Vini Terms

Question 1

hybrid

Answer 1

a creation of a new variety by cross-pollinating two vines of different species

Question 2

volatile phenols

Answer 2

compound in oak that creates the All-Spice/Clove-like character. Euganol is the one most associated w/ wood (‘clove-like’). VP are not present in untoasted wood and ‘seasoning’ the wood will reduce the levels.

Question 3

fining

Answer 3

the removal of a suspended matter in a wine by the addition of a foreign material (bentonite, egg whites, isinglass, etc)

Question 4

ethanol

Answer 4

primary alcohol created in the process of fermentation

Question 5

flotation

Answer 5

wine clarification where inert gas is pumped to the bottom of a tank causing suspended matter to float to the top, from here they are easily scooped out

Question 6

isinglass

Answer 6

a pure form of gelatine obtained from the swimbladder of the sturgeon

Question 7

mutage

Answer 7

process of halting fermentation of wine by adding distilled spirits

Question 8

phenolic aldehydes

Answer 8

compound in oak responsible for the vanilla flavor. Low-to-medium toasting increases their levels, as does open-air seasoning of the wood. Barrel-fermentation & HEAVY-toasting decreases their levels.

Question 9

must

Answer 9

unfermented grape juice (that will be used for wine production)

Question 10

chaptalization

Answer 10

the addition of sugar to a grape must to increase the alcoholic strength of the finished wine, process “created” by Comte Chaptal- this is not done to sweeten the wine!

Question 11

Quercus garryana

Answer 11

White oak found in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Similar to French oak at a much lower cost.

Question 12

Transvasage

Answer 12

transfer of wine between bottles

Question 13

soutirage

Answer 13

racking

Question 14

Saccharomyces cereviseae

Answer 14

primary yeast used in the fermentation of must into wine

Question 15

Quercus alba

Answer 15

American white oak- wide grained, low in tannins (when compared to European oak), sweet aromatics

Question 16

autolysis

Answer 16

self-destruction of yeast cells after fermentation- contributes flavors, richness, and texture to the finished wine

Question 17

albumin

Answer 17

a water-soluble protein found in egg whites, coagulates with heat, used for fining

Question 18

ullage

Answer 18

the space above the liquid in a bottle or cask after extended aging- the better the storage conditions, the lesser the amount of ullage

Question 19

Quercus robur (Q. pedunculata)

Answer 19

European white oak, tends to grow individually- wide grained, very tannic, fast growing- found in Limousin and Balkan forests

Question 20

pellicular maceration

Answer 20

fermenting with skin contact, occasionally done with white grapes (Loire Valley, New Zealand…)

Question 21

Quercus suber

Answer 21

Cork oak

Question 22

Carbohydrate Degradation Products

Answer 22

complex group of compounds formed from (i.e. not present before) charring oak barrels. Incl Furfurals (bitter almond flavors), as well as the duo Maltol and Cyclotene (caramel-like flavor; also act as flavor potentiators, inhancing the perception of other present flavors)

Question 23

micro-oxygenation

Answer 23

the process of adding a small amount of oxygen into a tank of young wine to cause controlled aging- this simulates the barrel aging process

Question 24

Quercus sessilus (Q. petraea)

Answer 24

European white oak, tends to grow in forests- tight grained, very aromatic (compared to Q. robur), slow growing- found in Alliers, Vosges, Troncais, Nevers, Argonne, Bourgogne and Russian forests

Question 25

lactones

Answer 25

compound in oak responsible for the coconut-like flavor. They are derived from the lipids in the oak & are in higher concentrations in Am. Oak. Toasting increases the flavor; open-air seasoning of the staves dereases the lactones.

Question 26

acetaldehyde

Answer 26

most common aldehyde in wine, formed by oxidized ethanol

Question 27

bentonite

Answer 27

an aluminosilicate clay that swells in water and has powerful properties of absorption