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54 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Where does winemaking begin, and how?
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In the vineyard.
- choice of site - selection of grape varieties/clones - plans for both vineyard layout & trellising systems |
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Main difference between red/white wines
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Red wine = grapes fermented with red grape skins
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Advantages of leaving stems in must for pressing/fermentation
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- allow for better air circulation in vat
- aids in extraction of color/tannin w/ skins - add tannic strength for grapes that are less tannic |
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MUST
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soupy mass of crushed grapes, juice, skins, pulp, seeds
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Creation of alcohol in winemaking
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yeasts + sugar (in grape juice) = alcohol + CO<sub>2</sub>
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How is alcohol level in wine dictated by grapes?
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- the more ripe the grapes, the more sugar in the juice/pulp
- the more sugar in the juice/pulp, the higher the alcohol will be |
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What are grape skins responsible for in winemaking?
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- wine's aroma/flavor
- color - tannin |
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Alcohol's effect on finished wine
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Affects:
- body - texture - aroma/flavor - high alcohol supports higher acidity |
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Acid's contribution to finished wine
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gives wine vivacity & makes it thirst-quenching
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VOLATILE ACIDITY
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a.k.a "V.A"
- not an inherent part of grape - acetic acid formed by bacteria during/after fermentation - makes wine smell vinegary, somewhat dank/sour |
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tannin's affect on finished wine
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- sensed as wine's structure/backbone
- natural preservative |
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types of tannin and their affects on finished wine
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1. GOOD, RIPE TANNIN - richly-colored, structured wines that don't taste bitingly astringent
2. BAD, UNRIPE TANNIN - blunt wines w/ almost ragged dryness |
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FRUITINESS in finished wine
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wine's propensity to display fruit-like aromas/flavors
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SWEETNESS in finished wine
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wine may/may not contain residual sugar from grapes
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methods for ensuring residual sugar in winemaking
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1. yeasts die off before all sugar is converted
2. fermentation is halted by winemaker before all sugar is converted |
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purpose of leaving an <i>undetectable<i> amount residual sugar
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- balances tartness of acidity
- augments wine's fruitiness |
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DRYNESS in wine
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all or virtually all residual sugar is converted to alcohol.
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estimated percentage of tangible dryness/sweetness levels in wines
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2% residual sugar - still considered dry
3% residual sugar - off-dry, sometimes slightly sweet 5% to 30% - dessert wines *estimates depending on varying levels of acidity |
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red wine fermentation process
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1. grapes crushed, stems removed (or not)
2. crushed grapes, juice, skins, seeds placed in tank 3. yeasts added, if not relying on ambient yeasts 4. fermentation begins (malolactic now/later/never) 5. skin cap pumped down or over 6. fermentation complete, wine pressed off skins 7. put into barrels to age 8. wine periodically racked 9. wine possibly fined/filtered 10. bottling |
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methods for breaking up CAP of skins that float over red wine
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1. punching down w/ mechanical plate or rake-like pole
2. a hose is run from the bottom of tank to the top, pumps juice back over the cap, breaking it up |
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COLD STABILIZATION
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- mainly for WHITE wines
- chilling wines down to point slightly above freezing for several days - precipitates tartrate crystals (solid form of tartaric acid) out of wine |
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common ranges of alcohol level after fermentation
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8% to 15%
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CARBONIC MACERATION
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- different red wine-making process from traditional
- whole bunches of grapes are placed, unpressed, into large fermenting tank, in which oxygen is replaced w/ CO2 - weight from top grapes crushes bottom grapes - yeasts naturally present on grape skins starts fermentation, which releases more CO2 - CO2 passes into grape berries, fermenting from the inside out. |
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purpose of barrel-aging wine
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complex chemical interactions take place that gradually/subtly alter wine/s aroma, flavor, texture
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RACKING
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- process of allowing solids to settle to the bottom of the vat or barrel during wine aging
- wine is poured off the solids (sediment), or drawn off solids - also aerates the wine, helping it mature |
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MALOLACTIC fermentation
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- process that most red wines/many whites go through naturally during barrel aging
- brought on by benign bacteria. tart malic acid converted to softer malic acid, making wine taste softer |
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FINING
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- clarifying a wine of minute solids still suspended in liquid
- bentonite, a granular clay coagulant, or some type of protein coagulant (egg whites/casein/gelatin) is stirred into the wine, attaching itself to particles, falling to bottom of barrel |
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purposes of filtering
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- helps wine to avoid being spoiled by bacteria
- helps stabilize wine - helps clarify wine |
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disadvantages of filtering
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- may result in lesser-quality wine
- excessive filtering removes desirable particles, thus stripping wine of some of its flavors/aromas |
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ideal temperature ranges for fermenting red wines & white wines
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REDS: 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit
WHITES: 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit |
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purpose of fermenting white wines at lower temperatures than reds
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goal is not to extract color, but preserve freshness/delicacy of the fruit
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SUR-LIE
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- wines that are left on their "lees," or spent yeasts
- adds slightly richer texture - sometimes adds more complexity to wine |
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white winemaking process
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1. grapes pressed, skins removed, juice added to tank
2. yeasts added, if not relying on ambient yeasts 3. fermentation begins (malolactic now/later/never) 4. fermentation complete 5. wine left on lees (if necessary) 6. racked off lees (if necessary) 7. cold stabilized (if necessary) 8. barrel-aged (if necessary) 9. fined/filtered (if necessary) 10. bottled |
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purpose of adding SULFUR DIOXIDE to must before fermentation
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- blocks metabolic processes of many bacteria
- renders naturally-occurring yeasts inactive, so maker can add one strain of pure selected yeast himself - gives makers more control over fermentation process |
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types of fermentation containers
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- cement tank - open top OR closed/glass-lined
- stainless steel tank - large, refrigerated - fiberglass tank - cured - wooden vat - large, upright - wooden barrel - small/large |
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stainless steel vs. wood
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STAINLESS STEEL:
- light to medium-bodied wine - crisp, clean style - simple, aromatic fruit flavors WOOD: - fuller, richer style - more rounded tannin, softer - more complex, multidimensional |
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alternatives to aging in oak barrels
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- oak staves lowered into stainless tank
- oak chips thrown into wine in stainless tank |
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SÜSSRESERVE
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- "sweet reserve"
- reserved juice from sweet, late harvest/botrytis-infected grapes - after pressing, but before fermentation, maker can put aside portion of juice & stabilize/centrifuge so it won't ferment - after other juice is fermented, reserve juice can be added to enhance fruitiness/sweetness |
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styles of sparkling wine production
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- mèthode champenois
- transfer method - charmat (tank) method |
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MÈTHODE CHAMPENOISE process
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1. base wines created
2. blending of base wines 3. liqueur de tirage 4. bottling 5. second fermentation 6. aging 7. riddling 8. dègorgement 9. liqueur de expèdition (dosage) 10. corking 11. resting/aging |
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TRANSFER method process
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- similar to mèthode champenoise, up to and including second fermentation in the bottle
1. after bottle fermentation, sparkling wine is transferred, under pressure, from the bottles to a tank where it's filtered to get rid of sediment. 2. dosage added and wine re-bottled 3. no remuage, no dègorgement |
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CHARMAT (TANK) method process
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1. wine placed in closed, pressurized tank
2. sugar/yeast added to create sparkling wine 3. wine filtered/clarified in bulk 4. bottling |
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GOVERNO
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-winemaking practice popular in some parts of Italy
- makers add small % of dried grapes to an alreay fermented wine. causes wine to referment - increases alcohol - increases glycerol - creates richer, smoother texture & more body |
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methods to prevent unwanted malolactic fermentation
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1. by fining/filtering out spent yeast cells, proteins, bacteria
2. by chilling wine sharply or stun the bacteria w/ small dose of sulfur dioxide |
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purpose of NOT aging in oak
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light-bodied wines have a structure too small to shoulder the weighty sweet vanilla/oak flavors the wood imparts
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oxygen's effect during barrel-aging
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- minute amounts of oxygen from outside seep through the grain and into the barrel
- helps to weave together the elements of the wine, giving it softer dimension |
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main types of oak used in winemaking
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- Quercus alba (American)
- Quercus robur (central France) - Quercus sessiliflora (eastern France) |
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difference between new & used barrels
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- extraction rate of vanilla/oak flavors differs based on the grain of the wood
- some wines leave layers of natural deposits on the insides of the barrels, which, over time, shield a wine from any wood contact whatsoever |
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Why would (normally) a wine fermented <i>and</i> aged in oak taste less oaky than a finished wine aged in oak?
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- When a wine is fermented in oak, the yeasts also interact with the wood.
- when the spent yeast cells are ultimately removed from the wine, a measure of the wood tannin may be removed with them |
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different options in implementing the use of oak
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1. ferment in oak, but not age in it
2. age in oak, but not ferment in it 3. use a little of both 4. use none of either |
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methods for manually stopping fermentation
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1. small dose of SO2 added, kills the yeasts before they've converted all the sugars
2. chilling the wine, then filtering out the yeasts |
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methods for acquiring grapes high in sugar for sweet/dessert wines
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1. late-harvest - grapes picked after regular harvest when their sugar content is very high
2. grapes picked, laid out on mats and allowed to raisinate, thereby concentrating sugar 3. permitted to freeze on the vine. frozen water is separated from sugary juice 4. grapes attacked by noble rot (botrytis cinerea), which consumes some of the water & helps more to evaporate, concentrating the sugar |
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CHAPTALIZATION
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addition of sugar to a low-alcohol wine before and/or during fermentation so the yeasts will have more sugar to convert and the alcohol level will be increased
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main labeling differences between new world and old world wines
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NEW WORLD - typically labeled by grape variety
OLD WORLD - typically labeled by geographic region |
