
Q

The paramount objective for making a good fortified wine

A

Alcohol integration

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2
Q

Key considerations for harvesting grapes to make fortified wines

A
  1. Healthy - no botrytis
  2. Fully ripen, excpet for Palomino
  3. Reaching the right potential alcohol level
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3
Q

Fortification timing for… dry styles

A

After the fermentation is complete, ie dry sherry

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4
Q

Fortification timing for… the majority of the sweet styles

A
  • Fortifying midway through fermentattion, stopping the fermentation by yeast’s tolerance threshold
  • Exceptions being sweet styles of sherry made with blending or adding RCGM
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5
Q

Fortifying spirit for most wines

A

95-96% abv grape spirit

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6
Q

Port’s fortifying spirit

A

Aguardente, 77% abv, highly regulated

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7
Q

Ageing vessels for the different fortified wines

A

Wood barrels - Tawny Ports, MAdeiras, Rutherglen Muscats and some VDNS and Sherries
Glass bonbons - VDN
Glass bottle - Vintage ports & LBV
Biological ageing under flor - Fino and Manzanilla

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8
Q

Maderisation

A

Wine being heated and oxidised

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9
Q

Rancio

A
  • A group of aromas
  • Leader, wood varnish & strong coffee
  • Chemical origins not well understood
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10
Q

Six reasons for blending and their application in makign fortified wines

A
  1. Balance - help alc integration, balancing age and youth
  2. Consistency - for NV & soleras
  3. Style - Brand styles and category style
  4. Complexity - wines of different ages combined to give more flavours
  5. Volume - Many regions the holders are small therefore blending between different growers and producers
  6. Price - to make them more accessible
    (Missing the usual 7th avoiding faults)
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11
Q

Low alcohol for fortified wines

A

15-16.4%

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12
Q

Medium alcohol for fortified wines

A

16.5-18.4%

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13
Q

High alcohol for fortified wines

A

18.5% abv & above

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14
Q

Muscat Blanc a Petits Grain

A
  • Smaller grapes than Muscat of Alexandria
  • Greater intensity of aroma of flavour
  • Medium acidity
  • Tolerant to drought
  • Susceptible to powdery mildew, botrytis and mites
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15
Q

Muscat of Alexandria

A
  • Bigger grapes than Muscat Blanc
  • Medium acidity
  • Higher sugar level
  • Tolerant to drought
  • Susceptible to powdery mildew, botrytis and mites
  • Less refined as Muscat Blanc
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16
Q

Grenache

A
  • Also Grenache Noir
  • Good drought resistance
  • High yields
  • Can be low in anthocyanins unless controlled
  • Susceptible to coulure, downy mildew, botrytis and phomopsis
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17
Q

Grenache is ______ ripening.

A

Late ripening

18
Q

Double cordon

A
  • Used in Rutherglen
  • Cordon trained with VSP sprawling over the fruits
  • Goal is to provide some shading for the fruits to prevent sunburns
19
Q

Tinta Negra

A
  • Most planted vinifera
  • Black grape
  • High yield
  • Since 2015 producers can label single varietal Madeira
  • Used to produce wines of all sweetness levels
20
Q

Sercial

A
  • Extra dry to dry
  • Lightest in colour & body
  • Citrus peel & nuts
  • White grape
  • Late ripening
  • Last variety to be picked
  • Resistant to powdery mildew
  • Susceptible to botrytis
  • Can experience poor fruit set
21
Q

Verdelho

A
  • Medium dry
  • More body and colour and sweetness than Sercial
  • Candied fruits character
  • White grape
  • High acidity, but lower than Sercial
  • Second most planted
  • Susceptible to botrytis, coulure, downy and powdery mildews
22
Q

Boal

A
  • Medium sweet
  • Flavours of caramel, chocolate & candied nuts
  • A group of white grapes
  • Most grown in Madeira is Boah Cachudo, AKA Malvasia Fina, used in white Port
  • Used to produce semi-sweet wines
  • Grows best in low altitude
  • Susceptible to drought
23
Q

Malvasia / Malmsey

A
  • Sweet
  • Full-bodied, often brown
  • Raisins & caramel
  • A group of white grapes
  • Malvasia Candida is the most important to Madeira and highest quality
  • Malvasia de Sao Jorge is most commonly grown
  • V susceptible to powdery mildew
  • Susceptible to botrytis
  • Can be high yielding
24
Q

Terrantez

A
  • Medium dry or medium sweet
  • Distinct floral notes plus citrus peel & caramel
  • Black grape
  • Planting v limited
  • Susceptible to powdery mildew & botrytis
  • Often picked as soon as it reaches 9% abv potential alcohol
25
Q

Latadas

A
  • Used in Madeira
  • Pergola system
  • Goal is to increase air circulation, reduce fungal disease
26
Q

Espaldeira

A
  • Used in Madeira
  • Cordon training with VSP
27
Q

Levadas

A

Small irrigation channels in terraced vineyards in Madeira

28
Q

Socalcos

A
  • Narrow stone-walled terraces
  • Traditional & protected by the UNESCO
  • Not suitable for mechanisation
  • Expensive to build and maintain
29
Q

Patamares

A
  • Unwalled terraces supported by steep earth ramps
  • Can use small tractors
  • Cheaper to establish and maintain but prone to erosion
  • Can be either one or two rows on one terrace (narrow vs wide)
30
Q

Vinha ao Alto

A
  • Vertical vine planting up the hill
  • Mechanisable under 40% incline
  • Stalk trellised with bushy vines = more summer pruning
  • Vine are cordon-trained and spur-pruned or head-trained and cane-pruned and VSP
31
Q

Rootstocks used in drier sites of the Duoro

A
  • 110R
  • 1103P
    Both hybrids of V rupestris and V berlandieri
32
Q

Max yeild allowed for Port and the reality

A

55 hL/ha vs 30 hL/ha

33
Q

Hazards in the Douro

A
  • Spring frost for high altitude vineyards
  • Cool, wet, cloudy weather due to the Atlantic during flowering and fruit set
  • Downy mildew & botrytis, in especially Baixo Corgo
  • Drought in Douro Superior
34
Q

Three grape types used in Sherry

A
  1. Palamino, aka Palomino Fino or Listan - 99% planting
  2. Moscatel, aka Muscat of Alexandria in France, or Moscatel de Chipiona - good on arenas soils
  3. Pedro Ximenez - neutral; 1% of Sherry production by volume
35
Q

Palomino

A
  • aka Palomino Fino or Listan
  • 99% of Jerez’s planting
  • Mid to late ripening
  • Can have high yield
  • Loses acidity quickly when near maturiety
36
Q

Moscatel

A
  • aka Muscat of Alexandria in France
  • locally aka Moscatel de Chipiona, after the town Chipiona
  • Does well on sandy arenas soils
  • Drought resilient
  • Aromatic grape with grape & blossom notes
  • Generally used for single varietal sweet Sherry
37
Q

Pedro Ximenez

A
  • PX for shot
  • Neutral variety - flavours from maturation
  • 1% of total Sherry production by volume
  • Traditionally dried in the sun to further concentrate sugar
  • Can be grown outside of the DO in the Montilla district
38
Q

Vara y pulgar

A
  • Used in Jerez
  • Replacement cane pruning
39
Q

Aserpia

A

Channel reservoir irrigation system that roughs or gullies are created between rows of vines to collect run-offs

40
Q

Rootsocks used in Jerez

A
  • 333EM
  • 41-B
  • 13-5 EVEX
    All high-yielding hybrids of V. vinifera and V. belandieri with high lime tolerance (protecting against chlorosis) and drought