White Winemaking - Ch 8

Question 1

Juice is kept in little contact with skins in order to…

Answer 1

reduce risk of oxidation

Question 2

2 ways to make sure that grapes have little time in contact with skins.

Answer 2

…1. Grapes are crushed, free run juice is separated off, remaining grape mass goes to press. 2. Load press with whole bunches of grapes and gently press to reduce the risk of oxidation and maintain juice purity and delicacy.

Question 3

For aromatic varieties, juice is kept in contact with skins for a short period (a few hours) in order to…

Answer 3

increase flavor intensity and texture. Usually done at cool temperature to inhibit fermentation.

Question 4

Orange wines are made by

Answer 4

extending the juice’s contact time and fermenting with skins. Also called ‘amber wines’. A traditional style in Fruili-Venezia Giulia, Italy. Taste profile is different: tannins are perceptible even though a white wine, flavors of dried fruits, dried herbs, hay and nuts.

Question 5

Clarification: 3 main ways

Answer 5

Clarify the juice before fermentation: Separating the juice from the solids (skins, pulp). 1. Sedimentation (Settling & Racking) by gravity or expensive Centrifugation machines. 2. Fining agent. 3. Filtration (Depth, Surface. Sterile Filtration)

Question 6

If freshly pressed grape juice is left with fragments from the grape skins and pulp

Answer 6

Fermenting in this untreated state forms unpleasant aromas and may stop fermentation.

Question 7

White wine fermentation temperature

Answer 7

12˚–22˚ C (54˚–72˚ F)

Question 8

Fermenting white wine at too low temp causes

Answer 8

pear drop aromas and can fail to capture varietal fruit characters.

Question 9

Fermenting white wine at too high temp causes

Answer 9

complex, non-fruit aromas with the risk varietal characteristics are lost.

Question 10

Fermentation temps for aromatic grapes

Answer 10

low end of range: 12-14˚ C (Riesling, Sauv Blanc, Gewurztraminer valued for primary aromas/flavors)

Question 11

Fermentation temps for textural grapes

Answer 11

high end of range: 16, 18, 20, 22˚ C (Fiano, Chardonnay) valued for secondary elements e.g. oak and MLF

Question 12

Post-Fermentation and Maturation Options: If decision is for further winemaking rather than clarifying the juice for bottling.

Answer 12

1. Maturation vessel: in oak or in inert vessels with or without oak staves or chips. 2. Lees Contact: use the fine lees to add texture and flavors. 3. MLF: allow or block malolactic conversion.

Question 13

3 reasons for Blending (takes place at any time in winemaking but mainly after fermentation or during maturation process):

Answer 13

1. Consistency. 2. Balance (adding complexity) 3. Style (similarity across vintages). Aromatic, pure primary fruit grapes will blend for consistency rather than complexity. Non-aromatic will blend for complexity with batches with fine lees, MLC, or oak.

Question 14

Post-Maturation/Pre-Bottling: Clarification & Stabilization

Answer 14

Clarify with fining agent and/or filtration (depth, surface). Microbiological stabilization by sterile filtration to remove leftover yeast or bacteria.

Question 15

Wine most resistant to microbiological spoilage from yeast or bacteria

Answer 15

Dry, high acid wine that has undergone malolactic conversion with high alcohol and acid, and a lack of nutrients, so yeast or bacteria can’t survive.

Question 16

Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are common high-volume, inexpensive wines because

Answer 16

1. they are neutral in flavor which appeals to consumers, 2. they are easy to ripen, esp. in warm climates. 3. they can be made in styles with residual sugar that appeals to consumers.

Question 17

Two common winemaking styles of Chardonnay

Answer 17

1. Unoaked with pure fruity flavors of peach and melon. 2. Oaked with additional flavors of vanilla and toast. (Both can be made with residual sugar.)

Question 18

Common winemaking style of inexpensive Pinot Grigio

Answer 18

Unoaked with light pear drop aroma and flavor, light body, medium acidity.

Question 19

High-volume, inexpensive white wines are made in regions with ______ climates so they commonly require the winemaking adjustment of _____.

Answer 19

warm or hot regions; acidification

Question 20

BEFORE fermentation, white grape juice will be ______ to ensure ______ and this is often done via _______.

Answer 20

highly clarified to ensure fruity flavors are retained during fermentation. (Sedimentation/Settling via gravity is too slow so a centrifuge or filter will be used to speed up clarification.)

Question 21

High-volume, inexpensive white wines are fermented in _______ vessels, at ______ temperatures.

Answer 21

Stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures. This preserves primary fruit flavors/aromas esp. for grapes with relatively little flavor when grown at high yields. (Use of commercial yeasts ensures quick, reliable fermentation, e.g. Pinot Grigio.)

Question 22

To retain acidity and preserve primary fruit aromas in high-volume, inexpensive white wines, the winemaker will 1. prevent _______ by _______ and _______, 2. ___________ as soon as fermentation has finished and 3. ___________.

Answer 22

To retain acidity and preserve primary fruit aromas, the winemaker will 1. prevent MLC by chilling the wine and adding SO2, 2. rack the wine off the lees as soon as fermentation has finished and 3. store it temporarily in another inert vessel.

Question 23

High-volume, inexpensive Chardonnay may go through __________ for a soft, buttery style.

Answer 23

Malolactic conversion

Question 24

If a toasty flavor is desired in a high-volume, inexpensive Chardonnay, it will be __________

Answer 24

stored in stainless steel tanks with oak chips or staves because oak barrel ageing is expensive and time-consuming.

Question 25

If a high-volume, inexpensive white wine is fermented to dryness and residual sugar is desired _________ will be added.

Answer 25

unfermented grape juice or RCGM (Rectified Concentrated Grape Must) so that level of sweetness can be precisely controlled.

Question 26

In order for consumers to receive a clear and bright high-volume, inexpensive white wine, the wine will be 1., 2., 3., and 4. before bottling.

Answer 26

1. stabilized, 2. fined, 3. sterile filtered, and 4. SO2 levels will be topped up at bottling to minimize the risk of oxidation.

Question 27

High-volume, inexpensive white wines are usually bottled within __________.

Answer 27

Six months to a year

Question 28

5 examples of aromatic grape varieties for premium white wines

Answer 28

Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Torrontés.

Question 29

BS #5 What are four commonly practiced must adjustment techniques?

Answer 29

1. Adding RCGM (Rectified Concentrated Grape Must - raises alcohol in final wine because more sugar is made available for yeasts to turn into alcohol)
2. Removing water (concentrates sugars - which can lead to higher alcohol in final wine - BUT concentrates tannins, acids, flavor compounds, and any faults, too)
3. Acidification (add tartaric acid)
4. Deacidification (add alkaline substance)

Question 30

BS #32 What are some important choices winemakers must make post-fermentation in white wine vinification?

Answer 30

1. Vessel (oak, stainless steel, concrete)
2. Blending - no or yes (what type)
3. Lees ageing, Lees stirring
4. MLC: allow/encourage or prevent
5. Fining and/or Filtering

Question 31

BS #37 What is lees stirring and what are its benefits?

Answer 31

Lees stirring is when a winemaker stirs the lees (dead yeast cells) that fell to the bottom of a fermentation vessel, breaking them open so they release amino acids.
The amino acids add more creamy, round, and mouth-filling elements resulting in a wine with greater complexity and mouthfeel.

Question 32

BS #40 What are some ways to prevent malolactic conversion?

Answer 32

• Adding SO2 after primary fermentation completes;
• Storing the wine at cool temperatures;
• Sterile filtration.

Question 33

BS #41 What are some ways to encourage malolactic conversion?

Answer 33

• Not adding SO2 or keeping levels very low;
• Warm storage temperatures

Question 34

BS #43 What’s the difference between fining and filtering?

Answer 34

Fining removes the unstable, microscopic things in a wine (proteins, phenolic substances, etc.). If these things aren’t removed prior to bottling they can clump together later and make the wine appear hazy. To remove them, a fining agent is added that bonds with these constituents causing visible clumps to form (which can then be removed by filtering).
Filtering removes all the large clumps (e.g. seeds, grape skins, pebbles, spiders) and smaller things like gross and fine lees.