Wine Foundation - FWS Flashcards

1
Q

What are the vines nutritional demands (macro and micro nutrients)? How does this compare to other crops?

A

Unique in how low its nutritional demands are; requires nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium; micro- boron, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc

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2
Q

What is the purpose of green harvesting, pulling leaves, or hedging growing tips?

A

Green harvest: Reduce yield
Pull leaves: Facilitate ripening
Hedge growing tips: curb vigor

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3
Q

What is next year’s cluster primordia?

A

Next year’s crop

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4
Q

What was Smart’s premise in “Sunlight into Wine”?

A

That it didn’t matter whether vine was small or small yield, as long as canopy was balanced with no shaded fruit and no shaded leaves

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5
Q

What is the original Old World definition of terroir?

A

Site, soil, and climate impact flavors in the glass, more recently added “hand of man” into definition

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6
Q

How does climate change the physiology of the vine in cool climates?

A

In cool growing areas vine struggles to ripen, but wiht long time hanging on vine it pulls many minerals from the soil and builds these into flavor compounds; maturity of flavor, lack ripeness

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7
Q

How does the climate change the physiology of the vine in warm climates?

A

In warm growing areas grapes ripen every year to high sugar level, but grape spends time on vine, amasses less complexity in flavor profile; ripe but lack maturity/depth of flavor

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8
Q

What is the difference between wines grown in cool and warm climates?

A

Cool areas produce wines that are less fruit forward, more mineral and spice with lower alcohol and high acid; warm produce wines that are fruit forward with lower acid and high alcohol

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9
Q

What was the first wine region to delineate the zone of production and set production standards? When?

A

Chateauneuf-du-Pape in 1924

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10
Q

When was the first Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) developed? By who? What did it do? What did he cofound with same intention?

A

In 1935 by same Baron as delineated zone of production for Chateauneuf-du-Pape, it guaranteed authenticity of product. He cofounded Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO)

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11
Q

Why was the AOC system enacted? What was the focus?

A

To combat fraud and boost customer confidence. Focus was on origin (French notoriously focuses on ‘place’ vs. ‘grape’)

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12
Q

What did the European Union do in 2009?

A

standardized the various wine quality pyramids that existed within its member nations

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13
Q

What was the original French wine quality pyramid and what is the new pyramid after EU standardization? What change was made?

A

AOC-VDQS-Vin de Pays-Vin de table to AOC/AOP-IGP-Vins sans IG; with change VDQS either upgraded to AOC or downgraded to IGP

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14
Q

What does a wine have to have in order to be awarded AOC/AOP status?

A
  • Come from delineated area of origin
  • Be made form authorized grapes
  • Adhere to maximum yield
  • Adhere to strict regulations regarding pruning, harvesting, winemaking, and aging
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15
Q

What is the Vin de Pays/IGP category?

A

Offers more flexibility with regard to grape growing and winemaking regulations than AOC; regulated by INAO together with AOC/AOP

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16
Q

What is the Vins de table/Vins sans IG category?

A

No links to origin, can come from anywhere in France, no max yields; can mention grape variety and vintage (previously disallowed)

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17
Q

What is the role of the INAO?

A

It polices and protects wine and spirit AOCs from wrongful marketing or misleading labeling internally and externally

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18
Q

What were the most commonly grown grape varieties in northeast France during the Middle Ages?

A

Gouais Blanc, Savagnin, and Pinot

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19
Q

What is Gouais Blanc also known as?

A

Weisser Heunisch

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20
Q

Where did Gouais Blanc originate from?

A

Most evidence links Gouais to northeast France and Southwest Germany

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21
Q

What modern day grapes are offspring of Gouais Blanc crosses?

A

Gouais Blanc x Pinot: Aligote, Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Gamay Blanc, Gamay Noir, Melon, Romorantin and Sacy
Gouais Blanc x Chenin Blanc: Colombard
Gouais Blanc x unknown: Furmint
Gouais Blanc x various: Elbling, Balufrankisch, Folle Blnach, Grolleau Noir, Jacquere, Menu Pineau (Arbois), Muscadelle, Riesling, Saint-Come

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22
Q

What is Savagnin’s origin?

A

Originated in Northeast France and southwest Germany, either descended from wild grape vines (sauvage means wild in French) or cross between two unknown/extinct varieties

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23
Q

What three grape varieties related to Savagnin are almost genetically identical?

A

Savagnin Blanc, Savagnin Rose, and Gewurztraminer

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24
Q

What modern day grapes are offspring of Savagnin crosses?

A

Savagnin x Gouais Blanc: Petit Meslier and Aubin
Savagnin x unknown: Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, petit Manseng (parent of Gros Manseng), Verdelho
Savagnin x Osterreichisch Weiss: Sylvaner
Savagnin x St Georgener: Gruner Vetliner

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25
Q

What is the link between Savagnin and Pinot

A

Related, but undetermined which is parent and which is offspring

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26
Q

How long has Pinot been around and what are its ancient monikers?

A

Approx. 2000 years called Morillon, Noirien, and Avernat

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27
Q

How many clonal variations of Pinot are there?

A

Over 1000 including Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc; few genetic variations to core genome

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28
Q

Where is Pinot thought to have originated from?

A

Officially undetermined, evidence hints at Jura

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29
Q

What are Pinot crosses?

A

Pinot x Gouais: Aligote, Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Gamay Blanc, Gamay Noir, Melon, Romorantin and Sacy
Pinot x Gansfusser: Cesar

30
Q

Where does France lie in relation to grape growing latitudinal band?

A

Grapes grow between 30-50 degrees north and south, Chardonnay at 49.5 and Corsica (France’s southern tip) at 41 degrees

31
Q

What is the relationship between nitrogen and yeast?

A

Yeast are 75% nitrogenous, need nitrogen to multiply- lacking sufficient nitrogen in juice, yeast breaks apart amino acids to release nitrogen in molecules, sulfur also released incorporating into light sulfides as fermentation continues (manifest in aromas of toasted almond and roasted hazelnut) - Old World allow this natural process to occur

32
Q

Lay out the vineyard cycle by month

A

Dec-Mar: Pruned grapevine branches removed, chips/ash returned to vineyard and deposited between rows
Mar: Bud break, shoot growth, remove hilled up earth
May: Flowering and berry set
July: Leaf-pulling, green harvest
August: Veraison- grapevine stops growing and focus on fruit, grape berries change color and soften, sugar increases and acid decreases
Sept-Oct: Clusters mature and ripen
October: Harvest, fertilize the vineyard, hill up vines
November: Leaf fall, prune

33
Q

When do grapes reach maturity?

A

110-140 days after flowering in warm areas, 190-220 days after flowering in cool areas; most grapes picked 45 days after veraison

34
Q

How are grapes described as early and late ripening?

A

Relative to harvest date of Chasselas (very old grape variety)
Early ripeners: 8-10 days before Chasselas
1st Epoch (mid-ripeners): Same times as Chasselas
2nd Epoch: 12-15 days after Chasselas
3rd Epoch (late ripeners): 20-30 days after Chasselas
*Sliding scale because Chasselas ripens at different times based on vintage

35
Q

What is the river effect?

A

Water has moderating effect on temperature, equalizing diurnal range and seasonal temperature swing; help prevents spring frost which could compromise bud break and fall frosts which initiate early leaf fall

36
Q

What is transpiration and when is it highest and lowest? What impact does this have on the vine?

A

Grapevines transpire or release water vapor through stomata; greatest during hot, dry, sunny, and windy conditions; lowest during still, cool, moist, and cloudy conditions; when grapevine loses more water through leaves that is being pulled through roots, closes stomata, no more carbon dioxide uptake and photosynthesis shuts down

37
Q

What ripens the grape?

A

Sunshine, not heat- vine shuts down at 95 degrees

38
Q

What are the three vine scourges native to North America and when did they make their way to Europe, why?

A

Phylloxera, downy mildew, and powdery mildew; made way to Europe in 1800s once steamship made Atlantic crossing fast enough that root louse and other pests could survive journey

39
Q

How does phylloxera impact vine? What happened when introduced to Europe and what was done to overcome this?

A

Small insects indigenous to eastern USA, kills grapevine by attacking roots causing unconditional cell growth; European vines (vitis vinifera) did not have ability to heal from wounds and decimated European vineyards, American vines largely immune, solution was to graft European grapevines onto American root stock

40
Q

What were the three impacts of phylloxera on the history of wine?

A
  1. Many vignerons used crisis to replant in rows (easier for mechanization with tractor), previously grapevines propagated by “layering” (morcottage, provignage in French) - shoot laid down, bud buried so new vine sprung forth, led to haphazard planting (planted ‘en foule’ (in a crowd)
  2. Previously vineyards planted with multiple grape varieties that were harvested and fermented together, caused picking of over-ripe and under-ripe grapes in harvest; vignerons planted parcels of single grape varieties after phylloxera to better manage maturity and ripeness at harvest
  3. Many vignerons chose to replant better clones or different grape varieties
41
Q

What is powdery mildew and what impact does it have on the grapevine?

A

AKA Oidium- fungal disease; blankets vine with thick white filaments, if outbreak occurs before flowering yield is reduced, if grape clusters become infected they will not achieve full pigment development or grow to full size, fruit marked by off flavor

42
Q

What is downy mildew and what impact does it have on the grapevine?

A

AKA Peronospera- fungal disease germinating in warm humid weather, attacks leaves and stems, first with ‘oil spots’ then with white cotton filaments; causes vines to lose leaves which can delay ripening or prevent altogether

43
Q

What was created to combat fungal attacks? By who?

A

Jura-born botanist Millardet developed famous “Bordeaux mixture,” or copper sulfate application (he also worked to pioneer grafting technique to protect vines from phylloxera)

44
Q

What is botrytis cinerea?

A

Fungus that has both positive and negative effects on grape clusters- when positive referred to as noble rot or pourriture noble, penetrates grape skin and concentrates sugars and adds flavor compounds, to be positive cool moist mornings need to be followed by warm dry afternoons; if too cool and moist for too long turns into gray rot- off flavors or partial/total crop loss

45
Q

What is coulure?

A

Poor fruit set, lack of carbohydrates within vine causes stem to shrivel and shed berries decreasing crop load, caused by cloudy, cold, and wet weather

46
Q

When is wide spacing used in vineyards (800-1600 vines per acre)? When are moderately dense plantings used (2000-4000 vines per acre)?

A

Wide spacing used on land with little soil moisture or on fertile sites, moderately dense plantings used in areas moderate in vigor and water availability

47
Q

What are the most common vine training systems?

A

Cordon simple/double: vine pruned to one or two lateral cordons tied to support wire with 5-7 buds
Eventail: vines spread like fan on trellis
Gobelet: vine kept low to ground, no stakes or trellis, vine pruned to short spurs forming bowl shape
Guyot: vine pruned to one long temporary cane trained horizontally, vertically, diagonally of in arch

48
Q

What have grape growers been moving towards in terms of vineyard management?

A

Attempting to minimize agro-chemical use, even copper-sulfate (contributed to toxic accumulation of copper in soil, loss of aromatic pre-cursors and browning, hazy, off aromas in wine)

49
Q

Why has sulfur and sulfur dioxide use declined?

A

Improved winery hygiene

50
Q

Why has chaptalization become more infrequent?

A

Temperatures climbing globally so cool climate regions achieve higher degrees of ripeness at harvest

51
Q

What has changed recently with regards to labeling in France?

A

Beginning to acknowledge importance of varietals labeling

52
Q

What is the process to make dry white wine?

A
  1. Grapes harvested and pressed, best practice whole clusters pressed after harvest, removes large amount of particulates and more gentle that crushing and pressing, helps preserve aromas
  2. SO2 optionally added- prevents microbial spoilage, browning, oxidation; breaks down pectin so particulates fall out of juice faster
  3. Must (unfermented grape juice) chilled and settles
  4. Wine optionally acidified or chaptalized to achieve minimum alcohol levels (all added sugar must be fully fermented into alcohol)
  5. Moved into vats where fermentation takes place (temperature controlled, one of most important recent technological advances)- yeast converts sugar into alcohol, any remaining sugar after fermentation is residual
  6. Wine is racked, sulfur level adjusted
  7. Wines optionally undergo malolactic fermentation and sue lie aging (second fermentation is bacteria driven)
  8. Wines blended before or after aging
  9. Wine is clarified- centrifuging, filtering, or fining (centrifuging and filtering more rigorous), fine to heat stabilize
  10. Wine is cold stabilized- wines chilled to form and remove tartaric acid crystals
53
Q

What is debourbage?

A

Must chilled and sits 12-24 hours in order to settle, gross particulates settle out of juice

54
Q

What is a stuck fermentation?

A

Fermentation that accidentally stops before all sugar is converted to alcohol, historically were grapes harvested with chemical residue, today such high levels of ripeness becomes challenge to ferment all sugar to alcohol

55
Q

What is the process and result of sir lie aging?

A

Lees (dead yeast cells) settle to bottom of task when fermentation complete, if wine allowed to rest on top, rests on top and picks up nutty complexity, decomposing yeast release manno-proteins that add fatness to wine

56
Q

What is batonnage?

A

Stirring technique to stir Lee’s into wine to better incorporate butter, butternut, toffee, and caramel flavors into wine

57
Q

What is malolactic fermentation?

A

Malo-lactic bacteria convert tart green malic acid into softer creamier lactic acid, acid softens

58
Q

What is the process of semi-sweet and sweet wine production?

A
  1. If whole bunches picked not destemmed before pressing (help extract juice)
  2. Fermentation terminates naturally when yeast dies leaving residual sugar (malolactic fermentation not encouraged, tart acid needs to offset sweetness)
59
Q

What are sweet wines defined as in France? What are they made from?

A

Liquoreux, always made from botrytized grapes

60
Q

What are semi-sweet wines defined as in France? What are they made from?

A

Moelleux, made from late harvest grapes that may or may not be botrytized

61
Q

What are Vin Doux Naturels?

A

Fortified wines made by mutage (process of arresting fermentation by adding neutral grape spirit)
-grape spirit 5-10% of total of juice volume, finished wines 15% alcohol with 5-10% residual sugar

62
Q

What are the three principal ways to make rose in France?

A
  1. Rose de Presse: direct press
  2. Rose de Saignee: “bleeding method”
  3. Cuvaison Rapide: “rapid soak”

Can craft rose using combination of methods, sometimes brief cold soak before bleeding tank

63
Q

What is the Process for making Rose de Presse?

A

Grapes pressed immediately after harvest to minimize skin contact and color extraction, juice and skins in contact only during duration of press cycle (1-4 hours), then fermented as of white wine- traditional method of Provence

64
Q

What is the process to make Rose de Saignee wine?

A

Grapes crushed as if making red wine, skin pulp and juice macerate 8-24 hours at 60-68 degrees, after maceration some pink juice bled from tank to be fermented into rose
Liquid left behind has higher skin-juice ratio, creates densely pigmented and concentrated red
Roses made in this method are deeper colored, fuller bodied, more tannic, less aromatic due to more contact with skin

65
Q

What is the process to make Cuvaison Rapide rose?

A

Crush grapes and allow for brief period of aqueous extraction (77-82 degrees)

66
Q

What is the method for making sparkling wines in the methode traditionnelle and methode champenoise?

A
  1. Grapes picked by hand, fermented into still wine

2. Cuvée (base wine) bottled with small amount yeast and sugar for second fermentation in closed environment

67
Q

What are the types of sparkling wine produced in France?

A

Champagne
Cremant: most spends 9 months aging in lees, approximately same atmospheres as champagne
Mousseux: value category if sparkling, less demanding production, most don’t have aging requirements, means frothy/bubbly, min 3 atm
Petillants: means fizzy, delicate sparkling wine with 1-2.5 atms of pressure

68
Q

What is the process for red wine production?

A
  1. Grapes optionally sorted then crushed and optionally destemmed- stems absorb sugar and acid present in must, resulting in wine with lower acidity and lower alcohol levels, stems impact flavors- green stems impart bitterness and astringency, brown stems add spice component; in past many added stems to help extract juice, today most destem
  2. Must optionally undergoes cold soak (46-53 degrees) - extract fruit aromas without tannin
  3. Alcoholic fermentation (warm- 77-82 degrees) one to three weeks; number of techniques used for extracting color and tannin
  4. Liquid separated from solid- free run wine run off into tank/barrel for aging, skins transferred into press, can be blended now or aged separately
  5. Wine undergoes malo-lactic fermentation
  6. Wine racked, SO2 optionally added
  7. Optional barrel aging
  8. Wine clarified and heat stabilized
69
Q

What are the three techniques for extracting tannin and color in red wines?

A

Pineage: punching down, floating cap manually punched down; mildest gentlest form of extraction, used for thinner skin varieties
Remontage: pump over, hose attached to valve at bottom of tank, pumped back over cap using spray nozzle, extraction regulated by number of times per day wine is pumped over, higher level of extraction, used for thicker skinned varieties
Delestage: rack and return, empties fermenting juice into another tank and returns to original fermentation vessel, used for rapid and thorough maceration

70
Q

What is the difference between free run and pressed wine and what are they called in French?

A

Free-run wine: Vin de Goutte

Wine from pressed grapes: Vin de Presse, pressed skins yield deeply colored tannic wine

71
Q

What is the process of semi-carbonic maceration?

A
  1. Whole clusters are put into tank immediately after hand harvesting without pressing crushing or destemming
  2. Weight if grapes causes clusters at bottom of tank to burst, wild yeast in grape skins, transform natural grape sugars into alcohol
  3. Carbon dioxide released and forces oxygen out of tank, creating anaerobic environment
  4. Anaerobic environment encourages unique enzymatic/biochemical fermentation inside intact grapes- portion of malice acid (about 2%) converted into ethanol, aromas of bananas, candy, pears, raspberries, abs cranberries created
  5. Free run racked off, grapes are pressed- free run has undergone traditional fermentation, press wine has undergone enzymatic fermentation (only some of the wine has undergone carbonic maceration, hence the name semi-carbonic)
  6. Free run and press wines blended, press wine still contains considerable grape sugar
  7. Wine undergoes traditional alcoholic fermentation without skins- because of this wine is light, soft, and fruit forward; less tannin than reds produced in traditional method
  8. New wine undergoes malo-lactic fermentation
  9. Wines racked off their lees, aged
    Sulfur dioxide added if needed, wine clarified and heat and cold stabilized