WSA/NASA Flashcards
What are the different service temperatures for every single type of wine?
Sparkling 43-46F Young White 46-50F Aromatic White 50-54F Rose&Late Harvest 50-54F Full Body White 54-57F
Young Red 57-61F
Medium Body Red 61-64F
Full Body Red 64-68F
averages:
sparkling = 46
white = 50
Red = 64
What are the three main grapevine training systems called?
- Goblet/Alberello system: the oldest training style still in use. The trunk is kept very short and the vine is pruned so that at its head only three upward-growing arms remain. Pruning method: shoots are kept short so only one or two buds remain. Yields low crop.
- Guyot system: the most commonly used by quality European winemakers and also by quality conscious producers around the world, it is essentially a single cane pruning system. Each vine has only one cane preserved each year. The other main spur that is going to shoot out from the other side is preserved and will be used for next year’s cycle. Medium to low yields with good quality berries.
- Cordon system: the one most used around the world. Pruning and tying the vine is relatively easy, requiring little experience or skill. Pretty short trunk with a permanent branch (cordon) trained along the side of the vine. The cordon is never pruned and bears a certain number of spurs which are usually subject to some spur pruning. Cordons can be monolateral or bilateral. Good for mechanical pruning and high hields sometimes mass production wines also.
Bottle Sizes
Half-Bottle .375l •Regular Bottle .75l Liter 1l •Magnum 1.5l Jeroboam 3l Rehoboam 4.5l Mathusalem 6l •Salmanazar 9l Balthazar 12l Nabuchodonosor 15l Salomon 18l Primat 27l Melchizedec 30l
What is the ideal long term storage temperature recommendation?
Constant temperature between 50-55F / 10-13C
What are the 5 main and most common grapes of Port?
Touriga Nacional Touriga Francesca Tinta Roriz Tinta Cao Tinta Barroca
Where do we find Aligote?
It’s the second grape of Burgundy
What are the two most important AOC of Provence focusing on red wine?
Bandol-focusing primarily on Mourvèdre (50%min). Closer to the coast with limestone+clay
Palette-focusing primarily on Grenache (80%min made up of red Rhone varietals). More inland with almost all clay
Both wines are big and structured
What are the roles of SO2(sulfur dioxide) in wine?
- Antiseptic
- Selective over Yeasts
- Antioxidant
- Clarification
What are the main wine regions of Champagne?
Reims Montagne de Reims Vallee de Marne Cotes des Blancs Cote de Sezanne Aube
List the three classification levels of Wachau wines
Steinfeder- up to 11.5% alcohol level
Federspiel- between 11.5~12.5%
Smaragd- minimum of 12.5% alcohol
When was the Judgment of Paris?
1976
When was the first AVA created, and where?
1980 Augusta, Missouri
What makes an AVA?
Geology (soil), Climate, Location (altitude)
What are the three main grapes of Marsala?
Inzolia
Grillo
Cataratto
What are the 5 most important Grand Crus of Alsace?
Brand Altenberg Muenchberg Moenchberg Schlossberg
What is the main grape of Uruguay?
And its main wine regions?
Tannat
Canelones, Montevideo, San Jose
What are the respective appellations of Australia and South Africa that primarily focus on fortified wines?
- Rutherglen, Victoria for Australia
- Constantia, CapeTown for South Africa
What is phylloxera?
From Greek “fullon”leaf+”kseron”dry, it is a plant louse that is a pest of vines.
It is originally native to eastern North America and especially thrives on vitis vinifera rootstock’s vines.
What are the 3 maturations/ripenesses in viticulture?
- Technological (sugars) = alcohol
- Phenolic (tannins and colors)
- Aromatic (primary flavors/aromas) = complexity
What are the only 2 higher level DOCa in Spain?
Rioja
Priorat
What are the main grapes of Franciacorta DOCG? Method, styles, and lees ageing requirements?
Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero Traditional Method Only NV 18months min sur lie Vintage 30months min sur lie Saten=blanc de blancs
What is the most important region for Cava? Its grapes? Minimum lees contact aging?
Penedes Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada but also Chardonnay, Malvasia Riojana 9 months regular 15 months reserva 30 months gran reserva (only dry)
What is the other famous Portuguese fortified wine besides Port?
Moscatel de Setubal
List the left bank Bordeaux classification, its chateaus and locations
1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification (Napoleon 3rd) was based on the price at the time: Premier Cru Superior(Ch.d'Yquem only,Sauternes, graves) Premiers Cru down to Fifth Growths Mouton-Lafite-pauillac (1973) Mouton-Rotschild-pauillac Chateau Margaux-margaux Chateau Latour-pauillac Chateau Haut Brion-pessac leognan,graves
List the right bank Bordeaux classification method, its chateaus and locations
Only St.Emilion is classified! None for Pomerol (Petrus is unclassified)
Premier Grands Crus Classes A- cheval blanc, pavie, angelus,ausone
Premier Grands Crus Classes B
Grands Crus Classes
Cru Classes
The classification is updated every 10years
10 steps of Champagne
- Must
- Primary Fermentation
- Cuvee
- Liqueur de Tirage
- Secondary Fermentation
- Maturation, sur lies aging
- Remuage
- Degorgement
- Liqueur d’Expedition
- Labeling
What term in Switzerland indicates a blend between gamay and pinot noir?
Dole
What are the two fundamental grapes of Tokaji Aszu’? How’s the sweetness level measured? What is the aging requirement?
-Furmint and Harslevelu
-Aszu is the ground paste of BOTRITIZED berries which is added to the must or wine
-the Aszu amount determines the sweetness level which is measured in PUTTONYOS:
3puttonyos 60g/l
4puttonyos 90g/l
5puttonyos 120g/l
6puttonyos 150g/l
-wine ages a minimum of 3 years (2in casks 1 in btl)
What are the three groups (categories) of spirits?
-Distilled Beverages 36% min alcohol 2% sugar maximum -Liquors 15% min alcohol with the addition of aromas or flavorings 10% sugar minimum -Amari (bitter taste) addition of bitter herbs
Cognac labels
The distillate is always blended:
VS or *** (youngest 2.5 years)
VSOP (youngest 4.5 years)
XO (youngest 6.5 years)
Fine champagne (blend from petite and grande champagne) Grande champagne (cognac only from grande champagne)
What are the styles of Sherry?
Fino Manzanilla Amontillado Oloroso Palo Cortado Creams, Pedro Xenenez (PX), etc.
What is Eau de Vie?
The concentration of alcohol by distillation of fermented vegetal substances.
Components of distilled beverages (and percentages)
98% water and alcohol
2% acids, sugar, aromatic components
How would you describe the process of making wine vs. distillates?
Wine = bio chemical process - (has room for navigation) Distillates = physical process - (a precise scientific process)
Where does color come from in distilled beverages?
Barrel aging process or added caramel coloring
All distillates are white!
What are the 3 groups of spirits and their characteristics?
Give examples of each.
- Distilled beverages
•36% alcohol minimum
•2% sugar ‘maximum’
whiskey, scoth, bourbon, vodka, gin, rum, grappa, sake, tequilla, calvados, framboise
2. Liqueurs •always sweet, fortified •Infused with aromas or creams •15% alcohol minimum •10% sugar minimum absinthe, amaretto, frangelico, grand marnier
3. Amari •a bitter tasting liquere •herbal liqueur drunk as digestif •addition of bitter aromas and tastes always alpine herbs •sometimes syrupy Jaegermeister,
What are the components of the three concentrations of distillates?
1- Heads = methyl alcohol (volotile, evaporates)
2- Hearts = ethyl alcohol, aromas
3 - Tails = acids (heaviest - requires mort heat-discarded)
What are the 2 types of distillation methods?
Name an example of each.
1 - Pot still alambic = Discontinuous - the process is interrupted manually to finesse (cognac)
2- Mechanized = Continuous - done by computer and lesser in quality (Armagnac)
Cognac labels
VS = Three star - blend where youngest 2.5 yrs
VSOP = blend where youngest 4.5 yrs
Napoleon (XO) = blend where youngest 6.5 yrs
Fine Champagne = blend of 2 cognac from Petite and Grand Cahmpagne
Grand Champagne = Cognac only from Grand Champagne
What are 6 distilled spirits classifications and examples
1- WINE = cognac, armagnac, brandy
2- GRAPE POMACE = Grappa, Marc
3- MALTS/cereals, tubors, corn can make flour
(beer) = Gin, whiskey, scotch, bourbon, vodka, steinhager
4- SUGAR PLANTS = rum (sugar can) Tequilla (agave)
5- RICE = sake (Ka Pay, Sura, Choum)
6- FRUITS = Calvados from Normandy (apples), framboise, kirsch
formula for deriving proofs of distillates
double the alcohol content (or other way around)
80% alcohol = 160 proof
The 6 crus of cognac
What is the Cognac grape?
1- Grand Champagne 2- Petite Cahmpagne 3- Fine Bois 4- Bons Bois 5- Bois Ordinaires 6- Borderies
Grape=Ugni blanc
What are some bad and superior cognacs?
Low end
Hennesey - Christian Brothers, Remmy Martin
High end
Frapin, Hine, Park, Camus
3 Cru of Armagnac
Armanac grape
1 - Bas Armagnac
2 - Tenareze
3- Haute Armanac
Collombard = grape
What happens when distillate ends up in the barrel after the pot still?
What is cask strength?
Diluted to 40% alcohol with water
The % of alcohol.
Undilluted alcohol is 60-70% alcohol - advise you to add your own water if undiluted
What is Bourbon Whiskey?
What is the most important flavor in Bourbon and where does it come from?
American whiskey a blend of different grains with 51% corn. Never say just Bourbon. Originated in Kentucky.
Cannot add color or flavor & aged 25 yrs to call bourbon
Vanillin from American oak+how the barrel was charred
Corn is agressive - must be flavored and smoothened in American Oak
How many times does distillate go through the pot still system?
2 to 3 times cognac
up to 40 times fro vodka - they ‘want’ to strip away all aroma to make it perfect blending.
Single malt vs blended whiskey
Single malt = Estate controlled cereal from 1 distillery house - they grow their own grain, make their own beer = more character and quality of raw material.
*concepts of single malt and blended are unique to Scotland - everything else is blended.
Blended = purchased and multi estate grain - everything in N.America is except Glen Bretton in Nova Scotia
Why is Grappa special?
What are the three types?
Maintains the character of the grape varietal - can even be single varietal - but the more its’ aged in oak the more it strips the varietal character
Grappa Giovane- unaged
Vecchia - 1 year in barrel
Stravecchia - 18 months in barrel
What is rum and what distinguishes it?
What is the French AOC?
Fermented sugar cane from the Carribean with the smell and flavor of molasses
Martinique AOC
What is a beer somm called?
Cicerone
What is beer?
What are its’ components?
Beer is a fermented cereal beverage.
Water, barley (rye or spelt), hops and yeast
What is malting?
Maltose in cereal is a complex sugar that cannot be broken down by yeast. So the cereal is malted: made into simple sugar by allowing to germinate and hot water added to make a mash that can ferment. 1- add water to cereal 2- germination 3- toast - to stop germination 4- add more water - make mash 5- add hops 6- ferment
Now can ferment with the addition of selective yeast (no indigenous yeast for beer)
What are the 4 main characteristics (choices) of beer?
1- Which cereals used? (single, double, triple malt means more cereal added to increase sugars for higher alcohol.)
2- Which hops and how much? (How bitter?)
3- Top or bottom (high temp/low temp)
4- How was it toasted? (High toast/light toast=blonde)
Why does beer have foam?
Made in pressure controlled tanks where CO2 cannot escape and, like champagne, is carbonated.
Britain has less CO2(not as tightly sealed) because thought foam was a ripoff
What are hops?
The green, herbaceous flowers that provide flavor in the form of bitter units.
Top fermented
Bottom fermented
High temp - mash rises - bigger, thicker more powerful - more alcohol
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae yeast
popular in Britain and Belgium
Low temp - mash sinks - lighter, more elegant, more delicate
Saccromyceas Uvarum yeast