WSET3 Principal Grape Varieties JIMMY Flashcards
3 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Styles
- Traditional - Later Harvest, High Proportions of Grenache, 4yrs élevage (2yrs cement / 2yrs old oak)
- Modern - shorter maceration & time in wood - Approachable early but can age
- Négociant Style - carbonic maceration - wines ready to drink earlier
Aglianico
(Basilicata, Campania)
Deep Colored, High Acidity and High Tannin, and flavors of Black Fruit, Earth, Forest Floor
Basilicata: Taurasi DOCG
Campania: Aglianico del Vulture DOCG On extinct volcano Mt Vulture (450-900m)
Albariño (NW)
Alvarinho (Vinho Verde)
Rias Baixas.. THICK SKINS prevents rot.
Naturally High Acidity, Citrus & Stone Fruit, Can be made richer, fuller body
Vinho Verde - Monção Y Melgaço
Alsace Riesling
Aromatic Grape, Medium to Full bodied, HIgh Acidityy, stony/steely notes, Lemon and Peach aromas developing into Petrol-like aromas.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
(Veneto)
Made from Corvina grapes using passito method (or grapes picked early with higher acidity and dried indoors to concentrate sugar, increase structure, color & flavor), these are
Dry to Off Dry, Full Body, Medium – High Tannin, High Alcohol with flavors of Concentrated Red Berry (raspberry, red cherry) and Spice. Often oaked in large oak casks.
Kabinett
Kabinett: RieslingDry - Sweet,L-Body, H Acid, Green Apple, Lemon, Balanced with Residual Sugar. Sweet –8-9% ABV –
Style 1- Stop Ferment early
Style 2: Add Sussreserve
Barbera
(Barbera d’Asti, Piemonte)
Late ripening (2 weeks before Nebbiolo, 2 weeks after Dolcetto)
Medium-Deep Color, Full Body, High Acidity, Low-Med Tannins
Aromas of Red Cherries, Plums and sometimes Black Pepper
Styles:
- Youthful and fruity, with no oak influence
- Barrel-aged with spicy flavours
Bordeaux &
Bordeaux Supérieur
Early drinking, Medium Body with ripe red & black fruit sometimes with Cedar from oak
Supérieur has strict rules and Minimum Alcohol requirements
Cabernet Franc
Flower/Ripens Early Needs Well drained, warm soils.
M Color, M Body, M-H Acidity, M-H Tannin
Ripe = Vibrant Red Fruit and Floral notes
Underripe = Greenbell Pepper or Stalky
Cabernet Sauvignon
(Old World)
Thin Skin, Dry, Deep Color, Medium – Full Body, High Tannin, Intense Flavor Blackcurrant and Cedar
Haut Medoc: High % of CS in, High Grippy Tannins when Young, Oak
Pessac-Leognan: Lighter Body, More Fragrant than HM
Graves: Black Cherry, Greenbell Pepper, Dried Fruit, Tobacco
Tuscany: Used for Super Tuscans 100% Varietals (Toscana IGT, Bolgheri DOC, Maremma Toscanna DOC)
Cabernet Sauvignon
(New World)
Thin Skin, Dry, Deep Color, Medium – Full Body, High Acidity, High Tannin, Intense Flavor Blackcurrant and Cedar
Maipo Valley: Elegant, Structured with Mint Character
Premium Chile: Full, Body, Very Ripe Black Fruit, Herbaceous, Blends Merlot, Carmenère, Syrah,
South Africa: Varietal or Bordeaux Blends, Ripe Red & Black Fruit, Blackcurrant, Cedar, Early Drinkin
USA: Less Rich, Full Body, High Acidity, Concentrated Cassis, More Blackcurrant
Argentina: Maipu, Mendoza, La Rioja, Salta NOT Patagonia
Coonawarra/Margaret River: Ripe Blackcurrant, Black Cherry, Toast
Cabernet Sauvignon How it is made
- Destemmed and Crushed: whole bunches give herbaceous & astringent character (stems don’t ripen)
- Pre-Fermentation Maceration: maximize color & flavor extraction
- Controlled Fermentation Temperature: 26°C – 30°C warm enough for sufficient extraction, cool enough to keep fresh fruit
- Reduction Cap Management & Fermentation Temperature: to reduce over extraction
- Post-fermentation Maceration – adds more tannins and softens already extracted
- Maturation New Oak – with intense flavors and high tannins, New Oak flavors do not overwhelm and soften
- Blending – Increases Body / Reduces High e.g. Merlot can Soften and add fruit
Carignan (S France)
Cariñena (Catalunya)
Mazuelo (Rioja)
Are high yielding black grapes producing
Deep Color, Medium Body, High Acidity, High Tannin.
Red Fruit flavors of Raspberry, Cranberry, Lacks Fruit , cranberry/ Lacks Fruit Finesse, the best are lower yielding, old vines in poor soils.
Used in blends in Tempranillo and Priorat
Use Semi-Carbonic maceration to reduce Tannins in S France
Carmenère (Chile)
Chilean signature that is Late Ripening successful in warmest & sunniest sites. Full-bodied, High Tannin can display Herbaceous quality when underripe. Black Fruit and Herbal aromas with good balance
Cooler Elqui = peppery
Warmer Colchagua = Intense Black Fruit, Fuller Body
Chardonnay (Australia)
Often a blend of fruit from different regions
Unoaked for Peach flavours
Oak chips/staves for Toast/Vanilla flavours
Chardonnay
(Chablis - Burgundy)
Steely & High Acid
Riper more Concentrated Fruit, Citrus over Green Apple
Balanced & Complex
Style 1: Some aged in Old Oak for rounder texture & subtle flavors
Style 2: Stainless or concrete for Pure Fruit
50% vineyards are Chardonnay in Burgundy
Pioneers MLF, Lees and Oak (6-9 months)
Chardonnay (Chile)
Modern International Style
Citrus, Green Apple, Toast, Caramel
Limari – structure and elegance
Aconcaqua Valley, Casablanca
San Antonio Valley, Leyda Valley, Malleco
Chardonnay
(New Zealand)
Concentrated Citrus and Tropical fruit Toast and Sweet Spice FRENCH OAK
Gisborne produce 50% of its vine and makes distinct ripe Tropical Fruit, Central Otago, Marlborough, and Auckland
Chardonnay (South Africa)
Can be exceptional at cooler sites (Walker Bay)
Burgandian style such as lees & Oak Barrel fermentation for complexity
Base for Cap Classique sparkling wines
Chardonnay
(USA)
Most Planted Grape in CA
Styles
- Inexpensive from Central Valley – inexpensive, High Volume, Fruity, Low-to Medium Acidity and sometimes use Oak staves, Chips for toasty note
- High Quality – Full Body, Low Acidity, High Alcohol, flavors of peach, banana, oak, hazelnut and butter
- Less Oak in cooler regions – Los Carneros, Russian River Valley
Chardonnay
(Cote d’Or)
Complex & expressive
Full Body, Riper Fruit Balanced Acidity
Deep with age to Vegetal
Chardonnay
(Geelong)
Full Body, Complex, concentrated
Chardonnay
(Mornington Peninsula)
High acidity (reflecting the cool climate)
Usually softened by MLF
Citrus, Pear and Apple aromas
Chardonnay
(Warm – Australia)
Beautifully balanced with Fresh, Vibrant fruit
Use of lees, MLF and/or oak maturation
Margaret River
Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhône)
Up to 13 grapes in blend. Dominated by Grenache (GSMC).
Full Body, Rich Texture, High Alcohol Concentrated Spiced Red Fruit (raspberry, red plum), Mourvèdre adds gamey, meaty quality.
Chenin Blanc
(Loire)
Dry-Sweet, Still or Sparkling, High Acidity, Non-Aromatic
Green Fruit, Herbaceous, Tropical
(Apricot & Citrus Peel for noble rot)
Steely, Smoke, Honey, Toast & Hay
Needs several passes in vineyard to pick due to under ripeness (dictates style)
Chenin Blanc (South Africa)
World’s most versatile grape - Early budding, Later ripening
Complex: Old vines, High Acidity (susceptible to Noble Rot), Apple, Floral, Honey
From Barrel Ageing - Concentrated & Complex flavors, Fuller Texture - Extra Body & Toast Oak flavors
Basic: Dry & Sweet, High Natural Acidity, Simple Stone Fruit
Cooler Syrah vs Warmer Syrah
Lighter in body with more pepper
V
Greater intensity of Black Fruit and Fuller Body
Struggles with hot.
For blends adds color and tannin
Cornas
100% Syrah (only reds allowed)
Deep Color, Full Body, Similar to Hermitage, but more rustic
Best vineyards sheltered from wind - very steep terraces
Cortese
Gavi DOCG
Cortese di Gavi DOCG
Gavi di Gavi DOCG
(Piemonte)
CORTESE GRAPE
Pale, Light-bodied, White WIne, High acidity - Not Complex
Aromas/flavours of Citrus, Green Apples and Pears
Style 1: Protectively, with cool fermentation in stainless steel
Style 2: Fermentation in old oak, Lees stirring
Some can drink early, some can age
Corvina
(Veneto)
Valpolicella/Amarone Wine
Late ripening, small berry
Thin Skin, Moderate Color, Low-Med Tannin, High Acidity
Red Cherry Flavors, Add local grapes to enhance color and tannin
Coteaux de Layon
(Loire)
A sweet Chenin Blanc with High Acidity and flavors of lemon, pineapple and marmalade and apricot from botrytis.
The most famous are Quarts de Chaume & Bonnezeaux and have their own appellation
Côtes de Bordeaux
(Bordeaux)
Merlot based wines meant for early drinking
Côtes du Rhône Villages
- Minimum alcohol levels
- Maximum yields
- A greater percentage of the blend must be made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre
-
100% of the wine must come from the village on the label
* Have more body, structure and Spiced Red Fruit v Cote du Rhone*
Such as Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne
Crozes-Hermitage Syrah
Most production volume - Max 15% Marsanne/Roussanne
M-H Acidity, M-H Tannin, Black Fruit & Spice
Quality varies dramatically
More Concentrated, Complex & Tannic
Some more expensive are aged in oak
Describe a wine from Côte-Rôtie
Red wines made primarily from Syrah sometime fermented up to 20% Viognier to help stabilize color extraction and add aromatics.
The Wines are Floral and Elegant, Deep color, Full bodied, Med-High Tannins with Black fruit (Blackberry, Black Cherry), Spicy Black pepper aromas and Floral Violet aromas. The use of oak is subject to the wine maker.
Describe the 4 Beaujolais
Moulin-à-Vent & Morgan produce Structured wines with fruit concentration and tannins allowing for ageing
Brouilly and Fleurie produce more lighter, perfumed styles under wide range of production (oak to semi-carbonic/whole grapes)
Dolcetto
(Dolcette d’Alba DOC, Piemonte)
Earlier Ripening - Produces Fine Wines
Deep Purple Color, Med-High Tannin, Med Acidity
Aromas of Black Plums, Red Cherries & Dried Herbs
- It can be planted in cooler sites*
- Drunk you, best can age*
Gamay
(Beaujolais)
Carbonic and Semi-carbonic maceration. Light Body, Light Tannin with red berry fruit notes of Kirsch, Banana, Cinnamon. Trained in Goblet
Garganega
(Recioto di Soave DOCG)
Made from Garganega using Passito method (or grapes picked early with higher acidity and dried indoors to concentrate sugar, increase structure, color & flavor).
The grapes have high sugar content which naturally stops fermentation and thus are
Sweet, Medium Body, High Acidity, High Alcohol with intense green fruit of Pear, Green Apple, Peach, Apricot, White Pepper
Garganega
(Veneto)
Soave Classico - Late ripening & semi-aromatic - foothills
Medium Body, Medium to High Acidity
Aromas of Pears, Red Apple and Stone fruit, White Pepper age to Almonds & Honey
No typical aromas/flavours of new oak
Garnacha Tinta
(Upper Ebro)
Normally late Ripening, but early in Spain given Warm/Hot climate
High Drought tolerance
Sweet, Thick Skinned Grape, High ABV
Primarily for Rosados
Priorat: blends with Cariganan - Deep, colored, High Tannin, Fresh Black Fruit, Toast Oak
RIoja: Planted in Baja, Blends with Tempranillo, adds Perfume, Body, Tannins
Gewürztraminer
(Alsace)
Aromatic, Deep Gold Color, Full-bodied, LOW to Medium Acidity, High Alcohol renowned for pungent flavors of ROSE, LYCHEE SWEET BAKING SPICE with OILY texture
Gew has less acidity than Pinot Gris, more aromatics
Graciano
(Upper Ebro)
Hard to grow, Buds late, Prone to powdery Mildew Primarily used Rioja for blends
Small amount adds Tannin, Acidity, Concentrated Black Fruit for Structure
Grenache
(Rhône)
Can tolerate drought conditions, strong winds and needs plenty of heat to ripen
Concentrated, Spiced Red Fruit flavours
Too hot - baked & jammy
Syrah added for color and tannin
Grenache (S France)
Granacha (Spain)
Late Ripening, Needs Warm Climate, Drought Resistant, Thin Skin
Full Body, Low Acidity, High Alcohol, Red Fruit
Adds Body, Perfume and Alcohol to Tempranillo
Rosados, Priorat (earlier ripening in Spain)
Rhône with GSM – Full Body, Richly Textured, Spicy Fruit
Grüner Veltliner
(Weinviertel DAC, Austria)
Austria’s most widely planted white grape. If high yields produces fresh and unexciting
Controlled Yields: Concentrated Full Body, High Acidity, with Lemon, Grapefruit, Peach, Apricot and White Pepper. Age for Honey and Toast.
Klassik indicates a wine that is light, fresh, and fruity with no discernable oak flavors.
Reserve wines must have a higher minimum alcohol and may be matured in oak
Hermitage
Syrah + Marsanne and Roussanne (no more than 15%)
Deep Colored, Fullest Body in N Rhône, Can age
Lieux-Dits - a named vineyard site Not AOC, which organizes Hermitage, each vary in steepness, aspect, giving wines subtle differences
Usually blends but now some single variety
High Volume St Joseph
Lighter-bodied & Fruitier
Often incorporating carbonic maceration
Blackcurrant & Raspberry, Expressing Pepper perfume aspects of Syrah
Lightest Bodied in N Rhône
Mâcon Village
(Chardonnay – Burgundy)
White only, similar to Mâcon, Med – Full Body, Med Acidity more ripeness, body and character
Lugny has a reputation
Malbec
(Argentina)
Deep Colored, Full Body, Smooth Tannins, Blackberry, Black Plum, Subtle Spicy Vanilla, Clove from new oak.
Higher altitude are more elegant, with fresher floral aromas.
Oak is used for HQ Malbec (lower altitude increase body and concentration) Blended with CabSav, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot
Newer Style - More elegant, Using gentler methods of extraction
Melon Blanc (Loire)
Muscadet
Melon de Bourgogne
Frost resistant and Early Ripening suited for a cool climate
Mostly found in Nantais, Loire
White Grape, Light Body, High Acitiy & Green Fruit
Merlot
(Australia)
Mostly blended with CabSav for body and fleshy and plummy fruit.
Merlot
(Bordeaux)
Most Widely Planted in Bordeaux can grow in cool soils e.g. clay.
Often found in high volume inexpensive wine
Harvesting grapes early, for Deep Ruby, Dry, Full Body, High Acidity, High Tannin, Medium Alcohol with more fresh red fruits as well as vegetal and leafy notes. Often 12-18 months of new oak for toast, vanilla and clove
Merlot (Chile)
Style 1: Inexpensive, medium-bodied and fruity (has been very successful on export markets), Spicy, Green Pepper
Style 2: Fuller-bodied and complex is also found
Often blended with Carmenère
Merlot (New Zealand)
Merlot has second largest plantings and is blended with CabSav for tannins and Cassis to create Bordeaux style blends. Known for purity of fruit flavor.
Almost exclusively in the North Island which is warmer where grapes can ripen