Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
22 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Perhaps the indigenous home, and likely the namesake, of Chardonnay is the village of Chardonnay. Where is it located?
(N Jan 11) |
The Mâconnais, Burgundy
|
|
|
Qualities of the Grenache varietal
(M Jan 11) |
Grenache vines bud early and require a long growing season in order tofully ripen. This grape is often one of the last to be harvested, often ripening weeks after Cabernet Sauvignon. It thrives in warm, dry conditions. The long ripening process = high levels of sugar,
which means Grenache-based wines are capable of substantial alcohol levels, often at least 15%. |
|
|
Typically, yeasts used to ferment wine can tolerate alcohol levels of at most 16 percent before they die. But a recently developed fast-acting yeast can actually push levels to 20 percent. What is it called?
(N Jan 10) |
Turbo yeast
|
|
|
Which Champagne house was first?
(M Jan 10) |
That question can’t be given astraightforward answer due to the fact that the bubbly beverage we now
call Champagne was preceded for centuries by wines from Champagne that were still rather than sparkling. Most experts agree that the house with the oldest documentation as a producer of such wines (and still in existence today) is Gosset, whereas the house first registered as a producer of modern sparkling Champagne is Ruinart. |
|
|
List top world wine vintages
(N Jan 9) |
France: 1990, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010 (2002 for Champagne, 2007 for Rhones, 2001 for White Bordeaux)
US: 2001, 2007 for Napa Cab Germany: 1990, 2001, 2005, 2009 Italy: 2004, 2006 (also 2001, 2007 for Piemonte region) Australia: 2005 for Barossa Source: Those that were rated a "10" on a scale of 1 to 10 on BBR: http://www.bbr.com/vintage-chart and/or rated "Extraordinary" on Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Vintage Guide: https://www.erobertparker.com/newsearch/vintagechart1.aspx |
|
|
Top port vintages
(M Jan 9) |
1963
1966 1970 1977 1980 1985 1994 1997 2000 2003 2005 2007 Sources: http://www.thevintageportsite.com/section.php?id=1391 http://www.vintageport.biz/port_vintage_chart.html |
|
|
The geographic division between Napa and Sonoma Counties is marked by what?
(N Jan 8) |
Mayacamas Mountains
|
|
|
What's the story behind the origination of Corton-Charlemagne?
(M Jan 8) |
According to local legend, the great French white Burgundy, Corton-Charlemagne, owes its existence, not to the emperor Charlemagne, but to his wife. The red wines of Corton stained his white beard so messily that she persuaded him to plant vines that would produce white wines. Charlemagne ordered white grapes to be
planted. Thus Corton-Charlemagne! |
|
|
What's the only Bordeaux first-growth that makes a white wine that is considered the equal of its red grand vin?
(N Jan 7) |
Château Haut-Brion is the only Bordeaux first-growth estate that makes a dry Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon blend that is considered the equal of its red grand vin.
|
|
|
What is Bobal?
(M Jan 7) |
Bobal: a dark skinned grape variety native to Spain. It comprises 90% of the wine vines in the Utiel-Requena DO and can also be found in small amounts in other regions of Spain, Rosellón in France, and Sardinia in Italy. Wines produced from this grape tend to be fruity with low alcohol content and high acidity. It is generally resistant to temperature extremes and grows so vigorously that it requires severe pruning.
|
|
|
The word Merlot is derived from the French term "merle," which translates to which French word?
(N Jan 6) |
Blackbird
|
|
|
Who first sealed wine bottles (in the 18th century) using cork imported from Spain or Portugal?
(M Jan 6) |
The English were the first to seal wine bottles (in the 18th century), using cork imported from Spain or Portugal.
|
|
|
Describe some color qualities of pinot gris.
(N Jan 5) |
Because of its pinkish-gray skin color, this white wine grape (pinot gris or pinot grigio) can actually produce a salmon-hued wine or an orange wine when the juice is left in contact with the skins.
|
|
|
What is the oldest winery in Napa?
(M Jan 5) |
The oldest (continuously operating) winery in Napa is...... Beringer!
|
|
|
Describe some qualities of "Côtes de Gascongne"
(N Jan 4) |
Côtes de Gascongne: A wine subregion in Southwest France (located in the département of the Gers in the French region Midi-Pyrénées), and makes wine that my uncle has been raving about. Didn't realize there were French wine regions that had such disparate varietals -- the varietals used in white wine (this is the wine he raves about) includes Colombard, Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Len de l'El, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle, Ugni Blanc. Varietals used in red and rosé wine include Abouriou, Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Duras, Fer, Négrette, Portugias bleu, Malbec, Tannat. This region also has alluvial soil with clay and sand.
|
|
|
What is the world’s most expensive wine sold directly from a winery?
(M Jan 4) |
The Australian winery Penfolds last year announced “2004 Block 42.” The $168,000 wine is a produced from a single vineyard, from what the winery claims are the oldest continuously producing Cabernet Sauvignon
vines in the world. It will be sold in 12 glass ampoules. When a decision is made to open the Ampoule a senior member of the Penfolds Winemaking team will personally attend a special opening ceremony for the owner (essentially your very own master-class). The winemaker will travel to the destination of choice, where the Ampoule will be ceremoniously removed from its glass plumb-bob casing and opened using a specially designed, tungsten-tipped, sterling silver scribe-snap. The winemaker will then prepare the wine using a beautifully crafted sterling silver tastevin. |
|
|
Describe some qualities of wine from the Rueda region.
(N Jan 3) |
A good alternative to a dry riesling to pair with Thai, Indian, Chinese food, etc.
Rueda (D.O. Rueda) is located the high plateau directly between the red wine regions of Ribera del Duero and Toro. The varietal used here is Verdejo, sometimes combined with small amounts of Viura or Sauvignon Blanc. The vines are situated at elevations between 2500 and 3000 feet, allowing the late maturing Verdejo grape to develop deep flavors and aromas. Typical flavor profile is a rich body with notes of citrus, melon, and minerality. |
|
|
Bust the myth about red wine and sulfites
(M Jan 3) |
Red wine and sulfites - MYTHBUSTER:
FACTS * All wines contain sulfites whether added or not. Wines without any added sulfur can still contain anywhere from 5-40 ppm. * Many sweet white wines have more sulfites than red wine. * Red wines have less added sulfites than white wines as their grape skins have natural preservative ability (via tannins). * Every 24 hours our body produces sufficient sulfite to require 100 bottles of wine to be so labeled. * Wine contains about ten times less sulfites than most dried fruits. * Less than 1% of the population is sensitive to sulfites. For those that are, sulfites can cause allergy and asthma symptoms, but they don’t cause headaches. |
|
|
What is meant by the French wine term "Élevage"?
(N Jan 2) |
Élevage: French term for the progression of wine between fermentation and bottling. Comparable to the term "raising" in English; think of élevage as a wine's adolescence or education. The raw fermented juice is shaped during this period into something resembling its final form, through techniques such as barrel aging, filtering and fining. Good winemaking decisions during élevage can help the juice achieve its full potential; bad decisions can leave it flawed.
|
|
|
Describe the challenge of bubbly in large bottles.
(M Jan 2) |
On bubbly in large bottles...
Because of the size of the bottles, most champagne houses are unable to carry out secondary fermentation in bottles larger than magnum size. The wine is then decanted into the larger bottles. This inevitably causes loss of pressure and more oxidation, hence the quality of larger bottles are relatively inferior. |
|
|
What is Bentonite?
(N Jan 1) |
Bentonite: A clay compound used in the fining process of white wines. The clay binds with solids that might otherwise cause a white wine to become cloudy, removing them from the wine, although some molecules that would contribute to the wine's flavor profile are also removed in the process.
|
|
|
Describe some qualities of Pommard.
(M Jan 1) |
Pommard - (the wine we had on our last night in Amsterdam) - is produced in the commune of Pommard in Côte de Beaune of Burgundy. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) Pommard is only used for red wine with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. There are no Grand Cru vineyards within Pommard, but several highly regarded Premier Cru vineyards.
|
