8 - White and Sweet Winemaking Flashcards

Question

Winemaking choices for premium wine - aromatic grape varieties

Answer 1

- need to be **handled carefully** to retain fruit & floral aromas - **SO2** levels monitored throughout the wm process - **crushed fruit** or **whole bunches** - no vs a little **skin contact** - gentle **clarification **method, ie settling - **inert vessels** --> SS with temp.contr. - NZ, SB & Rsl --> large old oak vessels (foudres) - Alsace Rsl (small amount of oxidation to enhance texture & complexity) - **cool fermentation** temperatures - choice of **yeast** depend on the approach of the winemaker - SB: usually fermented dry - Rsl: range of styles from dry to lusciously sweet --> chilling or adding SO2 --> botr.: ferm. stops naturally - generally very **little post-fermentation** wm - MLC avoided by adding SO2 after fermentation (keep acid, avoid buttery aromas) - Rsl: may undergo a period of lees contact (add texture & flavours) - Generally bottled as soon as possible after fermentation - Alsace & sometimes Germany: Rsl in large old oak vats for up to a year - Rsl: rarely blended with other grape varieties - SB: usually a varietal wine, but may be blended with Semillon (greater body)

Answer 2

- Barrel fermented - Ambient yeast (greater complexity) - Matured on lees for a number of months - Usually MLC - Common to use new oak barrels for at least a proportion of the wine

Answer 3

- Chardonnay, Pinot Gris/Grigio - aim: enhance the base material provided by the grapes (doing relative little and keeping the grape flavours in a relatively pure form, or use a range of techniques to add more complexity and texture)

Answer 4

- can be grown and ripened without much difficulty in a wide variety of climates - early budding (can suffer in areas where spring frost is common) - warm/hot cl.: lose acidity quikly towards the end of the ripening process --> timing of harvest is critical - subtle aromas & flavours --> perfect blank canvas - cool cl.: green fruit & citrus - moderate cl.: fleshy fruits (peach & melon) - warm & hot cl.: ripe tropical fruits (banana & pineapple) Regions - **Burgundy**: - **Chablis**: high acidity, green apple & citrus, hint of wet stones & slate - **Côte d'Or**: sublte notes of stone fruit, creamy oak flavours - **Mâconnais**: more ripe & rounded, hints of toasty oak. - Most MLC, many use extended lees ageing. Age: develop complex aromas of nuts and/or mushrooms - Outside Burgundy: style & techniques used are more dependent on the preferences of the individual winemaker rather than the traditions of a particular wine region - Many used to be heavily oaked, now heading firmly away from this style of wm - **Russian River Valley**, **Los Carneros** - **Adelaide Hills**, **Geelong**, **Mornington Peninsula** - **Gisborne**, **Marlborough** - **Casablanca Valley**

Answer 5

- France vs Italy: 2 very different styles other countries may label to indicate style - Premium PG can often be almost unrecognisable from the huge volumes of less expensive Pinot Grigio on the market - early budding and ripening - can accumulate high sugar levels in warm climates or left on the vine, but lose much acidity Regions - **Alsace**: dry or off-dry, oily texture, ripe tropical fruit flavours, hint of ginger & honey, golden colour (deep grape skin colour) - **NZ**: Pinot Gris - viscous mouthfeel, medium acidity, more pure fruit flavours, often slightly more residual sugar - **Tasmania**, **Australia**, **Oregon**: Pinot Gris - rich and often dry style - **Alto Adige**, **Trentino**, **Friuli-Venezia Giulia**: high-quality Pinot Grigio in a dry style, greater depth of flavour than the cheaper versions made in high volumes from the Veneto plain (due to: climate, viticulture, clone)

Answer 6

- clone used in the northerly alpine regions of Italy --> same as typically found in Germany & France --> small berries --> greater flavour concentration - Pinot Grigio from Veneto --> pale skin --> large fleshy pulp --> produces relatively neutral wines (especially when combined with high yields and early harvesting)

Answer 7

- crushed or whole bunches (Chardonnay: wb) - some: controlled exposure to oxygen (improve ability to age) - gentle clarification, ie settling - may choose to leave some solid matter for added complexity & texture - Fermentation in a range of vessels --> Ss or concrete to retain fresh fruit flavours (Chablis, PG from north-east Italy, PG NZ) --> Large, old oak vessels (Alsace) --> Small, new oak barrels --> toasty flavours & rounder texture (Côte d'Or) - Fermentation temperature and choice of yeast may vary - Some PG contain residual sugar --> NZ: chilling or adding SO2 --> Alsace: high degree of ripeness, ferm. stops naturally - Barrel maturation, new vs old --> new oak barriques: toasty flavours (Côte d'Or, New World Chard.) --> older oak and larger barrels (Chablis, Pinot Gris/Grigio) --> ss, concrete: retain fresh fruit flavours - MLC may be encouraged (rounder, creamier mouthfeel), used in almost all the premium white wines of Burgundy - MLC may not be desirable for fruity styles of wine (decreases the perception of acidity and diminishes primary fruit flavours) - - Extended contact with the fine lees --> richer, rounder mouthfeel (both Chardonnay & Pinot Gris) --> enhance the effect using lees stirring (breaking up the sediment of fine lees and mixing it with the wine) Premium Chardonnay & Pinot Gris are not usually blended with other grape varieties

8 - White and Sweet Winemaking Flashcards

(31 cards)