Zraly Intro Test Flashcards
What are the main tastes of wine?
Sweet
Sour
Bitter
What are the three sources that go into a wines flavor?
Grapes
Fermentation
Aging/Maturation
What specific of grape is used to make the most wine?
Vitis Vinifera
What are three grapes that have high tannins?
Nebbiolo
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah/Shiraz
What is terroir?
The “somewhereness” of the grape - sun, weather, climate, rainfall, nearby plants, etc
What is Brix?
The winemakers measure of sugar in the grapes
What is phylloxera?
A grape louse that kills the entire plant
What does the term noble rot refer to?
Botrytis cinerea, makes sweet wines with a distinctive honeyed flavor
What is the equation for fermentation?
Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol + CO2
What is the percent alcohol range in table wine?
8-15%
What is the percent alcohol range in sparkling wine?
8-12%
What is the percent alcohol range in fortified wine?
17-22%
What is must?
the juice and skin mixture that comes from the grapes
How is white wine made from red grapes?
The skins are removed immediately after picking
What is maceration?
The must of black grapes goes into the fermentation tank where they are soaked to extract aromas, tannins and color, it increases aromatics and mouthfeel.
Define “Chapatalization”
Sugar is added to grape must before fermentation so the yeast is able to generate more alcohol in the final wine, where it is legal
Named after Jean-Antoine Chaptal
What is Residual Sugar?
Natural sugars that remain undigested by yeast after fermentation
Where does tannin come from?
Comes from the skins, pits and stems of grapes, Can also come from wood. It is a natural preservative.
What is malolactic fermentation?
Secondary fermentation that turns tart malic acid into softer lactic acid
What is meant by vintage on a wine label?
Indicates the year the grapes were harvested
What characteristics indicate a wine will last more than 5 years?
Color and grape Vintage Location of vineyard Vinification - how it was made Correct storage conditions
What is a “corked wine”?
must aroma caused by the organic compound TCA
How is sulfur dioxide used in winemaking?
is a natural antioxidant, preservative and disinfectant
What is the difference between a vertical and horizontal tasting?
vertical - comparing same wine from different vintages
horizontal - tasting wines from the same vintage
What happens to the color of white wines as they get older?
They turn brown
What happens to the color of red wines as they get older?
They turn brown
What is the difference between bouquet and aroma?
Bouquet is the total smell of the wine
Aroma is the smell of the grapes
Why do you swirl a wine before smelling it?
It releases the esters and aldehydes that combine with oxygen to release more of the bouquet and aroma?
