Winemaking Flashcards
1
Q
Arrested Fermentation.
What is it?
How is it done?
Why?
A
- The fermentation process is stopped before completion.
- Arrested by adding SO2 or Chilling. (It must then be filtered)
- To retain natural sweetness and low alcohol levels. Kabinett and Spätlese are examples.
Asti is another.
Noble Rot grapes will cause fermentation to halt naturally through high sugar levels.
2
Q
Süssreserve…is what?
A
Unfermented and filtered grape juice, added to dry wines in Germany prior to bottling.
3
Q
RCGM
What is it?
A
Rectified Concentrated Grape Must
Arsey (RC)
Rect(al)ified
Grape Must
4
Q
The principle yeast used for fermenting wine?
A
Saccharmyces Cervisiae
Sugar - Sacchar(ine)
Mice - Mices 🙄
Think - Cer(ebral)
Visually - Visi(ae)
5
Q
“Noble Rot”
What is its full name?
A
Botrytis
Cinerea - ‘ts in your ear
6
Q
Describe the micro climate needed for Noble Rot
A
Misty mornings - to encourage the rot
Sunny afternoons - to dry the grape
7
Q
Describe typical botrytis notes
A
Honey, apricot, citrus zest, dried fruit
WSET don’t allow “marmalade” but that’s what it is)
8
Q
When is Noble Rot not noble
A
When conditions are too damp for too long, botrytis cinerea is called Grey Rot which splits the grape and encourages infections.
9
Q
- Drying grapes on the vine is called… (2 names)
2. Describe what notes to expect
A
- Passerillage. Aka “Late Harvest”
2. Over-ripe fruit (dried, tropical) and a rich textured mouth feel.
10
Q
- Raisening grapes off the vine in Italy is called what?
- What happens
- Give an example
A
- Passito
- Harvested grapes are dried on mats for a few months to raisen
- RECIOTO della Valpolicella
11
Q
What’s a typical low ABV for wines made with grapes with concentrated sugar?
A
As low as 7%
The yeast struggle to survive when the sugar levels get high.
12
Q
What is an inert vessel?
Which types of grapes need such a vessel?
A
Not oak.
Commonly stainless steel.
Sometimes resin lined concrete.
“Aromatics” need to have their natural flavours protected. Reisling, SB, Gerwurts, Muscat, Torrontes for example.
The point is to impart no additional flavours to the wine therein.
13
Q
Barrique, Pièce and Foudres…
Compare and contrast
A
Made of oak
Barriques have a 225 litre capacity
Piêce has 228 litres
Foudres vary in size, but are waaaay bigger. Anything between 20 and 120 hectolitres.
Sometimes used in Alsace for fermentation to allow a little oxidation for Reisling to improve complexity and texture.
Note: Not to impart any oak.
Thats from 2,000 litres to 12,000 litres
1 Hectolitre = 100 litres
14
Q
Barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc is famous where… (2)
A
California, where it’s called Fumé Blanc (peasants)
Pessac-Léognan (not peasants)
15
Q
Premium Burgundy areas for Chardonnay? (3)
Notes for each style…
A
Chablis - green apple, citrus, wet stones, slate. (Large old oak barrels, little oak but allows gentle oxidisation) MLF
Côte d’Or - Stone fruit and cream (New oak barriques). MLF. Lees contact.
Mâconnais - Even riper fruit, toasty oak. MLF. Lees contact.
16
Q
Premium Chardonnay worldwide? Oz (3) USA (2) NZ (2) Chile (1)
A
Oz: Adelaide Hills, Geelong, Mornington Peninsular
USA: Russian River Valley, Carneros
NZ: Marlborough, Gisborne
Chile: Casablanca
17
Q
Two grapes that:
Ripen early and lose acidity (flabby) with ripeness and high sugar levels
A
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris/Grigio
18
Q
Other countries using “Pinot Gris” in favour of “Grigio” (4)
A
NZ (similar to Alsace but more pure fruit and residual sugar)
Note: Fermentation sometimes arrested to achieve the residual sugar
Tasmania, Oz, Oregan - rich and dry style
19
Q
Attack of the Clones.
- Describe the two common clones of Pinot Grigio/Gris
- Areas in Italy known for decent Pinot Grigio (3)
A
Quality Pinot Grigio/Gris is made with a
Darker skinned, smaller berried clone
Crap stuff has
lighter skin and larger pulpy berries.
Quality areas: Alto Adige, Trentino, Fruili-Venezia Giulia
Crap area: Veneto Plain
20
Q
Why might a winemaker want to leave some solid matter in the grape juice after clarification?
A
It adds complexity and texture, but there is a danger of introducing poor flavours too.
21
Q
What happens to aromatic grapes over exposed to oxygen during crushing/pressing .
A
They lose some delicate aromas
22
Q
- Why might non-aromatic grapes (like Chardonnay) be exposed to oxygen during crushing/pressing
- Describe one way this is achieved
A
- It is thought to improve the wine’s ability to age
2. Pressing whole bunches
23
Q
- Name three types of oak barrel used for fermentation
2. What are their sizes
A
Barrique (225), Pièce (228) and Foudre (between 2,000 and 12,000)
24
Q
What does MLF achieve for a wine
A
Softens sharp acidity, rather it decreases the perception of acidity and diminishes the fruity style. (See p.62 of WSET L3)
Also it adds texture, body, balance and microbial stability. (Added by Erica, and NOT in the fucking text book)
25
What does extending fine lees contact achieve?
Richer, rounder mouthfeel, using lees stirring techniques: an actual stirrer or barrel rotation.
26
1. With red wine, post crushing, pre-fermentation extraction achieves what?
2. What other names is it known by?
1. It is chilled maceration to extract colour and flavour whilst not extracting much tannin - given the absence of alcohol which readily dissolves tannin.
2. Cold Soaking or Cold Maceration
27
1. What is the temperature range for red wine fermentation?
| 2. At which upper temperature does yeast tend to die?
1. 20c to 32c
| 2. 35c
28
How might a wine maker control the tannin extraction during fermentation. (2)
1. Because tannins are more soluble as alcohol levels rise, lowering the temperature towards the end of fermentation can manage this.
2. Cap management techniques can be used to manage tannin (well, extraction generally) too - from gentle punching down to aggressive rack and return.
29
Name the four cap management techniques
Punching Down
Pumping Over
Rack and Return
Rotary Fermenters
30
Describe Punching Down
Paddles push the cap down into the wine.
| Vigour and frequency determine levels of extraction.
31
Describe Rack and Return.
The fermenting juice is drained from the cap into another vessel and then poured back over.
- Highly extractive
- Dissipates heat effectively.
32
Describe Pumping Over
Juice is drawn from the bottom of the vessel and pumped back over the cap.
- oxygenates the juice
- dissipates heat
33
Describe a Rotary Fermenter
Fermentation takes place in rotating horizontal tanks, meaning that the juice is in constant contact with the cap.
34
Why might a winemaker have very long post-fermentation maceration?
Many claim that it delivers a smoother tannin structure.
35
What is a “press fraction” and why have them?
The bulk of skins left over from drawing off the free-run wine gets pressed multiple times.
Each time the wine comes out darker and more tannic.
Each pressing is a fraction.
Often the fractions are kept separate to aid blending.
36
Whole bunch fermentation... what must a winemaker beware of?
The bunches need to have only riper berries to avoid tannins from the stem leaving a bitter taste.
37
1. What is Intracellular Fermentation?
| 2. What is the objective?
1. To enable the berries to start fermenting inside themselves without any yeast interaction.
2. It yields a range of distinctive fruity aromas that give wine unique qualities.
38
Name three types fermentation that use whole bunches of grapes.
1. Carbonic maceration
2. Semi carbonic maceration
3. Whole bunches immersed with crushed berries
39
Carbonic Maceration.
1. What is the target ABV for the grape juice?
2. What type of yeast is used?
3. What happens to the grapes after CM is complete?
1. 2%ABV
2. If yeast is involved, it is “ambient” yeast. It is not added.
3. The grapes’ skin having split under CM and released juice, the whole lot needs to be Pressed to separate the skins etc.
40
Describe typical wine notes expected from carbonic maceration
The point of CM is to extract colour and flavour from the grapes and minimal amounts of tannin.
Wines typically (Beaujolais being a prime example) are full of fruit with notes of Kirsh, banana, bubblebum and cinnamon type spice.
41
Where does the CO2 used in semi-carbonic maceration come from?
The grapes that got crushed under the weight of those above have ambient yeasts ferment the juice and create the CO2 required to have those berries higher up start carbonic maceration.
42
How might a premium Pinot Noir adapt the semi-carbonic maceration?
Standard Semi-CM.
But... punching the unbroken broken grapes down over a couple of days, decreases the amount of CM taking place.
Post CM, the mash is not pressed, but fermentation continues and may be followed by post-fermentation maceration.
43
What style of wine might one expect from semi-carbonic maceration?
Better integrated aromas from the intracellular fermentation.
Fresher fruit character.
44
Carbonic maceration enables what in grape berries?
Intracellular fermentation
45
How is CO2 free carbonic maceration achieved?
Oxygen is precluded from interacting with the grapes by virtue of submerging the whole bunches in the must. Intracellular fermentation can then occur.
Regular punching down breaks the whole berries and brings the process to an end.
The more whole berries used, the more ‘carbonic’ characteristics are achieved.
46
What is Intracellular Fermentation?
When whole berries are left to their own devices in the *absence of oxygen*, they release enzymes which create some alcohol within themselves without any yeast interaction.
Malic acid is broken down and ends up as ethanol.
The ethanol creates esters responsible for raspberry and strawberry aromas, and others create esters for cherry and kirsch.
Acidity falls.
Typically half the Malic Acid is broken down.
At about 2%. ABV the berries’ skins break down and the juice is released.
47
What are ‘carbonic’ characteristics?
Silkier texture.
Lower tannin.
Brighter, fresher fruit
48
Three generic blending options
Press fractions with the Free-run
Oaked (various toasting levels) wine with unoaked
Different variatels
49
Cheap and cheerful red wine.
1. Typical climate?
2. Typical variatels (4)
1. Warm, dry, sunny
| 2. Cabernet Sauv, Grenach, Shiraz, Merlot
50
Compared to premium wines, how does cheap and cheerful compare?
```
Less colour
Lighter tannins
Less intensity
Uncomplicated aromas
Often labelled “Fruity” or “Dry” or “Good with Chips”
```
51
Cheap and cheerful red wine making.
Given that the driver is speed of production and minimal use of equipment...
What are the main shortcuts (6)
1. Grapes are de-stemmed and crushed, liberally sprinkled with SO2
2. Tartaric acid commonly added
3. Normal pre and post-maceration is limited
4. Coolish fermentation (22-25C) to maintain fresh primary flavours
5. Lightly worked cap
6. (Semi)Carbonic maceration to manage tannins where needed.
52
```
Cheap and cheerful oak maturation of red wine?
Briefly discuss (coz there ain’t much to it)
```
If it’s oak barrel matured at all it’s in 2nd or 3rd use oak which imparts almost no flavour but does allow a little oxygen in for a couple of months.
Any other oak is staves or chips which is quicker and cheaper.
Wine will be stabilised, fined and filtered with a final dose of SO2 before bottling.
53
Classic New World Cabernet Sauvignon areas in
1. California (1)
2. Oz (2)
3. New Zealand (1)
4. South Africa (1)
5. Chile (1)
1. Napa Valley
2. Margaret River, Coonawara
3. Hawkes Bay
4. Stellbosch
5. Colchagua
54
Cabernet Sauvignon styles in
1. Old World
2. New World
1. Grippy tannins, Cedar, Blackcurrent leaves, high acidity, med body
2. Black fruit, high acidity, med body, mint, cassis
55
Cabernet Sauvignon.
1. Whole bunch fermentation or destemmed, crushed berries?
2. Why?
1. Crushed, destemmed berries
| 2. The stems give unwelcome astringent and herbaceous notes.
56
Premium Cabernet Sauvignon.
| Describe typical production method (5)
1. Destemmed and crushed berries
2. Extra colour from pre-fermentation maceration
3. Fermented at between 26 and 30C to get enough extraction but not compromise fresh fruit flavours
4. High fermentation temps and cap management avoided towards the end of fermentation to manage tannin levels - especially if not fully ripe.
5. Post-fermentation maceration often used to gently extract tannin and soften existing tannin.
57
Premium Cabernet Sauvignon - oak.
| 1. Describe how oak is used and why
- The intense flavours, the medium to full body and high tannins
lends this wine to oak without being overpowered by it.
- 225 litre new oak barriques are favoured
- Can remain in oak for between 6 months and 4 years. The average being 12 to 18 months.
58
Cabernet Sauvignon is a Do-Nut.
| Explain.
Despite high tannins and intensity, it can lack body.
| For this reason it is often blended with Merlot or Shiraz, either of which lend a soft body and fruit.
59
What does a vine need to grow? (5)
```
Warmth
Sunlight
Water
Nutrients
CO2
```
60
What is the vine’s growth cycle? (6)
```
Dormancy
Budburst
Flowering
Fruitset
Véraison
Ripening
```
61
Components of the Grape? (6)
```
Water
Sugar
Acids
Colour
Tannin
Flavours
```
62
The (4) climate temperature ranges
| The (3) climate region descriptions
Cool, Moderate, Warm, Hot
Mediterranean, Maritime, Continental
63
Factors influencing regional climate (6)
```
Latitude
Altitude
Oceans
Large lakes
Continentality
Diurnal range
```
64
Factors influencing site climate (6)
Aspect (equator facing being the best)
Soil (heat, drainage)
Fog
Bodies of water
65
What aspect of the wine does weather affect?
Vintage variation
66
Management options for vine training? (2)
Training the head or cordon
67
Vine pruning options (2)
Pruning to a:
Spur
Replacement cane
68
Vine trellising options
Trellised or untrellised
and of course Canopy Management
and planting density
69
Vine harvesting options
Timing when it’s done (weather driven)
| Manual vs machine
70
Hazard management: Frost
Frost - site selection, heaters, wind machines, sprinklers
71
Hazard management: Freezing.
| At which temp do vines die?
Earthing up to insulate
| C. -20c
72
Hazard management:
Rain
Hail
Rain: Harvest dates
Hail: Nets, multiple sites as hail storms are usually quite localised
73
Hazard management: Water stress (4)
Irrigation
Drip feed
Sprinklers
Flooding
74
Hazard management:
Sunburn
Nutrient deficiency
Sunburn: Canopy management
Nutrient: Fertiliser
75
Pests and diseases: (4) and controls thereof
Phylloxera: US rootstocks (that self heal the phyloxera damage)
Animals: Insecticides, physical barriers
Fungal disease: Canopy management, fungicide
Viruses and bacteria: Vine replacement, land sanitation
76
How to concentrate grape sugars (4)
Noble rot
Drying on the vine
Drying post-harvest
Freezing on the vine
77
Vineyard management styles (4)
Conventional
Sustainable
Organic
Biodynamic
78
The most important nutrients for vines (3)
| Kirk Patrick Nuisance
Potassium (K)
Phosphorus (P)
Nitrogen (N)
79
The start of grapes ripening is called...
Véraison
The raison d’être of vines
80
Grapes growing small and seedless is called?
Millerandage
Smaller and Age (infertile)
81
Too many flowers failing to fertilise is called what?
Coulure
Co(lour of fai)lure
82
Describe “sustainable agriculture” (5’ish)
Man made chemicals are allowed but restricted.
Applications are timed for impact
Pests are predicted
Weather is monitored
Vineyard biodiversity is essential - pest predators, plants to become vine nutrients.
83
What is the only universal requirement for Organic certification?
A period of conversion
Organic standards vary from one country to the next
84
Oxygen (making wine)
1. Why minimise contact?
2. How? (4)
1. For primary fruit dominated wines O2 is bad news, it kills the freshness
2. Protective or Anaerobic winemaking:
Pick at night (cooler temps means less reaction).
Use of SO2 (antioxidant, antiseptic)
Chill after picking
Airtight equipment filled with CO2 or N
85
Oxygen (maturation). How are wines made:
1. Anaerobic (Protected)
2. Aerobic wines
1. Anaerobic wines: Fermented, stored and matured in non-wood (s.steel, concrete) and kept *completely full*
2. Aerobic wines: May be fermented in oak, certainly matured in oak to soften tannins, give complexity, develop tertiary flavours.
86
Which styles of wine (3) are matured in oak vessels that are not completely full?
Oxidative wines such as:
Oloroso Sherry
Tawny Port
Rutherglen Muscat
87
When are ‘enrichment’ adjustments allowed to must?
Pre-fermentation depending on the country’s regulations.
Enrichment is using RCGM, not sugar
Chapitalisation is the same thing, just using sugar
88
Where permitted, how is the ABV of the wine raised and how? (3)
1. RCGM (Enrichment) is added to give the yeast more to convert to alcohol.
2. Sugar (Chapitalisation) ————-“————-
3. Remove water (but... accentuates acidity, tannin, flavour and faults)
89
What is the difference between “enrichment” and “chapitalisation”?
Enrichment involves adding RCGM to boost sugar for the yeast to use
Chapitalisation involves adding non-grape derived sugar (beet, cane) for the same reasons.
90
Name the Mosel villages (3)
Bernkastel
Wehlen
Piesport
91
Name the Nahe village (1)
Schlossböckelheim
Castle (Schloss) Böckelheim
92
Name the Rheingau villages (2)
Rüdesheim
Johannisberg
R(udes)heim
Jo’burg
93
Name the Pfalz villages (2)
Forst
| Deidesheim
94
The Entre-Deux-Mers...
What is it?
Where is it?
In Bordeaux.
A peninsular with a wine appelation of the same name.
Defined by the point at which the River Dordogne in the north and the River Garonne in the south meet to create the River Gironde.
95
Name principle varietals in Germany (2)
Reisling
| Spätburgunder aka Pinot Noir
96
Name the principle varietals of Austria
Reisling
| Grüner Veltliner
97
Pinot Noir is suited to cool climates because? (3)
1. Early budburst
2. Early ripening
3. Thin skinned grapes
98
Under ripe Pinot Noir can introduce which flavours (2)
Vegetal
| Wet leaves
99
What does whole bunch fermentation do for Pinot Noir?
Enhances red fruit and floral characteristics
100
Does Pinot Noir commonly undergo post-fermentation maceration.
Nope
101
Describe how Pinot Noir is typically oaked
Only a little... small amount of new oak and mostly 2nd or 3rd fill old oak, for 12 to 24 months
102
When Priorat blends... which grape?
Carignan
103
Name three types of wine producer
1. Co-operative: Business is owned by many small growers sharing production costs.
2. Merchants (Négociant): Common outside of EU. Producers buy grapes from a smaller number of large growers.
3. Estates (Domaine): Only use grapes they grow, therefore smaller scale but greater control and greater risk and fewer blending options.
104
Where a Geographical Indicator (GI) is on a label, generally speaking, what is the minimum percentage that must come from the stated GI?
At least 85%
105
What category of wine used to be called Vin de Pays?
IGP
Indication Géographique Protégée
(Aka PGI - Protected Geograhical Indication)
106
Passilerage. What is it?
It means late harvest of raisened grapes
107
Chablis...
| Describe the climates therein.
Cool Continental in the North
| Moderate Continental in the South
108
Describe the geography of the best Chablis vineyards, premier & grand cru.
Mid-slope
South or East facing offering protection from Westerly winds.
Shallow, well drained soil
109
Premium Chardonnay wine production... key elements (4)
1. Barrel fermentation
2. MLF
3. Barrel ageing
4. Use of lees during maturation
Toasting levels and amount of new oak is moot.
110
Describe the differences between Chablis/Petite Chablis and Grand/Premier Cru Chablis
1. How the vineyards are sited
2. Difference in styles
The non-premier are grown on North facing slopes or the plains, yeilding notes of: Green fruit, high acidity. Bit austere.
Premier Chablis are from better aspects and show riper, more concentrated citrus fruits rather than green apple. Still high acidity though.
Some premier Chablis is matured in old oak (rounder texture and subtle flavours). Others stick to non-porous.
111
When vines need all the sunlight they can get... how might they be trained?
Vertical Shoot Positioning - canes tied vertically to trellising
111
En gobelet?
Which appelation is known for it?
What is it?
Beaujolais
Gamay grapes (prolific and low quality given half a chance) need pruning to SPURS around the head.
The shoots are tied together to hold them up
112
Diurnal Range...
| What is it?
The range of temperatures between day and night
113
Continentality Range... what is it?
Where might there be High Continentality?
...and Low Continentality?
The range of temperatures between the hottest month and the coldest month, measured over a year.
High: Inland.
Low: Near large bodies of water
114
A long cool ripening season with sun enables grapes to...
Reach high levels of sugar, intensity and flavour ripeness whilst retaining acidity.
**Learn this***
115
Long ripening of grapes enables what?
Achieve high levels of sugar, flavour and ripeness without sacrificing acidity.
116
Define a “Continental” Climate
Seasonal rainfall - typically short but dry summers
| Wide range of temperature difference between Summer high and Winter low (continentality)
117
Define a “Maritime” climate
Low difference between winter low and summer high temps.
Fairly consistent rainfall over the year
Temperatures are warm enough to ripen grapes with an extended ripening period.
118
Define “Mediterranean” Climate
Low temperature range between summer high and winter low
Summers tend to be warm and dry
Warmer, drier and more sunshine than Maritime.
119
Reisling and petrol...
| How quickly does it develop?
In hot climates (Oz) with sunshine, quite quickly
| In cooler climates (Germany) it needs a lot of bottle age
120
Tartaric acid is added to a wine pre or post fermentation?
Pre
121
A grape with sunburned skin will add what to a wine?
Bitterness
122
The Vidal grape was hybridised to what end?
Resist frost
123
Why is Sauternes different to Hunter Valley Semillion?
- HV is picked early with low sugar, high acid and low flavour content
- S is picked late with botrytis to concentrate sugar, acidity and flavour.
- HV has contact with O2 kept to a minimum during its creation, fermented in stainless steel, bottled, seeing no oak.
- S is matured and or fermented in oak which allows O2 contact.
- HV is pure Semillon, S is often blended with some SB and even Muscadelle for extra acidity, fruit and even perfume.
- HV must bottle mature for 10+ years to gain tertiary notes of honey and toast whist staying bone dry.
- S is sweet and will also develop tertiary notes of toast.
124
Name two grape varieties known for unevenly ripened berries within a given bunch.
Zinfandel / Primitivo
| Chenin Blanc
