viniculture Flashcards
Yeast combined with the sugars in the must result in:
alcohol, carbon dioxide, heat, esters (volatile compounds), and aldehydes
During fermentation acids will increase by how much
.15-.3(pH) which means grapes need to be picked with sufficient acid for a balanced wine
Measuring sugar in the field is done by
Using a portable refractometer. Uses sugar levels to refract the light. Multiple berries and sights in the vineyards must be used.
Many winemakers prefer to use total (__) for harvest
Total pH to measure acidity. A pH meter can be used in the field. Precise within two decimal points.
Most harvest occur with less than ideal sugar and acid levels, what can be done?
-If acid is too high, using yeast strains capable of lowering pH( Lalvin 71B)
-malolactic bacteria, thus encouraging malolactic fermentation( bacteria CH35)
-water dilution can be used, reverse osmosis preferred
-chaptalization
-blending
-extreme cases calcium carbonate and potassium bicarbonate
What is the scientific name for lactic acid bacteria
Oenococcus oeni
What is responsible for Malolactic Fermentation(MLF)
Lactic acid bacteria(LAB)
Lactic acid bacteria(LAB) is from what family?
Leuconostoc heterofermentative cocci
Four different gases are used during vinification and bottling, what are they and used in which steps?
Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, and oxygen are used for sparging, blanketing,
flushing, and clarification procedures
What level of Oxygen is suitable for wine?
Oxygen levels are not suitable for wine at 20% or higher concentrations
What gases are typically used in modern day wine making
Today nitrogen and carbon dioxide, or a combination of the two, are generally used the most, as they are heavier than oxygen. The gas used will vary depending on the style of wine desired.
Nitrogen is about eight to nine times less soluble than carbon dioxide, so it tends to be used more during __________
sparging
Sparging is the process of
using inert gas to remove the dissolved oxygen from the wine
CO2 is a normal constituent of wine even after bottling, usually in the range of.
0.4 to 1.0 g/L
if nitrogen is not used carefully it can
remove volatile flavor compounds, it can also strip the CO2 below optimum levels. Stripping the CO2 makes the wine lack freshness and come out flat
To avoid stripping CO2
using CO2 or a mixture of nitrogen at three parts CO2 to one-part N2 is the most common approach. Nitrogen is the best option for red wines but retaining a small amount of dissolved CO2 is essential. ‘Balanced mixes’ combine carbon dioxide with nitrogen, closely simulating a natural balance, and are becoming more frequent. Ideally, a mixture of two parts N2 and one part CO2 provides the best results.
The sparging effectiveness or production rate will be based on numerous factors:
such as the inert gas bubble size, gas pressure, and the gas flow rate against the flow rate of the wine.
The smaller the size of the inert gas molecules, the more efficient the stripping of the oxygen will be. Industry standards state that for size, temperature and volume of wine?
.03 nm size is ideal. The longer the length of contact, the more efficient the process. Sparging should be done at temperatures of 15°C-20°C (59°F-68°F) at a pressure of one to two atmospheres. Depending on the desired result, this translates to roughly 0.1 to 0.3 liters of inert gas per liter of wine.
Blanketing is the process of continuously maintaining a layer of inert gas above the wine surface. Why?
The object is to reduce O2 levels to under 0.5% by volume to ensure no aerobic microbes can grow.
Flushing is essential in cellaring. The objective is to
‘flush’ containers with one of the three inert gases to remove oxygen before and while filling. Flushing may be used to protect wine at any or all stages in the vinification process and is safe if done correctly.
Gases are also used for clarification, commonly known as “__________”
flotation, to send tiny bubbles through the must, catching solid particles and floating them to the surface where they can be skimmed off. Flotation commonly uses nitrogen, but some have opted for air, which runs the risk of over-oxidation. This process helps expedite the clarification process, freeing up tank space and saving energy by reducing the length of temperature-controlled settling.
Vats must be tested for CO2 levels before a person enters because:
Because they may die from asphyxiation. Too much can also give the wine a prickly feel. the levels must be monitored. In the US, if the level is higher than 3.92 g/L, there is a higher tax levied on the wine. It can also magnify the sensation of acidity and odor, which is suitable for white wines designed for early release but not so much for other wines. There are several methods of calculating carbon dioxides, such as carbodoseur, titration, blood gas analyzers, and CO2-specific electrodes, but the simplest is the carbodoseur.
Argon does not:
dissolve in liquid easily, is denser than nitrogen, does not add spritzy attributes to the wine like carbon dioxide, and is very gentle with the wine itself.
highly reactive oxygen can aid in:
developing wine through micro-oxygenation when used in the correct amount at the right time. Exposure during fermentation can assist in starting it. Also used during filling, racking, or topping up can add complexity, color, and clarification