White wine - knowledge (c) Flashcards
What 2 categories can wine regions be put into?
Old world & New World
What are classed as ‘old world’ countries?
In Europe, mainly Austria, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany.
Name some countries that are included in the ‘New World’ category
New world regions include South Africa, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand.
Generally what is the taste of ‘New World’ wine usually like and why?
Generally new world wines are more fruity, as their climates are warmer it tends to result in riper fruit with more alcohol and ‘body’.
Apart from fruit, what else does white wine need?
Needs to be balanced with good acidity
What can too little acidity in white wine mean?
Too little acidity means a wine lacks structure and can be flat or flabby.
What can too much acidity in white wine mean?
Too much acidity means it becomes sharp, tart and physically uncomfortable for your guests to drink!
What does it mean if a white wine is oaked?
It means it’s aged in oak barrels giving a wine those oaky, vanilla, toast flavours. Think of it as a sort of seasoning to add flavour.
What does a wine’s body refer to?
A wine’s body refers to the ‘fullness’ in the mouth
What will a full bodied wine have? Can you give an example?
A full bodied wine will have good concentration and a higher alcohol content (abv). An Australian Chardonnay would be a good example of a wine that is full bodied and instantly enjoyable, but perhaps not a wine you would want to quaff all evening!
What are the most common type of white wines you may be asked for?
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Riesling
- Gewurztraminer
- Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris)
- Semillon
- Viognier
- Chenin Blanc
- Gruner Veltliner
- Albarinho
- Marsanne
What are some French regions that may be named in regards to wine?
Bordeaux, Alsace, Burgundy or Chablis
What are some Portuguese regions that may be named in regards to wine?
Vinho Verde
What are some Spanish regions that may be named in regards to wine?
Rioja, Rias Baixas
What are some Italian regions that may be named in regards to wine?
Gavi, Frascati, Soave
What are the different styles of white wine that might be requested?
- Light
- Rich
- Fruity
- Dry
- Crisp
- Aromatic
What happens once the grapes are picked and harvested?
Once the grapes are picked, or harvested, they are pressed to extract the juice. Whites destined to be fuller bodied often spend a day or two in contact with their skins and pulp before the juice is drained.
How is the juice then made into wine?
Once the grapes are picked, or harvested, they are pressed to extract the juice. Whites destined to be fuller bodied often spend a day or two in contact with their skins and pulp before the juice is drained.
What does the length of fermentation depend on?
The length of time to complete fermentation varies from region to region and grower to grower, lasting anything from one to three weeks.
What are white wines generally made of?
White wines are generally made with grapes with yellow or green skins, but they can also be made from black skinned grapes, providing the juice is separated from the grape skins early enough.
What causes variances in colour?
With most white wine, the skins are removed before fermentation and therefore, the colour variances are more slight than with red wine. In the glass however, they are anything but white, ranging in colour from pale yellow to gold and even tinged with green
How are rose wines made?
Rose wines are left in contact with the black skinned grapes for around a day, then pressed with the skins discarded (the longer the skin contact the more intense the colour and flavour).
What is the winemaker’s job?
The winemaker’s job is to ensure that enough fruit flavour is left to balance the acidity and alcohol. This is what happens during the maturing process. Most wines are made for early drinking, needing the minimum of maturation. Many fine wines however, will benefit from some period of ageing, whether in bottle or barrel or both.
What are wines made to age in the bottle generally like?
Wines that are made to age in the bottle are generally more expensive, sealed with a cork and from old world winemakers, who rely on the vintage. White Burgundy is commonly in this category as are fine German Rieslings.
What does it mean if a wine is vintage?
Vintage is the year the grapes were grown and picked. It’s often an indication of how a wine will be as some years are much warmer, which produce riper grapes and better wine, others though can be wet and cold and lead to grapes low in sugar, which lowers the quality of the wine. Certain vintages need more ageing.
What happens to white wine when it ages?
As white wine ages it tends to gain colour, so an old white wine would most likely be a deep gold colour.
What does the wreck of the titanic show? What does archaeological evidence also show?
The wreck of the Titanic holds the oldest wine cellar in the world but archaeological evidence suggests that wine making originated around 7000BC in the country of Georgia (not the state). A more traceable story begins about 1100BC with the Phoenicians and the Greeks who started cultivating vines in Italy, France and Spain. ‘New world’ countries only started producing wine around the 16th century following European colonisation.
Traditionally what are ‘old world’ wines like?
Old world wines are traditionally more ‘terroir’ (which means ‘land’) and structure driven. The French in particular believe that the soil the vine is planted in makes a difference to the taste of the wine. They tend to be lighter bodied, with more herb and mineral components.
Traditionally, what are ‘new world’ wines like?
New world wines are typically more fruity as their climates are warmer and tend to result in riper fruit with more alcoholic, full bodied and fruit centred wines.
What does acidity do?
The acidity of a white wine is one of its most appealing characteristics, enhancing its refreshing, crisp qualities as well as enabling it to be paired with foods so successfully.
What does a good wine have?
Good wine has a proper balance between acidity and the sweet and bitter sensations of the fruit.
What does too much acidity lead to?
Too much acidity (years with poor sunshine for example) will make the wine seem harsh or bitter.
What does too little acidity result in?
Too little acidity, the consequence of picking too late (so grapes that are too ripe), results in wines lacking in structure - they can seem flabby or dull.
What does the ‘body’ of a wine refer to?
The body of a wine refers to the fullness, weight and total mouth feel.
What does a wine’s weight depend on?
A wine’s weight will depend on its alcohol content.
What will a higher alcohol content mean?
The higher the alcohol (13.5 to 15% abv - alcohol by volume) the higher the sensation of fullness in your mouth.
What will a lower alcohol content mean/
Light bodied wines (11.5 to 13% abv) feel more like water in your mouth, full bodied more like milk.
What does the term ‘legs’ mean?
The term ‘legs’ as it relates to wine is a fitting description for those streaks of wine that slowly stream down the inside of a glass once the wine has been given a swirl. The French also refer to them as ‘tears’. Although they can be used in a general way to indicate the alcohol content of a wine (the more alcohol, the more legs) they are not representative of quality or sweetness.
What would have been done to a wine to make it taste oaked?
A wine that tastes oaked will have been put into a barrel to mature.
What factor can change the ‘oaked’ taste?
Depending on how charred the oak barrels were you can get mild flavours of vanilla and toast all the way to roasted coffee and burnt toast.
What is another way some wines are oaked?
Some wines can also be oaked with ‘oak chips’ added to the wine, rather than the flavour coming from the barrel - this is a cheaper option and they can be overpowering in their oakiness.
What are non-oaked wines made in?
Non-oaked wines are made in stainless steel vats.
Where is the Riesling grape from?
Germany - One of the most ancient varieties
What type of white wine does a Riesling grape produce?
A lighter style white wine
What is Riesling wine usually like?
Often low in alcohol and high in acidity.
Why can the aromas from a wine made from the Riesling grape vary so much?
Because it’s so good at expressing the terroir where it is grown, its aromas can range from floral and fruity (apples, peaches, honeysuckle) to mineral and spicy and occasionally petrol!
Where is Riesling allowed to be grown, outside of Germany?
The only region of France that is allowed to grow Riesling is Alsace, which once belonged to Germany.
What kind of reaction does wine made from the Chardonnay grape provoke?
It provokes a reaction in people very similar to Marmite: you either love it or hate it!
What is a common reason for people disliking Chardonnay?
This reaction normally comes from people’s dislike of the oak that a lot of new world and fine old world producers use.
What does unoaked Chardonnay taste like?
Unoaked Chardonnay, fermented in stainless steel, is crisp with citrus fruits and refreshing acidity.
Where is Chablis from?
The Burgundy region of France
What is Chablis from Burgundy made from?
Is actually made from Chardonnay but is much less oaky than its family in other areas of Burgundy and very different from the new world wines.
What is the Melon (Melon de Bourgogne) grape used to produce
Used to produce Muscadet
Where is the Melon grape grown?
Grown almost exclusively in the Loire Valley
What does the Melon grape taste like?
Relatively neutral tasting grape with a touch of citrus
When should Muscadet made to be drunk?
Muscadet is made to be drunk when young
What does Sur Lie mean?
Sur lie indicates that the wine has been allowed to stay in contact with the dead yeast cells left over after fermentation, giving it a fuller feeling in the mouth and a more intense taste.
What is the Muscadet grape used for?
Used for a lot of sparkling wines (Asti Spumante in Italy for example) or sweet dessert wines
What does the Muscadet grape taste like?
Sweet and grapey
What are Muscadet and Chablis good for?
Both Muscadet and Chablis are a good choice for a wine to be drunk with light or creamy fish dishes, being high in acidity. Muscadet has been described as ‘the perfect oyster wine’.
Is the Garganega grape an old or new variety?
Old variety
Where is the Garganega grape from?
North east Italy
Primarily, what is the Garganega grape used to make?
Used to make Soave
In Italian, what does Soave mean?
In Italian, Soave means delicate/light/mild
What kind of taste does the Garganega grape have?
Brings a taste of sweet almonds and lemon.
Which was the first country outside of Italy to plant the Garganega grape?
The first country outside Italy to plant Garganega was Australia.
What is the Garganega grape called in Sicily?
In Sicily they call it Grecanico.
What type of white wine does the Chardonnay grape produce?
lighter style white
What type of white wine does the Melon grape produce?
lighter style white
What type of white wine does the Garganega grape produce?
lighter style white
What type of white wine does the Trebbiano grape produce?
lighter style white
What is the Trebbiano grape primarily used to make in France?
Brandy
What is the Trebbiano grape called in France?
Ugni Blanc
In Italy, what is the Trebbiano grape primarily used for?
Its the primary grape in Frascati and used widely in lot of blends.
What does the Trebbiano grape taste like?
It’s crisp, refreshing and high in acidity, it can have citrus, white floral (magnolia) and mineral flavours, depending on terroir.
What type of wine does the Semillon grape produce?
Medium bodied wine
What type of wine does the Sauvignon Blanc grape produce?
Medium bodied wine
What type of wine does the Albarinho grape produce?
Medium bodied wine
What type of wine does the Pinot Grigio/Gris grape produce?
Medium bodied wine
What type of wine does the Gruner Veltliner grape produce?
Medium bodied wine
What type of wine does the Chenin Blanc grape produce?
Medium bodied wine
What does the Semillon taste like?
Citrus, honey and melon flavours
Where was the Semillon grape originally produced?
Just in Bordeaux
What wine is produced in Bordeaux using the Semillon grape?
It’s used to make a famous sweet white wine called Sauternes.
Despite the low acidity of the Semillon grape, what can it be used to produce?
It makes wines that can age nicely and take on added layers of subtle spices and herbs.
What led to the spread of the Sauvignon Blanc grape?
Growing boredom with oaked Chardonnay led to the spread of the Sauvignon Blanc grape.
What is the acidity of the Sauvignon blanc grape like?
High acidity
What kind of aromas does Sauvignon Blanc wine have?
The wine has a range of aromas usually associated with things green - grass, leaves, nettles, peppers and gooseberries.
How popular is the Sauvignon Blanc grape in France?
The third most planted white wine grape in France,
Who claims the Sauvignon Blanc crown - can you give an example?
It’s New Zealand that claims the Sauvignon Blanc crown, with Cloudy Bay from the Marlborough region being a high quality, very typical taste example.
When should you avoid the Sauvignon Blanc grape?
If a guest said they didn’t like anything too sharp then avoid this grape.
What is the Albarinho grape used to make and where?
Used to make wines in the Rias Baixas region of Spain
What is the acidity of the Albarinho grape like?
It has a refreshingly light acidity
What are the aromas of the Albarinho grape like?
With aromas and flavours that are both fruity and floral; from orange blossom through lemongrass and honeysuckle to peach and sometimes green apple.
In Portugal where is the Albarinho grape used and what for?
In Portugal it’s used in the Vinho Verde region, literally meaning ‘green wine’ on account of its lime green colour.
Where is the word Pinot Grigio used?
Pinot Grigio in Italy
Where is the word Pinot Gris used?
Pinot Gris in France (Alsace)
What does the majority of Italian Pinot Grigio taste like?
The majority of Italian Pinot Grigio is crisp and dry with a neutral flavour and moderate alcohol levels
What are Italian Pinot Grigio like appearance and pairing wise?
They are also light in colour and tend to be food friendly.
What happens as the price of Pinot Grigio increases
As the price increases so does the depth of flavour and body, at their best they contain a crisp acidity, long length and loads of citrus fruit flavours.
What is Pinot Gris like in comparison to Pinot Grigio?
Pinot Gris is also wonderfully crisp but tends to be more full bodied and with a greater depth. Still with citrus flavours but balanced with tropical fruit aromas, some may carry a hint of honey sweetness.
What is the colour of Pinot Gris like?
The colour tends towards gold rather than pale yellow.
In what country is the Gruner Veltliner grape the signature grape variety?
Austria
What does the Gruner Veltliner grape have a broad range of?
Broad range of flavours and styles.
What causes the Gruner Veltliner grape to be crisp and fresh, with green grape and apple flavours.
When the yield is high and they are drunk young and unoaked
What is often done to top wines from lower yielding vineyards that use the Gruner Veltliner grape?
Often aged in oak barrels, allowing the fruit to mellow and the flavours to concentrate, producing its typical white pepper and spice characteristic.
Where is the largest producer of the Chenin Blanc grape?
South Africa
What is the acidity of the Chenin Blanc grape like?
Naturally high in acidity
What does the Chenin Blanc grape cope well with and what kind of wines does it produce?
copes well with warm climates and produces some very concentrated, rich but dry wines, capable of ageing for many years.
What happens in the Loire Valley, France in the village of Vouvray?
makes a 100% Chenin Blanc wine, which ranges from dry (sec) to off-dry (demi-sec) to sweet (moelleux).
What flavours do the drier versions of the Chenin Blanc grape produce?
flavours of apple, greengage, honey and more tropical fruit in the new world
What foods do the drier Chenin Blancs pair well with?
poultry and seafood dishes
What foods do the off dry/sweeter Chenin blancs go well with?
blue cheese and also spicy dishes.
What kind of wine does the Viognier grape produce?
A fuller bodied white
What kind of wine does the Gewurztraminer grape produce?
A fuller bodied white
What kind of wine does the Marsanne grape produce?
A fuller bodied white
What kind of wine does the New World Chardonnay grape produce?
Marsanne
What is the Viognier grape like in terms of smell?
intensely aromatic
When perfectly ripe what does a Viognier grape wine smell like/
when perfectly ripened smells of apricots, peaches and citrus rind.
What is wine from the Viognier grape difficult to make?
it can be quite bitter when not quite ripe and turn flabby when over-ripe.
Where is the Viognier grape originally from?
Originally from France where it’s famously used to make Condrieu
What is often done to the Viognier grape now?
often blended and is now planted in virtually every wine region round the globe.
What kind of foods does wine made from the Viognier grape go well with?
A versatile wine it can complement a wide range of foods, but it’s not to everyone’s taste!
What has the Gewurztraminer been called?
has been called ‘gee-whizz’ due to the difficult pronunciation
What does the Gewurztraminer grape usually taste like?
the flavours are of ripe lychee fruits, sweet spice and flowers.
What foods does the Gewurztraminer grape pair well with?
A wonderful accompaniment to spicy foods, especially Thai.
Where do the best examples of Gewurztraminer grape wine come from?
The best examples come from Germany and Alsace (France)
What is the Gewurztraminer grape noticeable at harvest time?
The grapes are notable at harvest time for their variegated but distinctly pink colour, which makes very deep, golden wines, sometimes with a slight coppery tinge.
Why is the Gewurztraminer grape better suited to warmer climates?
Often high in alcohol, levels of 14% are not uncommon and it’s therefore, a grape better suited to cooler climates.
How is the Marsanne grape seen in Rhone?
the most important white wine grape of the northern Rhone
What is the Marsanne grape like?
Marsanne is a flavourful and potentially very high quality, light skinned grape,
What is the Marsanne grape capable of doing?
capable of making full bodied, low acidity wines
What kind of flavours does the Marsanne grape usually have?
with flavours of almonds, peaches and lightly spiced pears.
What is often done to the Marsanne grape?
It’s often blended with Roussanne and sometimes with Viognier.
Where is the largest vineyard of the Marsanne grape?
The largest vineyard of Marsanne in the world is in Victoria, Australia.
What is Chardonnay in the new world likely to be like and why?
thanks to greater sunshine and fuller ripening, Chardonnay from the new world is more likely to be full bodied.
What is the Chardonnay grape often allowed to have?
It’s often allowed to have a second fermentation, which is where Chardonnay picks up its buttery flavours.
How do you get rich toast and vanilla scents and flavours from the Chardonnay grape?
If put into new oak barrels to mature you will also get rich toast and vanilla scents and flavours.
What can most red wine grapes be used to do?
Most red wine grapes can be used to make rose, either on their own or blended with other reds or white grapes too.
What is Provence, France well known for?
Provence in the south of France is one of the most well known rose producers, where Grenache is the dominant grape used, blended with others such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
What are Provence Roses like?
Provence roses are dry and pale.
What does Anjou in France do?
Anjou in the Loire valley in France also has a long history of rose wine making, primarily using a grape called Grolleau which gives a light, sweet result.
What do Spain and Portugal call rose?
Spain and Portugal call it rosado and many are produced throughout both countries.
what are Spanish rosados like?
Spanish rosados are deep in colour and full of fruit flavour.
What is America like with Rose?
America has a massive rose production, often called ‘blush’ wines, which tend to be sweet, strawberry-like and pale pink.
What is Zinfandel used for in terms of Rose?
Zinfandel is a widely used grape which they prefix with the word ‘white’ for the label.
How are most new world wines labelled?
Most new world wine regions label their wines by grape variety and producer
How are most old world wines labelled?
old world wine regions label their wines by ‘appellations’ or place of origin so it’s not always easy to know what the grapes are.
What are the 5 basic elements of a wine label?
- grape variety or appellation/place of origin
- Region
- Producer/Vineyard
- Alcohol level
- Vintage
What does the grape variety or appellation/place of origin tell us?
this can tell you the most about the style of wine in the bottle.
What does the region of the wine tell us?
also influences the style, intensity and flavour.
What does the producer/vineyard of the wine tell us?
can tell you about the wine quality and consistency.
What does the alcohol level of a wine tell us?
implies the amount of body in the wine. Lighter wines generally have an alcohol level below 12%
What does the vintage (year on the wine bottle) tell us?
the year the grapes were harvested, which can indicate its style, although even a so called poor vintage can produce good wines. Some wines are non-vintage and are usually made from a blend of grapes from more than one year, which is used to keep a consistent style.
What things should you take into consideration when pairing a food with a wine?
Weight and flavour intensity
Alcohol
Acidity
Why should weight and flavour intensity be considered when pairing a wine and food?
balance is the key here. A strong tasting food will kill a light white wine just as a rich, full-bodied wine will overwhelm light food. It is important to consider all the elements of the meal, such as sauces and accompaniments.
Why should the alcohol level be considered when pairing a wine with a food?
wines high in alcohol or oak do not go well with really spicy foods. One will always intensify the other creating an imbalance of flavour.
Why should acidity be considered when pairing a wine and a food?
wines with high acidity complement the fat and salt in foods. In Italy where lots of olive oil is used in the food you will find the majority of Italian white wines have good acidity.
