Fortified Wines

Question 1

What is used to fortify wines?

Answer 1

Distilled spirits of grape origin with no flavors.

Question 2

Why were wines originally fortified?

Answer 2

To preserve the wine for long distance travel.

Question 3

What are the two timing options for fortifying wine?

Answer 3

1. During fermentation (ex. port)

2. After fermentation (ex. sherry)

Question 4

Why would a winemaker choose to fortify during fermentation?

Answer 4

To retain sugars and freshness.

Question 5

Why would a winemaker choose to fortify after fermentation?

Answer 5

To produce a dry wine.

Question 6

What are the aging techniques for fortified wines?

Answer 6

• no-aging (no oak)
• biological aging
• oxidative aging

Question 7

What is the result of not aging the wine?

Answer 7

Primary fruit aromas and flavors are featured.

Question 8

What is biological aging?

Answer 8

Aging is a barrel with a film of yeast called flor (ex. sherry)

Question 9

What is result of oxidative aging?

Answer 9

• brown coloring
• loss of primary fruit aromas/flavors
• development of tertiary aromas

Question 10

What is flor?

Answer 10

The thin veil or layer of indigenous yeast cells that forms on top of sherry wines and protects them from oxidation.

Question 11

What are the different types of sherry?

Answer 11

1. Fino
2. Amontillado
3. Oloroso
4. Palo Cortado
5. Cream

Question 12

What is unique about the process of aging fino and mazanilla sherries?

Answer 12

They are biologically aged (*flor), keeping it free of qoxygen exposure.

Question 13

How is amontillado sherry aged?

Answer 13

The process beings with biological aging (like fino and manzanilla), the flor dies and separates creating openings, and the wine oxidizes.

Question 14

How is oloroso sherry aged?

Answer 14

Oxidative aging only (it is produced without flor yeast).

*It is fortified to 18% alcohol after fermentation so no yeast can develop.

Question 15

How is palo cortado sherry produced?

Answer 15

Originally destined to be fino sherry, but the wine is refortified after the flor dies.

Question 16

What are the five main port grapes?

Answer 16

1. Touriga Nacional
2. Tinta Barocco
3. Tinta Francesa
4. Tinta Roriz
5. Tinta Cao

Question 17

What are the types of barrel-aged port ?

Answer 17

1. Tawny
2. Colheita
3. Garraeira

Question 18

What are tawny port aging levels?

Answer 18

A barrel-aged port, aged 10, 20, 30, or 40 years.

Question 19

What is a colheita port?

Answer 19

It is a single-vintage blend of tawny ports.

Question 20

What is a garrafeira port?

Answer 20

A single vintage port aged both oxidatively (barrel) and in the bottle.

Question 21

What are the types of bottle-aged port and how long do they age before being released?

Answer 21

1. Ruby (2-3 Y) (book)
2. Reserve (5-7 Y)
3. Rose port (?)
4. White port (?)
5. Late bottled vintage (4-6 Y)
6. Vintage (2 Y)

Question 22

What is the primary grape for Madeira?

Answer 22

Tinta Negra Mole

Question 23

What are the four styles of madeira?

Answer 23

1. Sercial - driest style (aperitif)
2. Verdelho - medium dry style (aperitif)
3. Boal/bual - dark amber (dessert wine)
4. Malmsey - Dark Amber (dessert wine - sweetest style)

Question 24

What are the quality levels of madeira and how long does each age?

Answer 24

1. Finest (3 years)
2. Reserve (5 years)
3. Special Reserve (10 years)
4. Extra Reserve (15 years)
5. Vintage (at least 20 years)

Question 25

What is the process used to age sherry?

Answer 25

The solera system

Question 26

What is the name of the process used to produce madeira and explain it?

Answer 26

The estufa process

After the spirit is added to the wine, it is heated in an oven room and kept at 104 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit for several months. This process speeds up maturation of the wine and caramelizes the sugar.