Wine making Flashcards
vinification definition
“the art of wine making”
Vinification factors
pre-fermentation factors fermentation types of wine making (whites, rose, red, sparkling, dessert/fortified) Fermentation vessels aging and maturation preparation for bottling packaging
Temperature threshold for fermenting
60 degrees… you don’t want to let it rise above 85 degrees
Fermentation definition/equation
Chemical reaction where sugar from grape juice, plus yeast (ambient in the air, or inoculated) produces alcohol and co2 as well as flavors, aromas and heat
Pre fermentation factors
Sorting
De-stemming (or not)
Crushing
fermentation vessels
Foudre: Large wooden vat 1000+ liter
Barrique: 225 liter, originated in bordeaux
Egg shaped (concrete)
Fermentation vessel materiels
wood
stainless steel (cleaner product)
Concrete
White winemaking steps
Harvest de-stem or whole bunch crush Press juice from skins (must) skin contact fermentation aging? (none, lees contact, barrel) fine and or filter bottle
Major difference between red and white wine making
Red wine is fermented with grape skins, white is not
What is Must?
Soupy mass of crushed grapes, juice, skins, pulp seeds, and possibly stems
Racking definition
process of allowing solids to settle to the bottom of the vat or barrel, then pouring or drawing the clear wine off
racking also aerates the wine, helping it mature
fining
helps remove excess tannins
Fining agents (egg whites, casein, gelatin)
Carbonic maceration
tanks filled with whole berries are blanketed under CO2 gas. Berries at the bottom of the tank are crushed and ferment normally
Banana, candied, pear, bubblegum flavors
Malolactic fermentation
Bacteria converts tart malic acid into softer tasting lactic acid
Diacetyl
by-product of ML fermentation, gives buttery taste
“bung”
stopper that is used to close bunghole
red wine making steps
harvest crush, rested or whole bunch fermentation press juice from skins Aging? fine and or filter bottle
what all does barrel aging do?
Evaporates excess water
oxidizes
textural changes (softens the wine)
flavor changes (vanilla, oak, toast spice, coconut)
New oak vs old oak barrels
New oak imparts most flavor
Old oak contributes little or no flavor, but still allows for oxidizing
Small barrel vs large barrel
large imparts less flavor
small imparts more flavor
has to do with % of liquid in contact with barrel
types of oak
American- bold more intense flavor of vanilla, baking spices, dill and coconut
French- subtler aromas of vanilla, toast and spice
Other types- Slavonian/hungarian
Toast level
caramelizes sugar in barrel, more toast more vanillin
light toast promotes the most extraction of wood tannin
Lees contact
leave white or sparkling wine in contact with yeasts that produced the fermentation
autolysis occurs
gives additional richness, creaminess and texture
“sur lie again”
aromas of bread dough, yeast, toast, nuts, subtle white flowers
Acidification
addition of tartaric acid to increase acidity to improve balance
common in Australia when wine is lean or flat
Stelvin enclosure
screw cap
Vino-lok
glass stopper
Cold stablization
process that causes tartrate crystals to precipitate out of wine at very low temperatures
Methode Champenoise
Pressing: hand picked, pressed in bunches quickly to prevent oxidation, lightly to prevent color
1st Fermentation: Short and simple, may be done in stainless steel vats or oak barrels. (most undergo malolactic fermentation)
Assemblage of Cuvee: blending of base wines
2nd Fermentation: bottled with “Liqueur de Tirage” then sealed with crown cap, yeast metabolizes sugar making more alcohol and C02.
Sur Lie Aging/bottle aging: after 2nd fermentation is complete bottles are transferred to pupitres
Remauge (riddling): put into pupitres or gyropalette. Pupitres take about 8 weeks, gyropalette takes about 8 days
Disgorgement: neck frozen in ice bath to eject “puck”
Dosage: liquer d’expedition is added to bottle, determines sweetness of champagne
Corking
Examples of Methode Champenoise
Champagne
Cremant
Cava
Franciacorta
How transfer method is different from Methode Champenoise
The bottle that the secondary fermentation occurs in, is not the bottle that it is sold in.
Same steps up until disgorgement, after autolysis bottles are emptied into large tanks under pressure, then filtered, dosage and rebottled
eliminates riddling
used large and small format bottling of champagne and other sparkling wines
Tank method/ charmat process/ cuve close
Base wine is sealed in pressurized tank
Sugar and yeast added
secondary fermentation in tank
filtered under pressure
Dosage under pressure
Advantages of Charmat tank method
Saves time
Fermentation in 4-5 days
No costly riddling or disgorging
Best process for aromatic varieties
Charmat tank method examples
Prosecco
Moscato d’Asti
Lambrusco
Transvasage
the transfer method
