Winemaking and Grapegrowing Flashcards
What factors affect the mousse of a wine?
- sugar available to convert to CO2
- capacity for CO2 to dissolve in the wine (eg. healthy vs botrytis grapes)
- length of time on lees
- quality of disgorgement
- time in bottle and type of closure
- size and shape of glasses
- serving temperature
What are the reasons for blending
- balance
- complexity
- style
- consistency
- rose
- price
- volume
- fault minimisation
why aren’t sparkling wines buttery?
because diacetyl is eaten by yeast during the second ferment
What is Liqueur de Tirage
a mix of wine/must, sugar, yeast, nutrients, and clarifying agent
how much alcohol will 24g/l of sugar generate in the second fermentation?
1.5%
Which portion of pressed wine will be faster maturing?
later press fractions with a higher concentration of phenolics, solids, and pH
How will a winemaker ameliorate too much tannin in the base wine?
fining with caesin, PVPP, or gelatine
what is laccase?
an enzyme released by botrytis affected grapes that causes oxidation
how are bottles stored during the 2nd fermentation?
horizontally at 10-12C
What factors influence time on lees?
- legislation
- style
- wine price
- producer’s financial ability
At what stage do autolysis characteristics become recognisable
after the first year, intensifying later
how long does autolysis take
between 4-10 years
why would a winemaker leave a wine on lees after autolysis concludes?
to take advantage of anti-oxidant characteristics
what is remuage
riddling to move flocculated sediment to the neck of the bottle
how long does manual riddling take
up to 8 weeks
how long does gyro palette riddling take
3-4 days
what is Liqueur d’expedition
wine and sugar which determines the final sweetness
What is the role of dosage?
to balance acidity. Less sugar is required in aged wines where the acidity is more rounded
How does the maillard reaction work with champagne?
It occurs after disgorgement as the sugars in LdE interact with compounds in the wine created through yeast autolysis
What is the transfer Method?
Similar to traditional but the first bottle is emptied into a pressurised tank, clarified/filtered, and rebottled with dosage.
What are two other names for the tank method?
Charmat, Martinotti
What are the benefits of the tank method?
- large volumes
- inexpensive
- fast
what temperature is the ferment for tank method?
16-18C
How many ferments are there in tank method?
2, with the second in a pressurised tank
Is lees ageing a likely intervention for a tank method wine? why/not?
not
- grapes are often aromatic with pronounced fruit flavours, not ideal for autolysis
- it is more expensive leaving the wine in tank, eliminating economic benefits
how are yeast removed in tank method
centrifugation or filtration
Why are wines chilled before bottling in the tank method?
to stabilise the wine and minimise effervesence
what is the counter pressure system?
a bottling method that fills bottles with COs under pressure, preventing the entry of oxygen and loss of fizz
how many ferments in the asti method?
one
How does the asti method differ from tank
one ferment, a valve is initially left open for co2 to escape, but later shut dissolving a small amount into the wine. Wines in this style are less fizzy and lower alcohol.
Why is Asti wine higher in sugar?
because the sugar is not all fermented, leading to low alcohol as well.
The ferment is stopped by rapid chilling once desired sweetness is achieved.
Who is the largest consumer of wine globally?
Germany (17%)
what countries make up the top 60% of sparkling wine consumption?
Germany, France, USA, Russia, Italy
Who is the largest exporter of sparkling wine by volume?
Italy (43%)
Is sparkling wine production growing or shrinking?
growing, by 60% between ‘02 and ‘18
What are examples of traditional method wines?
champagne, cremant, cava, franciacorta
What are examples of tank method wines?
prosecco, Moscato d’asti, Sekt
