Winemaking
How might winemaking differ between premium and high-volume wines
- Oak aging
- Level of SO2
- Whole bunch/destemmed
- Natural vs. commercial yeasts
- Complex styles vs. focusing on fresh fruit preservation
Are grapes for sparkling usually handpicked to retain whole bunches or machine picked to maintain acid and harvest early/quickly
Hand picked in whole bunches
You are looking for a high-end German wine to impress some business professionals. Which do you choose and what style would you expect it to be in?:
- Rheingau Riesling
- Pfalz Dornfelder
Rheingau Riesling - Prestigious region. Riesling's known for its dry style with medium to full body. Tastes of ripe peach
What region in California is known for old vine Zinfandel?
Lodi
This wine is made predominately of the Palomino grape and production is split between two classifications depending on the conditions in which they were grown and their ability to grow flor
Dry Sherry
Name 3 factors that affect the price of wine? Explain
Options:
Land - cost
Winemaking - labor, time, packaging
Go to market costs - transportation to market, taxes, retailer upmark)
Market forces - demand
Describe yeast autolysis and how it develops the flavor of a sparkling wine
The Bandol region is known for which red wine? Why does it do well in this region?
Mourvèdre - hot, dry weather in Côtes de Provence. Usually grown on south facing slopes
What is the most widely planted grape in Chile? Name 2 of the 3 blending partners used
Cabernet Sauvignon
Blends: Merlot, Carmenère, Syrah
How are Pale Cream Sherries sweetened?
RCGM - Rectified concentrated grape must
- Consistency
- Enhance complexity
- Balance out (acid, tannin)
- Mix oak and unoaked styles
How many fermentations does the Ancestral method undergo? What is a colloquial term for this method?
1 fermentation - wine is bottled part way through the 1st fermentation and continues in bottle
Name the 5 white grapes of Alsace
Riesling
Gewurztraminer
Pinot Gris
Muscat
Pinot Blanc
Which two regional pairings in the new world most match Burgundy in their productions?
Hawke's Bay and Stellenbosch
Mornington Peninsula and Marlborough
Rutherford and Riverina
Mornington Peninsula and Marlborough
Name one type of inexpensive port and one type of premium. What differentiates them?
Inexpensive: Ruby/Tawny
1-3 years old, low concentration and tannins
Special
Reserve - 6 years wood aging of a ruby or tawny
LBV - 4-6 years of aging before bottling
Tawny with Age - long oxidative maturation in pipes (10, 20, 30, 40 years)
Vintage - Bottled no later than the 3rd year after harvest and declared vintage. Most concentrated and tannic ports
How what is the temperature difference between traditional Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir fermentation?
Cabernet Sauvignon: 26-30 C to maintain fruity aromas
Pinot Noir: Over 30 C for more extraction
How do Tank method and Asti method differ?
Tank - double fermentation both in steel
Asti - single fermentation in steel. Stopped by lowering the temperature
What is the difference between a Tokaj Aszu and a Tokaj Eszencia?
Aszu - Base wine of healthy grapes then add noble rot fruit and age in oak
Eszencia - Wine of free run juice just from noble rot grapes
What geographical features/challenges does Argentina face? Name 3 ways they cope with it
Andes mountains: rain shadow, altitude
Pacific ocean: sea breezes,
Desert conditions/drought
Heat
Extreme weather and hail
adaptations: vineyards above 600m, pergolla (parral) systems, netting, irrigation from mountain streams or flood irrigation
At what degree are ports fortified to? What is the fortification agent called?
19-22% ABV
Aguardente
Rank these white varietals from early to late budding
Riesling
Chardonnay
Chardonnay - Early
Riesling - Late
List the sugar allowances for the following styles:
Brut nature
Sec
Doux
Brut nature: 0-3 g/L
Sec: 17-32 g/L
Doux: 50+ g/L
What is the difference between a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - Made of Montepulciano
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - Made from Sangiovese?
What is the most planted grape in South Africa? Discuss the different styles in which it is made
Chenin Blanc
Dry-sweet still (oaked and unoaked, old bush vines for concentrated flavors, unoaked and fresh with stone fruit flavors)
Sparkling
Brandy
What is a notable region for aged muscats? What is common practice for grape handling to make these wines?
Pick when healthy, no or some light raisining. Avoid masking fruity aromatics