Wine Foundations Flashcards
What is wine?
Fermented fruit juice (usually grape)
What is fermentation?
Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol + CO2 + Heat
Why is wine made from grapes?
Grapes are high in sugar and water content
Describe Malolactic Conversion and it’s function in Oenology
Oenology
Red Wine making
Red Wine
White wine making
White
Describe the differences between Red and White wine making
There is no maceration taking place in white wine making
Describe the difference between a cross and a hybrid
• Cross
Derived from two different varieties of the same species
Pinotage = Pinot Noir x Cinsaut
Müller Thurgau = Riesling x Madeline Royale
• Hybrid
Derived from two different species of grapes
Ex: Seibel 5656 x Seibel 4986 = Seyval Blanc
Explain the difference in labeling between Old and New World Regions
Old World: Place Name Labeling
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Portugal
New World: Varietal Labeling (Grape Variety)
- USA
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Chile
- Argentina
- South Africa
Which type of labeling is being phased out in the USA
Semi-generic labeling
Terroir
- Anything contributing a sense of place to a wine:
Macro-climate – sunshine, temperature, rainfall
Meso-climate – vineyard
Micro-climate
• Elevation
• Slope
• Exposure
• Wind
• Bodies of water
• Plant & animal life
• Some would add: Cultural traditions of region
• Or: the paw mark of the wine grower (H. Jayer)
Maceration
This process, used primarily in making red wine, involves steeping grape skins and solids in wine after fermentation, when alcohol acts as a solvent to extract color, tannins and aroma from the skins (aided by heat, the amount of skin contact and time).
Cold maceration (steeping when the must is not heated), takes place before fermentation.
Carbonic Maceration
Most frequently associated with Beaujolais, this is a method of producing light-bodied, fresh and fruity red wines. Instead of crushing the grapes and releasing the juices to be fermented by yeasts, whole grape bunches are placed in a tank and the oxygen is displaced by carbon dioxide. Fermentation starts on an intracellular level inside the berry, producing some alcohol as well as fruity aromatics. In practice, the weight of the grapes on the top crushes the grapes on the bottom and yeasts ferment the juice; the wine is partly a product of carbonic maceration and partly of traditional yeast fermentation.
Why swirl the glass?
Volatilizes the esters and releases the aromas
What are the factors that affect wine style and quality?
- Location/Geography
- Climate
- Topography/Aspect - German vineyards slopes must face south
- Soil
- Grape Variety planted
- Viticultural practices - sometime appellation laws will only allow certain varieties to be planted
Climate
The composite or prevailing weather conditions in an area in general or over a long period of time
Types of Climate
Macroclimate: the climate of an area like a wine region
Mesoclimate: the climate of a vineyard
Microclimate: the climate around a single vine
Latitudinal Winegrowing Zones
Ideal Growing Regions 30-50 Degrees North and South Latitude
If it’s less than 30 degrees, it’s too close to the equator and it’s too hot
If it’s beyond 50 degrees North and South Latitude - then it’s too cold
Continental Climate
- cool climate
- general climate within a large land mass, like in the middle of a continent
- high levels of seasonality: 4 distinct seasons (hot summers & cold winters)
- diurnality: refers to the range of temperature between day and night
If it cools down at night, the ripening will be slowed down and it allows elongation of the ripening and can yield higher quality grapes
Maritime Climate
- proximity to large body of water
- water can moderate temperatures- so there is less of a swing between temperatures of night and day and also of seasons
- there is more humidity and precipitation
Mediterranean Climate
- closer to large body of water - but warmer and drier temperatures
Rain Shadow Effect
Requires a mountain range, mountains block the prevailing weather, the clouds, the rain, the wind are all blocked by the mountains
The vineyards on the other side end up being warm, dry and sunny
South America - Andes Mountains - Argentina and Mendoza
Washington State
Alsace
