Winemaking

Question 1

What is the purpose of whole bunch pressing?

Answer 1

It is gentle and provides a delicate juice low in solids and phenolics. Stems also create channels for juice to flow through easily. It minimises pressure required.

Question 2

What are the disadvantages of whole bunch pressing?

Answer 2

Fewer bunches can be loaded in press at once making it more time consuming.

Question 3

Why is it important to minimise the amount of phenolic compounds in the juice?

Answer 3

Because they can make the wine taste bitter and feel coarse.

Question 4

Name two presses used for traditional sparkling winemaking.

Answer 4

Pneumatic and basket presses - for their ability to press gently.

Question 5

What is the point of having different press fractions?

Answer 5

Blending options.

Question 6

What is the advantage of using press fraction juice as opposed to free run juice?

Answer 6

Wines made from press fraction juice tend to mature faster and therefore can be useful to make wines with short maturation, made for immediate consumption.

Question 7

What is the optimal primary fermentation temperature for TSW?

Answer 7

14-20°C to retain fruit flavours but ensure aren’t too cold for the yeast.

Question 8

Why is stainless steel ideal for primary fermentation of TSW?

Answer 8

It allows large volumes to be fermented with temperature control and for ease of cleaning.

Question 9

What kind of yeasts are required for TSW?

Answer 9

Those able to ferment reliably to dryness in high acid, low pH. Some that can promote certain flavours for tank method sparkling.

Question 10

Why is malo used in sparkling wine making?

Answer 10

To reduce acidity, to enhance texture as lactic acid is perceived to be creamier in texture than other acids.

Question 11

When does malo take place and why?

Answer 11

BEFORE secondary fermentation, as it can turn the wine hazy if it occurs during the secondary fermentation.

Question 12

What are the different options for refining and modifying the base wine?

Answer 12

Maturation in seasoned oak barrels or on lees - vanilla toast and spice characters are magnified in the sparkling wine
No oak - to produce a fruity style of wine like Prosecco or Moscato d’Asti

Question 13

What is the purpose of blending?

Answer 13

Balance - PN lends body and CH lends acidity
Consistency - NV consistent from year to year
Style - inexpensive wine in early drinking style or top wine suitable for longer ageing with more concentrated flavours and higher acidity
Rosé - red and white base wines blended to define the style
Complexity - greater range of flavours by blending varieties, vineyard sites, vintages or base wines with different treatments
Minimise faults
Volume - to produce viable volumes from small vineyard holdings combined, or different varieties, or reserve wines
Price - to keep prices affordable and costs of production down

Question 14

Describe the Traditional Method.

Answer 14

Secondary fermentation (aka prise de mousse) occurs in same bottle that is later sold. Liqueur de tirage is added to the base wine to achieve secondary fermentation. The wine is then sealed with a crown cap with a small platic pot that will collect the sediment. Bottles are stored horizontally sur latte at constant temperature (10-12°C) for a slow fermentation that lasts 4-6 weeks. Lees ageing may occur. Riddling and disgorgement occur. Liqueur d’expédition is added before the bottle is fitted with a cork; wire muzzle and metal capsule.

Question 15

Describe the process of lees ageing.

Answer 15

The process of ageing the wines on lees while stored horizontally in freestanding stacks of gyropalettes at about 10°C for min of 9 months. Length of time depends on style sought, price and financial factors.

Question 16

What is autolysis?

Answer 16

The enzymatic breakdown of dead yeast cells. It can last for up to 10 years and is known for producing compounds that add biscuity complexity.

Question 17

Describe disgorgement.

Answer 17

Bottles are cooled to ap. 7°C and the necks are immersed in a bath of frozen brine. It quickly freezes the yeast sediment in the neck, which then gets extracted .

Question 18

What is liqueur d’expédition?

Answer 18

A mixture of wine and sugar (dosage) or RCGM - it determines the sweetness of the final wine and helps balance the acidity.

Question 19

Describe the transfer method.

Answer 19

No manual riddling required and still retains the bready, biscuit notes developed by autolysis. The wine is chilled to 0°C after lees ageing. The bottles are opened by a transfer machine and wine is poured into pressurised receiving tanks. The wine is sweetened, SO2 is added, sterile filtered prior to bottling. Used in Champagne method to fill small quarter bottles and Jeroboam bottles or larger as they are difficult to riddle.

Question 20

Describe the ancestral method.

Answer 20

Also known as Pétillant Nature. Not regulated. Partly fermented must is bottled and remaining sugar gets converted into alcohol and CO2. May or may not be disgorged. No dosage. No SO2. Wines are low in alcohol, slightly cloudy and dry to off-dry with unusual flavours and intended for early drinking.

Question 21

Define tank method.

Answer 21

Also known as Cuve close, Charmat and Martinotti. Enables inexpensive production of large amounts of wine, quickly and with lower labour costs to traditional method. No riddling, no disgorgement, no dosage or lees ageing during secondary fermentation. Wines made aand released for early drinking. Less prestigious.

Question 22

Describe tank method.

Answer 22

Slow cool primary fermentation to retain fresh floral and fruit aromas and flavours. Sugar and yeast added and fast secondary fermentation takes place in reinforced tanks. Stopped by cooling wine to -5°C once desired pressure and residual sugar reached.

Question 23

Describe Asti Method.

Answer 23

Variation of tank method. Must is fermented in pressure tank. CO2 is allowed to escape during the first stages of fermentation. Once the wine has reached about 6% alc. the Co2 is retained by closure of the tank. The extra CO2 generated produces pressure of about 5 atmospheres. Fermentation is stopped by chilling to retain desired level or RS. Yeasts and any remaining yeast nutrients are removed by filtration to prevent re-fermentation of any remaining RS.

Question 24

What influences the mousse?

Answer 24

• The amount of sugar available to be turned into CO2
• The capacity of CO2 to be dissolved depending on the health of the grapes (botrytis reduces amount of bubbles), variety and winemaking
• The length of time on lees (the longer time on lees, the longer tasting foam)
• How well the disgorgement is carried out with minimal CO2 loss
• Time in bottle + closure type
• The size and shape of glass, temperature (the cooled, the less CO2 released)