Topic 2 - Introduction to wine production and wine styles

Question 1

What is alcoholic fermentation?

Answer 1

Transformation of sugar (glucose + fructose) into ethanol and carbon dioxide

Question 2

What is the basic process for making dry white table wine?

Answer 2

1. Grape Harvest
2. Crushing
3. Pressing
4. Juice clarification
5. Juice fermentation to wine
6. Wine clarification and stabilisation
7. Wine bottling

Question 3

What is modified in the red wine-making process?

Answer 3

To make red wine, the process is modified to leave the skins in contact with the juice and allow the colour from the grape skins to be extracted into the juice or wine during fermentation.

Therefore pressing to separate the liquid which has been either totally or partially fermented into wine from the grape skins takes place after fermentation of the skins/juice (known as must).

Question 4

What is the basic red winemaking process?

Answer 4

1. Grape harvest
2. De-stem for removal of grape stalks, Crushing of grapes to produce must
3. Ferment on skins
4. Press
5. Clarification & stabilisation (*Malolactic fermentation / MLF)
6. Maturation (oak)
7. Bottling/ Packaging

Question 5

Are red grapes always destemmed?

Answer 5

No, often red grapes are not destemmed/ crushed – fermented with whole bunches and/or whole berries (e.g. Pinot Noir or Shiraz/Syrah).

Question 6

Where do red wines derive their colour?

Answer 6

Most red wines derive their colour from the grape skins, and this is why the skins remain in contact with the juice and/or wine during (and sometimes before and/or following) fermentation.

Question 7

What are teinturier grapes?

Answer 7

Teinturier grapes are red grape varieties whose flesh/juice is red in colour. These include Alicante Bouschet, Saperavi, and Chambourcin.

Question 8

According to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (Standard 4.5.1), what is wine?

Answer 8

Wine means the product of the complete or partial fermentation of fresh grapes, or a mixture of that product and products derived solely from grapes.

Question 9

How do we distinguish between wine types?

Answer 9

Alcohol concentration within broad limits; sugar concentration within broad limits; presence or absence of red colour; presence or absence of effervescence.

Question 10

What is the difference between wine type and style?

Answer 10

The words ‘wine type’ and ‘wine style’ tend to be used interchangeably.

Still, it is desirable to make an arbitrary distinction between them, such that differences in ‘type’ are significant and differences in ‘style’ are relatively minor.

Small variations in alcohol or sugar or in flavours relating to fruit or winemaking technique account for differences in wine style.

Question 11

Wine and sparkling wine must contain no less than how much ethanol at 20˚C?

Answer 11

No less than 45 mL/L of ethanol at 20˚C. (Food Standards 4.5.1)

Question 12

White wines will generally be less than how much alcohol?

Answer 12

White wines will generally be less than ~14 - 14.5˚ v/v

Question 13

Red wines will generally be less than how much alcohol?

Answer 13

Red wines are generally less than ~ 15 - 15.5˚ v/v

Question 14

Fortified wine (such as vintage fortified, muscat, topaque, apera) must contain no less than how much and no more than how much ethanol at 20˚C?

Answer 14

Fortified wine must contain no less than 150 mL/L (15%) and no more than 220 mL/L (22%) of ethanol at 20˚C. (Food Standards 4.5.1)

Question 15

True or False:

There are not levels of sugar content that define if a wine is sweet or not.

Answer 15

True

There are not levels of sugar content that define if a wine is sweet or not.

Question 16

What are terms sometimes used to describe wines which have perceptible sweetness but are not obviously sweet?

Answer 16

‘Off dry’ or ‘Medium-dry’

Question 17

Wines with what residual sugar concentration levels are generally regarded as medium dry or medium sweet?

What is it dependent on though?

Answer 17

Wines that have levels of approximately 50 to 80 g/L residual sugar concentration would generally be regarded as being medium dry or medium sweet.

It is dependent on the balance provided by the acidity.

Acid balance/tannin balance in red wines – often when a wine has a high amount of tannin a taster will perceive it as dry

Question 18

How are wines that have 100 to 200g/L residual sugar concentration produced and what are they colloquially regarded as?

Answer 18

Wines with levels ranging from approximately 100 to 200g/L are generally produced by late harvest and/or Botrytis infection and are regarded as sweet, or more colloquially as ‘dessert’ wines.

Question 19

What three colours have wines traditionally been described as?

Answer 19

Red, White, Rosé

Question 20

What are orange wines?

Answer 20

Orange wines are wines that are generally produced using white grape varieties and techniques such as skin contact and/or deliberate oxygen contact, techniques that have been practised for thousands of years.

Question 21

The amount of red colour is a reflection of what factors?

Answer 21

The amount red colour is a reflection of several factors including variety, ripeness levels, maceration time and temperature as well as due to different cap management and their frequency.

Question 22

Australian sparkling wines must contain no less than how much-dissolved carbon dioxide gas?

Answer 22

Australian Sparkling Wines must contain no less than 5g/L CO2 (Food Standards 4.5.1).

Question 23

What are some white wines that are bottled with levels of 900-1200mg/L dissolved CO2 to produce the perception of a lift in acidity and increased aromatics?

Answer 23

Some white wines, usually aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, may be bottled with levels of around 900-1200 mg/L dissolved CO2 to provide the perception of a lift in acidity and increased aromatics.

Levels of 1-2 g/L can give an obvious spritz to the wine.

Question 24

What are some key factors that can impact a wine’s style?

Answer 24

• Variety
• Region / Geographical Indication (GI)
• Composition at harvest
• Winemaking factors

Question 25

How does the winemaking of a white wine normally differ from making a red wine?

Answer 25

The making of white wine generally involves pressing and juice clarification before fermentation.

In contrast, when you make red wine, the process is modified to leave the skins in contact with the juice and allow the colour from the grape skins to be extracted into the juice or wine during fermentation.

Question 26

How is a wine type defined and what are some common wine types?

Answer 26

A wine type is defined by the wine’s alcohol concentration, sugar concentration, presence or absence of colour, and presence or absence of effervescence.

i. Red wines
ii. White wines
iii. Rose wines
iv. Sparkling wines
v. Fortified wines
vi. Sweet wines

Question 27

What is a wine style and how do wines differ in style?

Answer 27

Wine styles are found within each of the four wine types.

Wine styles can describe large variations in the sensory features, including basic tastes, aromas, and overall wine flavour

Wine style is the result of numerous factors, including grape variety, GI, composition at harvest, and winemaking factors

Question 28

The four major wine types are determined by;

A. Alcohol content, sugar content, colour and presence of carbon dioxide
B. Sugar content, colour, variety and wine-making factors
C. Colour, variety, sugar content and presence of carbon dioxide
D. Variety, colour, alcohol content and presence of carbon dioxide

Answer 28

A. Alcohol content, sugar content, colour and presence of carbon dioxide

Question 29

An Australian sparkling wine;

A. Must contain no less than 45 ml/ L of ethanol and no less than 5g/L CO2
B. Must contain no less than 45 ml/ L of ethanol and less than 5g/L CO2
C. Must contain no less than 50 ml/ L of ethanol and less than 4.5g/L CO2
D. Must contain no less than 50 ml/ L of ethanol and less than 5g/L CO2

Answer 29

A. Must contain no less than 45 ml/ L of ethanol (4.5%) and no less than 5g/L CO2

Question 30

Select the incorrect answer;

A. red wines are normally made by fermenting on skins and then pressing
B. white grapes are always destemmed prior to pressing
C. white wines are usually made by pressing and clarifying the juice prior to fermentation
D. malolactic fermentation can be an important step in both red and white wine production

Answer 30

B. white grapes are always destemmed prior to pressing

Question 31

Consider the following two statements;

i) Pressing of white grapes prior to alcoholic fermentation occurs in the production of almost all white wines
ii) Destemming, crushing, and pressing of red grapes prior to alcoholic fermentation occurs in the production of almost all red wines

A. Both statements are correct
B. Only statement ii) is correct
C. Only statement i) is correct
D. Neither statement is correct

Answer 31

C. Only statement i) is correct