Vin de Liqueur (VDL) / Fortified Flashcards
Name the VDL which is produced by adding one-year-old Armagnac to unfermented grape juice.
Floc de Gascogne
VDL made in the Jura by blending hardly fermented grape juice with Marc du Jura that was awarded its own appellation in 1991.
Macvin du Jura
Where is Flor de Gascogne produced and since when did it become an AOC?
Armagnac
1990
What are lagares?
Traditional, open granite troughs used to foot-crush and ferment port in
What is the total maximum points available for grading in the Douro? What scores an “A”?
2,361
1,200+
What are the maximum yields for the Douro?
Red - 55hl/ha
White - 65hl/ha
What is mutage known as in Portugal?
Beneficio
What is aguardente?
77% abv neutral grape spirit (“burning water”)
What are the four categories of Ruby Port?
Ruby Port
Ruby Reserve Port
Vintage Port
Single Quinta Port
Where was Port traditionally aged? When did that cease to be mandatory?
Vila Nova de Gaia
1986
What are the four categories of Tawny Port?
Tawny Port
Reserve Tawny
Tawny with Indication of Age
Colheita Tawny
What are “poios”?
Terraces on Madeira
What are “latadas”?
The trellises of Madeira
What is the capital of Madeira?
Funchal
Who produces Blandy’s and Cossart Gordon?
Madeira Wine Co
Who is the largest independent producer of Madeira? What is significant about them?
Henriques & Henriques
It is the only company that owns a significant amount of vineyards
What is the synonym for Gouveio on Madeira?
Verdelho
What is the synonym for Malvasia Fina on Madeira?
Boal or Bual
What is Malvasia Candida?
Malmsey
It was originally Malvasia Candida, now more commonly known as Malvasia Branca de São Jorge
What % of production does Tinta Negra account for?
85%
What two noble varieties were not replanted on Madeira after phylloxera?
Bastardo (Red)
Terrantez (White)
What two varieties are generally picked first on Madeira? Last?
First - Boal & Malmsey
Last - Sercial & Verdelho
In the Estufa process, what temperature are the wines heated to? For how long?
45-50ºC (113-122ºF)
3 Months
What is “estágio”?
The state of rest, for a min 90 days, after heating in the estufa process, before the wine is transferred to oak
Describe the Canteiro process. How long is the minimum? What is the min time before it can be bottled?
Used for the best wines
Aged in cask for min 2 years in lodge attics
Naturally warmed by the sun
May be bottled at min 3 years
What is “Rainwater” Madeira? What is the minimum age? Style?
Multi-vintage
Usually 100% Tinta Negra
Minimum 3 years
Medium-dry and light in style
How old is “Reserva” Madeira?
Multi-vintage
5-10 years old
How old is “Special Reserva” Madeira?
10-15 years old
How old is “Extra Reserve” Madeira?
15-20 years old
What is the min % of the vintage for a Colheita Madeira?
Minimum 85% required
What three towns are the center of Sherry production?
Jerez de la Frontera
El Puerto de Santa María
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
(DO regulations require Sherry to be matured in and shipped from one of these 3 towns)
When did Sherry get protected as an appellation?
1933 (with the establishment of the Consejo Regulador)
What are the two DO zones that produce Sherry?
Jerez-Xérèz-Sherry
Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda
What is “levante”?
A hot, dry wind that intensifies Jerez’s heat
It blows from the east and essentially cooks the grapes on the vine during ripening (said to drive men mad)
What is “poniente”?
The humid Atlantic wind - it alternates with the levante, and promotes the growth of flor
What is the soil that produces the best Sherry?
Albariza
What is the largest pago (vineyard) in Jerez de la Frontera?
Macharnudo - over 2000ha
Name three pagos in Jerez de la Frontera.
Macharnudo
Añina
Carrascal
What are the three soil types of Jerez?
Albariza - chalky, porous, limestone-rich
Barros - higher proportion of clay - low-lying valleys Arenas - sandy - coastal areas
What three grapes are authorized for Sherry production?
Palomino
Moscatel
Pedro Ximénez
What are the two sub-varieties of Palomino in Jerez?
Palomino Fino (more prevalent) Palomino de Jerez
What clone of Muscat is used in Sherry?
Muscat of Alexandria
Where is Moscatel cultivated for Sherry?
Arenas soil, near Chipiona
What is “esparto”?
Grass mats used in Sherry production to dry grapes
What is “soleo”?
The process in Sherry production in which the grape bunches are dried in the sun on esparto (grass mats) prior to pressing
(Generally: -1-3 weeks for PX & Moscatel and Palomino may be “sunned” but rarely for longer than 24 hours and often not at all)
What is the common vine training method for Sherry production?
Vara y pulgar (stick and thumb)
What three stages is the mosto de yema (must) divided into during pressing?
Primero yemo - free-run (60-70%)
Segunda yema - press wine
Mosto prensa - poor quality press wine for distillation
Classically what vessel was used for Sherry fermentation? What is used today?
Traditional - New American oak butts of 600L
Today - temp-controlled stainless steel tanks of 50,000L capacity
What is “yeso”?
Plaster, traditionally adhered to grapes in Sherry production, prior to pressing, which aided in clarification and produced tartaric acid
What is “lenta”?
In Sherry production, a slow fermentation that lasts about a week
What is the abv of Sherry wines, post fermentation when the base wine is separated from its lees?
11-12.5% abv
In 2010, Sherry authorities decreased the minimum solera aging required before bottling from what to what?
From 3 years to 2 years
What is “añada”?
Vintage
What is a criadera?
A tier in the solera
What is a Fino-Amontillado aged in Sanlúcar de Barrameda labeled?
Manzanilla Pasada
What is cabaceo?
The process of assembling the final blend of a solera on a small scale and then applied proportionally to the wine at large
Who trademarked the term almacenistas?
Lustau
What is “Vino Dulce Natural”? What is the sugar range?
Wines produced solely from “sunned” grapes (Moscatel or PX)
Both - 180-500 g/L of RS
In 2000, two new categories for Sherry was created, what are they?
Sherry Wines of Certified Age: VOS and VORS
VOS : Vinum Optimum Signatum (“Very Old Sherry”) -For soleras over 20 years old
VORS : Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum (“Very Old Rare Sherry”) - For soleras over 30 years old
What is the proper serving glass for Sherry?
Copita
What three colours does Marsala DOC produce?
Ambra
Oro (golden)
Rubino
What is Ansonica?
A synonym for Inzolia on Sicily
What grapes are used to produce Ambra and Oro Marsala?
Grillo
Catarratto
Inzolia (Ansonica)
Damaschino
What grapes are used to produce Rubino Marsala?
Nerello Mascalese
Nero d’Avola (Calabrese)
Perricone (locally Pignatello)
(White grapes may comprise a max 30%)
What is the synonym for Nero d’Avola on Sicily?
Calabrese
What is the maximum sugar content for defined styles of Marsala?
Secco - maximum 40g/l of RS
Semisecco - 40-100g/l of RS
Dulce - minimum 100g/l of RS
Which styles of Marsala are dry?
Vergine and Vergine Stravecchio (both fortified after fermentation)
Who is one of the most revered Marsala producers?
Marco de Bartoli
What is unique about vintage Marsala?
It refers to the year of fortification
What two sweetening and colouring agents are used for Marsala?
Mosto cotto - cooked must
Sifone - a mistelle produced by fortifying unfermented must of overripe grapes
What zones of North East Victoria in Australia are famous for sweet fortified wines?
Rutherglen and Glenrowan
What is the grape of Rutherglen?
Brown Muscat (Muscat a Petits Grains Rouge)
When was the Muscat of Ruthernglen Network established?
1995
What logo denotes that a producer is a member of the Muscat of Rutherglen Network?
A stylized ‘R’ on the label
What are the four voluntary classifications of Rutherglen Muscat?
Rutherglen Muscat (3-5 years)
Classic Rutherglen Muscat (6-10 years)
Grand Rutherglen Muscat (11-19 years)
Rare Rutherglen Muscat (20+ years)
Name a few Floc de Gascogne producers.
Delord
Chateau de Laubade
