Unit 2 - Lesson 4 - Grape Flashcards
How far back does wine distillation go?
1400 from Dutch
How many Vitis species are there globally?
about 75
Why is grape juice excellent for fermentation?
- High sugars
- Nutrients for yeast health
- Natural acid to provide microbial stability
- Pleasing aromas
Main species for wine grapes?
Vitis Vinifera
How long have wine been made
6-8000 years
What are characteristics of Vitis Vinifera
- Tendrils to support vine
- Flaky bark
- Flowers buds form late in growing season
- Juice ovoid berries 6-20mm grown in clusters
- Sugar content 15-24%
Where did the term brandy derive?
Dutch termbrandewijn
Species of Vitis
75 Vitis Vinifera most imporant
How many Vitis Vinifera varieties
10,000
Terroir
crop’s ‘sense of place’.
For brandy maker selection of grapes
The type of spirit required (e.g. aged, un-aged, neutral spirit)
Local regulations (if applicable)
Yield and harvest availability
Price
What is not important for brandy
Aromatic grapes
final spirit will be aromatically neutral, the distiller does not need to purchase aromaticgrapes.
Concern is Alcohol per ton of grapes
When are aromatic grapes important in brandy?
When producing an un-aged grape brandy, a distiller may focus heavily on the grape’s aromatic qualities.
What is Pisco
Peru unaged brandy
1 French Brandy Grape for Cognac
Ugni Blanc
1 Grape for Armagnac and its non-vinifera variety
Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Folle Blanc
& Baco 22A
Problem with Colombard
Sharp Flavor
Problem with Folle Blanche (Piquepoul)
Prone to disease
Hybrid for Armagnac
Baco 22a grape
Relationship between sugars and acids?
Inverse sugars go up acids down
Grape has what components and what is more important to a distiller
Skin, seeds, Pulp
the pulp is the most important of these. The pulp provides the ‘must’ or un-fermented juice.
What is Balling?
Similar to Brix measurement but older scale Brix more accurate
What are the sugars
Glucose and Fructose - vary with grape
What does yeast prefer in sugars?
Glucose over Fructose