Theory & Grapes Flashcards
The paramount objective for making a good fortified wine
Alcohol integration
Key considerations for harvesting grapes to make fortified wines
- Healthy - no botrytis
- Fully ripen, excpet for Palomino
- Reaching the right potential alcohol level
Fortification timing for… dry styles
After the fermentation is complete, ie dry sherry
Fortification timing for… the majority of the sweet styles
- Fortifying midway through fermentattion, stopping the fermentation by yeast’s tolerance threshold
- Exceptions being sweet styles of sherry made with blending or adding RCGM
Fortifying spirit for most wines
95-96% abv grape spirit
Port’s fortifying spirit
Aguardente, 77% abv, highly regulated
Ageing vessels for the different fortified wines
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
Maderisation
Wine being heated and oxidised
Rancio
- A group of aromas
- Leader, wood varnish & strong coffee
- Chemical origins not well understood
Six reasons for blending and their application in makign fortified wines
- Balance - help alc integration, balancing age and youth
- Consistency - for NV & soleras
- Style - Brand styles and category style
- Complexity - wines of different ages combined to give more flavours
- Volume - Many regions the holders are small therefore blending between different growers and producers
- Price - to make them more accessible
(Missing the usual 7th avoiding faults)
Low alcohol for fortified wines
15-16.4%
Medium alcohol for fortified wines
16.5-18.4%
High alcohol for fortified wines
18.5% abv & above
Muscat Blanc a Petits Grain
- Smaller grapes than Muscat of Alexandria
- Greater intensity of aroma of flavour
- Medium acidity
- Tolerant to drought
- Susceptible to powdery mildew, botrytis and mites
Muscat of Alexandria
- 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
Grenache
- Also Grenache Noir
- Good drought resistance
- High yields
- Can be low in anthocyanins unless controlled
- Susceptible to coulure, downy mildew, botrytis and phomopsis