White/Sweet Winemaking

Question 1

What kind of adjustments to the winemaking process are common for high-volume, inexpensive white wines?

Answer 1

• Acidification (grapes often grown in warm/hot regions)
• Clarification w/ centrifuge (to ensure fruity flavors)
• Fermentation at low temperatures
• Chilling wine and adding SO2 (to stop MLF)
• Racked off lees and stored in new vessel after fermentation (to avoid lees ageing)
• Adding sugar (grape juice or RCGM) after fermentation to dryness
• Stabilizing, fining, and sterilizing the wine
• Topping off wine with So2 (to minimize the risk of oxidation)

Question 2

Describe the sweetness levels of Riesling in the main winemaking regions.

Answer 2

Germany: Range of sweetness
Alsace: Mainly dry, sometimes late harvest or noble rot
Austria: Usually either dry or very sweet
Australia: Bone dry (very acidic)
Washington: Dry
New Zealand: Off-dry (fruity)
Finger Lakes: Off-dry (fruity)

Question 3

What are the exceptions to the standard winemaking options for premium Riesling?

Answer 3

• Use large oak vessels instead of inert vessels to enhance texture and complexity w/o adding oak aromas (done in Alsace)
• Undergo lees contact to add texture and flavors
• Age the wine in old-oak vats for up to 1 year before bottling (done in Alsace, Germany)

Question 4

Describe Sauvignon Blanc from Pessac-Leognan.

Answer 4

• Winemaking technique is similar to non-aromatic varieties
• Fermented and matured in some oak to round body and add flavor
• Blended with Semillon to gain body and richness
• Matured on lees and undergoes MLF

This style is also common in California and New Zealand (in addition to the standard style)

Question 5

Describe the winemaking choices for premium, aromatic white wines.

Answer 5

• Monitor SO2 levels during the winemaking process
• Load crushed fruit or whole bunches into the press
• Gentle clarification (settling) to ensure pure flavors
• Use inert vessels
• Cool fermentation temperatures to encourage primary fruit flavors
• Add SO2 to avoid MLF
• Bottle soon after fermentation

Question 6

When would you want to sterilize filter a white wine?

Answer 6

When the wine contains residual sugar

Sterilizing removes the yeast and bacteria

Question 7

What happens to white wines fermented at too low temperatures?

Answer 7

Wines develop pear drop aromas
Can fail to capture varietal fruit characteristics

Question 8

What happens to white wines fermented at too high temperatures?

Answer 8

Wines develop complex, non-fruit aromas
Might lose varietal fruit characteristics

Question 9

When do you clarify white wines? How do you do it?

Answer 9

Clarify after pressing, before fermentation

Methods: Settling, centrifugation, fining, filtration

Question 10

Why might you avoid clarifying white wines? When would you do it?

Answer 10

Can avoid clarification to add complexity and a richer texture

Done for wines that don’t need to show pure varietal character

Question 11

Describe the winemaking options for premium, non-aromatic white wines.

Answer 11

• Crushed or loaded into press as whole bunches
• Sometimes controlled exposure to oxygen to improve ability to age
• Gentle clarification (settling). Solid matter might be left in for complexity and texture
• Stainless steel fermentation (Chablis, NZ Pinot Gris, NE Italy Pinot Grigio)
• Small, new oak barrel fermentation (Cote D’or Chardonnay)
• Large, old oak barrel fermentation (Alsace Pinot Gris)
• Barrel maturation (new oak for Cote D’or and New World Chardonnay, old oak/large barrels for Chablis)
• Stainless steel/concrete maturation to retain fresh, fruity aromas
• MLF for rounder mouthfeel (Burgundy) or to soften sharp acidity (Chablis)
• Less contact (including lees stirring) is common