Vinification Flashcards
When does vinificatie begin?
as soon as the grapes come into the winery after being harvest
what are some decisions a winemaker has to make BEFORE fermentation even starts?
- when to pick/ripeness of the grapes
- how rigorous sorting must be
- whether or not to destem
what are some of the vessels used for primary fermentation?
- stainless steel
- cement
- barrels (new/used of varying sizes)
what are some of the effects fermentation vessels can have on a wine?
- aroma
- flavor
- texture
define foudre
a large wooden barrel that holds 1000+ liters
define barrique
a smaller wooden barrel that holds 225 liters
what exactly is fermentation?
A chemical, exothermic reaction where the grapes’ natural sugars are eaten by yeasts, which are either naturally present or added by the winemaker
When yeast eat sugar, the main byproducts kicked off are CO2 and alcohol. Flavors and aromas are also produced.
As grape juice ferments, it becomes drier (less sweet, because the yeast are eating the sugar) and alcoholic.
This first fermentation is also known as primary fermentation and alcoholic fermentation
finish this equation:
Grape sugar + Yeast = …
- Co2
- alcohol
- heat
- flavors + aromas
what is the purpose of sorting grapes
to remove:
- excess leaves
- damaged fruit (split, raisinated, underripe, sunburned, etc.)
- MOGS (materials Other Than GrapeS, including rocks, moths, insects, twigs, etc.)
what is destemming? And why do winemakers sometimes keeps stems when making wine?
When berries are separated from their stems.
Stems are kept to add flavor and modify the style of wine.
what is ‘crushing’?
grapes are almost always ‘crushed’ when they’re destemmed. crushing releases the grapes’ juices, and it’s at this point that fermentation begins.
note: if grapes are crushed too aggressively, the winemaker risk releasing unwanted tannins from the seeds and skins into the juice, making the resulting wine more astringent. crushing should always be gentle.
what are some advantages of fermenting wine in oak barrels?
- barrels add woody and toasty flavours straight into the wine;
- barrels encourage flavor development due to the presence of oxygen;
- barrels lend textural changes, softening tannins;
- barrels can change the color of the wine via oxidation, darkening white wines and lightening red wines
what flavours will ageing in new oak add to white wines?
Vanilla
Toast
Smoke
Coconut
Baking spice (clove, dill, nutmeg, anise)
Sweet spice (molasses, brown sugar, butterscotch)
what determines how much flavor an oak barrel adds to a wine?
- how the barrel was made (what was its level of toasting?)
- age of barrel (if it’s new, it’ll impart more wood flavor than a used one)
- size of barrel (smaller ones encourage more oxygen transfer, helping flavours evolve sooner)
why are the effects of oak felt more so in small barrels vs. large barrels?
because in smaller barrels there is a greater amount of wine surface area touching the oak
Barrels that have never been used before are referred to as ___.
Barrels have have been used about 4 times or more are referred to as ___.
never used: new oak or first-use
used a few times: old or neutral oak
what can neutral or used oak impart on a wine?
- textural changes
- oxidative effects
what less-costly methods may be substituted for oak barrels but still add desirable oak flavours to value-priced wines?
the use of oak staves or oak chips.
This cheaper method is only used for inexpensive wines, never for premium wines.
what types of oak are available for the winemaker to use?
- French oak
- American oak
- Slavonian oak
- Hungarian oak
what are the typical flavours French oak imparts on a wine?
- vanilla
- toast
- spices (gentler baking spices)
what are the typical flavours American oak imparts on a wine?
- coconut
- dill
- vanilla extract
- intense baking spices (more assertive than French oak)