White Wines

Question 1

What is the process for making white wine?

Answer 1

1. Grapes are picked
2. Grapes are pressed to create juice
3. The juice is put in a stainless steel tank for the sediment to settle and then be clarified out
4. Yeast is added and then alcoholic fermentation begins with a vent for CO2 release, this is about 2-3 weeks
5. Malolactic Fermentation- This is where the tart malic acid turns to creamy lactic acid, usually 2-3 months during the early spring depending on desired wine characteristics as it is a temperature controlled process
6. Somtimes Battonage - mixing of the lees for a bready and nutty characteristic, then filtered out to continue aging here sulfites may be added for preservation
7. Elevage (maturation) - wine may be left in stainless steel, oak or clay for a number of months for further aging
8. Racking and Blending - after maturation the wine is put back into stainless steel tanks and this is where wines that are made up of other vineyards plots are blended
9. Fining - after this wine may still be cloudy so proteins like egg whites, fish proteins or vegan ones are added to clarify the color
10. Bottling - The wine goes straight from the tank to the bottles and then is corked and labelled

Question 2

Describe what DOC and DOCG mean?

Answer 2

Both are to regulate what region certain wines have to be made in, how much a wine a vineyard can yield, aging length and what grapes can be used.
DOCG - G= “Garintia” which means the wines have also been submitted to a testing facility where they test for minimum alcohol content, aging and grape quality

Question 3

Where is Pinot Grigio usually from pertaining to Italy?

Answer 3

Veneto, Alto Aldige, Fruili

Question 4

How long is Pinot Grigio usually aged?

Answer 4

usually 1-2 years; cask aging usually is 6months w/ additional 2 months in bottle, as all whites are meant to be drunk young

Question 5

Sauviong Blanc new world vs old world

Answer 5

new world like NZ and Cali are herbaceous and fruit forward (cali can have tropical flavors)
old world is more earthy and terrior driven

Question 6

Italian/French Chardonnay vs California Chardonnay

Answer 6

I/F Chard. : much less if not no oak
light, crisp acidity, apply fruit
Cali: known for intense mallow and oak presence
full bodied, bright acidity, tropical notes

Question 7

What can Vermentino be compared too?

Answer 7

Sauv Blanc

Question 8

Hand sell 2 bottles of white wine

Answer 8

Silvio Carta Vermentino Superiore DOCG
- from Sardina
- its a balanced with that is soft but has good structure, and is eclectic has notes of green apple, melon, honey and minerals
- its a superiore so it has minimum alc content of 13%
- its a DOCG so you are guaranteed a solid product

Giovanni Ederle “Donna Francesca”
- From Venento
- Gargenega + Chardonnay Blend
- complex and full bodied, good fresh acidity, nice minerality
- notes of honey, magnolia, some exotic fruit hints
- has a nice aging process of stainless steel to oak barrels for a year then ages another year in bottle
- the producer named and this wine in homage to his mother

Question 9

Sancerre can be compared to which other wine?

Answer 9

Sauv Blanc and then in turn Vermentino