D4 Sparkling Wines of France, Spain & Germany Flashcards
(120 cards)
1
Q
What problems can early-ripening Chardonnay encounter?
A
Spring Frosts
Coulure
Millerandage
2
Q
Chardonnay disease risks?
A
Powdery Mildew
Grapevine Yellows
Botrytis Bunch Rot
3
Q
What problems can early-ripening Pinot Noir encounter?
A
Spring Frosts
Coulure
4
Q
Pinot Noir disease risks?
A
Powdery Mildew Downy Mildew Botrytis Bunch Rot Fan Leaf Leaf Roll
5
Q
Why Pinot Noir & Chardonnay?
A
Early Ripening (harvested early to preserve acidity/sugar so needs ripe flavour compounds, helps avoid disease pressure) High Acid Chardonnay = Good Yields (without quality loss) & Neutral Flavours
6
Q
Factors within grape variety that dictate style?
A
Intensity of Aromas
Acidity
Response to Autolysis (Chardonnay = Creamy; Xarel-Lo = Toasty & Smoky)
7
Q
Why is healthy fruit so crucial?
A
Effervescence makes off-notes more obvious
Enzyme laccase released by botrytised grapes causes serious oxidation
8
Q
Free Run vs Press Fraction?
A
Free Run - Light & High Acid
Press Fraction - Higher Phenolics, Solids and pH (i.e. less acidic); Faster Maturation
9
Q
Benefits of Press Juice?
A
Good for shorter maturation wines i.e. for immediate consumption
10
Q
What fining agents might be used where there is excessive colour or tannin?
A
Casein
Gelatine
PVPP
11
Q
Traditional Method Fermentation Temperature?
A
14-20 Celsius; Retention of fruit flavours while hospitable to yeast
12
Q
Traditional Method Fermentation Vessel?
A
Usually stainless steel - large volumes, temperature controlled, no flavour imparting
13
Q
Traditional Method Yeast?
A
Neutral cultured yeast that copes well with high acid/low pH environments. Tank method wines from aromatic grapes may use one that also promotes thiols/esters.
Secondary fermentation, and fact that same strain used for both fermentations, means it needs to stand up to moderate ABV (10%), low pH and low temperature, high pressure, poor nutrients. Also, rapid autolysis and easy flocculation (clumping) for TM wines.
“Prise de mousse” [EC1118] most common.
14
Q
MLC/MLF?
A
Where acidity needs to be reduced, or creamy texture added.
Diacetyl (butteriness) is metabolised during secondary fermentation.
Done to prevent it happening in bottle during SF; or sterile filtered if not.
15
Q
Why Blending/Assemblage?
A
Balance Consistency Style Rosé Complexity Minimisation of Faults Volume Price
16
Q
What can be in Liqueur de Tirage?
A
Wine Must Sugar Yeast Yeast Nutrients Clarifying Agents (e.g. Bentonite)
17
Q
Traditional Method - How much sugar in secondary fermentation?
A
24g of Sucrose per litre (=~1.5% ABV increase)
18
Q
French name for secondary fermentation?
A
Prise de mousse (capturing the sparkle)
19
Q
How are bottles stored during SF?
A
Horizontally (‘Sur Latte’) at 10-12 Celsius. 4-6 weeks.
20
Q
Lees Ageing Storage?
A
Horizontally ~10 Celsius.
21
Q
Length of Lees Ageing?
A
Minimum 9 months for Cava
15-18 months provides detectable autolytic flavours
Autolysis typically stops after 5 years, but can go up to 10
The longer aged on lees, the quicker it develops post-disgorgement (so needs to be drunk quickly)
22
Q
What do lees do?
A
Antioxidant
Imparting biscuity/yeasty flavours
23
Q
French name for Hand Riddling Rack?
A
Pupitres
24
Q
French name for Gyropalette Riddling?
A
Remuage
25
Length of time for riddling?
By Hand - 8 weeks
| By Gyropalette - 3-4 days
26
Disgorgement bottle temperature?
```
7 Celsius (+ neck in freezing brine)
Low temperatures increases solubility of CO2, reducing gushing
```
27
What can be in Liqueur d'Expedition?
Wine
Sugar (Dosage)
RCGM
28
Why Dosage?
Sweeten
Balance acid in younger wines, hence less needed for older wines
Encouragement of post-disgorgement aromas (via Maillard reaction) i.e. roasted/toasted vanilla
29
Why Transfer Method?
```
Less inter-bottle variation
No riddling (less of an issue now automated)
Smaller or larger non-standard bottles as hard to riddle
```
30
What is Transfer Method?
Chilled to Zero Celsius
Pressurised Tank
Added Dosage and SO2
Sterile Filtration
31
Ancestral Method?
Pet Nat
Can be cloudy, yeast deposit, cider flavours, unpredictable sweetness from incomplete fermentations
No SO2 so needs to be drunk early
32
Names for Tank Method?
Cuve Close
Charmat
Martinotti
33
Why Tank Method?
Cheaper (no riddling, autolysis, long-ageing)
Preservation of primary characteristics, for aromatic varieties
No secondary characteristics from Maillard, autolysis or oak
34
Tank Method Fermentation Temperatures?
16-18 Celsius to preserve fruit/floral aromas but prevent cool temperature aromas e.g. pear drop
35
Temperature to Arrest SF in Tank?
2-4 Celsius once at desired pressure/sugar/ABV
36
Lees Ageing in Tank?
Rarely - expensive, but can be used with automated batonnage at low temperatures (2-4 C) over ~9 months)
37
Pre-bottling for Tank Method?
Cold Stabilisation: Reduced to 2 Celsius to precipitate tartrates
Sugar Adjusment where desired
Sterile filtration
38
Tank vs Asti Method?
Asti:
Interrupted single fermentation
CO2 allowed to escape to reduce pressure
39
Sweetness Levels in Sparkling Wine?
```
Brut Nature 0-3 g/L [Zero Dosage]
Extra Brut 0-6
Brut 0-12
Extra-Sec 12-17
Sec 17-32
Demi-Sec 32-50
Doux 50+
```
40
Body Protecting Champagne?
CIVC - Comité Champagne
| Comité Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne
41
Why is Dom Perignon Important?
```
White wine from black grapes
Coquard press
Blending across regions
Reintroduced cork stopper
Pioneered use of stronger English glass
```
42
Why is Veuve Clicquot Important?
Innovated riddling 'remuage' using pupitres
43
When was Champagne AOC boundary drawn?
1927
44
Échelle des Crus?
'Ladder of Growths' previously dictating grape prices; fed into grand/premier cru classifcations
45
Blocage?
Reserve wines - initially to reduce risk of bad harvests, later to provide consistency across vintages and improved quality through complexity
46
Annual Rainfall in Champagne?
700mm
47
Elevations in Champagne?
90-300m above sea level
48
Soil types in Champagne?
Chalk
| Chalky Soils with Limestone Subsoil
49
5 Champagne Regions?
```
Montagne de Reims
Vallée de Marne
Cote des Blancs
Cote de Sézanne
Cote des Bar
```
50
Montagne de Reims?
Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Chalky Soils
Mailly, Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay, Bouzy
Very high acidity, Some North-facing and cool climate
51
Vallée de Marne?
Pinot Meunier & Chardonnay
Clay, Marl, Sandy Soils
Ay (Grand Cru)
Frost-prone (but slightly later budding PM counteracts this)
52
Cote des Blancs?
Chardonnay
Chalk Soils
Cramant, Avize, Oger, Les Mesnil-sur-Oger
53
Cote de Sézanne?
Chardonnay,
Clay and Clay/Silt Soils
Warmer South-east facing slopes; less well-regarded
54
Cote des Bar?
Pinot Noir
Kimmeridghian Calcareous Marls Soils (as in Chablis and Sancerre)
Main grower of PN
55
4 Lesser Champagne Grapes? (<1%)
Pinot Blanc
Arbanne
Petit Meslier
Fromenteau
56
Characteristics of Pinot Meunier?
Floury white hairs
Early budding, but not as much as PN/CH so better suited to frosty environments e.g. VdM
Fruity and soft, helps to pad out young wines ready for early drinking
57
Champagne Planting Restrictions?
Maximum inter-row spacing of 1.5m
Intra-row spacing of 0.9-1.5m
Total of the 2 never exceeding 2.5m
Average density of ~8,000 vines per hectare
58
Champagne Training, Pruning & Trellising Systems?
Taille Chablis - best for Chardonnay, 3-5 cordons each with spur with up to 5 buds; lots of permanent wood to survive frosts; trained to maximum 0.6m above ground to ensure reflected solar energy from chalk
Cordon du Royat - PM and PN, single cordon, spur pruned, VSP
Guyot - Replacement cane system with VSP with double or single guyot; permitted in lesser quality vineyards
Vallée de Marne - similar to guyot with more buds allowed; less popular
59
Champagne Vineyard Hazards?
Severe Winter Frost
Spring Frost
Cold & Rain in June; disrupts flowering and fruit set (lower yield, inconsistent ripeness)
Summer Storms & Hail
Hot & Humid Summer Post-Rain; Botrytis Risk
Downy & Powdery Mildew
Dagger Nematode (Fanleaf Virus)
60
Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne?
Promoted at regional level
Pesticide use reduced, with sexual confusion techniques increasingly used
Cover cropping and groundwater management
61
Champagne Harvest Timing?
CIVC sets start dates
450 control plots tracked post-veraison for rate of colour change, average weight, sugar concentration, acidity, botrytis
Sets maximum yields and minimum ABVs
Derogation to harvest earlier can be sought (e.g. if risk of botrytis)
Setting of yields helps to prevent over-cropping (reduced quality) and moderates supply
CIVC also regulates reserve wine stocks
62
Maximum Capacity of Champagne Picking Bin?
50kg
63
Champagne Maximum Yield?
79 hL/ha except where CIVC allows to 98 for reserve wines in bumper years
64
What is a 'marc'?
4,000kg of grapes
65
Cuvée and Taille?
First 2,050 litres (per marc of 4 tons) are Cuvée of free run and first press
Subsequent 500 litres is Taille
66
ABV in Champagne?
11-13%
| Chaptalisation allowed
67
Rosé Champagne Production?
Typically dosed with local PN/PM
Can be from skin contact (e.g. Laurent Perrier)
Yeast can absorb colour, making it difficult
68
Lees Maturation in Champagne?
Minimum 12 months on lees (15 total)
| Vintage wines minimum 36 months total (not all required on lees)
69
Closure on Champagne?
Cork must display "Champagne", and vintage where appropriate
70
How many Grand Cru Villages in Champagne?
17
71
How many Premier Cru Villages in Champagne?
42
72
Champagne Village Appellations and Quality?
Villages can be highly variable within their area, so houses are generally focused on mastery of blending rather than specific provenance
73
Champagne Industry Structure?
16,000 Growers (90% vineyards)
| 340 Champagne Houses
74
Négociant Manipulant (NM)?
Champagne House - buys in grapes, must or wine from elsewhere (plus potential estate wine) and makes on own premises
75
Récoltant Manipulant (RM)?
Grower Champagnes - Estate producers
76
Coopérative de Manipulation (CM)?
Co-operatives
77
Champagne Sales?
~300 million bottles
50/50 Domestic vs Export
Houses > Growers > Co-ops
78
Features of Cremant?
Whole Bunch Pressing, and hence Hand Harvesting
Maximum yield = 100L/150kg
12 months maturation, of which 9+ on lees
Max 13% ABV
Min. 4 atmospheres of pressure
79
Crémant d'Alsace Grape & Style?
Pinot Blanc predominates, though also Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir
Medium-intensity apple and pear, autolytic biscuit, medium (+) to high acidity, light to medium body
Generally brut
80
Crémant d'Alsace Climate & Environment?
200-400m foothills of the Vosges
| Sunny and continental
81
Crémant d'Alsace Rosé Grape?
Pinot Noir
82
Crémant d'Alsace Regulatory Requirements?
Maximum 80 hL/ha
Whole bunch pressing only
Chaptalisation allowed
83
Crémant d'Alsace Co-operative?
Cave de Turckheim
84
Crémant de Bourgogne Grape & Style?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir predominate, also allowed are Gamay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Aligoté, Melon Blanc (Muscadet)
Medium-intensity apple, lemon, peach (depending on region) autolytic biscuit, medium (+) to high acidity, light to medium body
Generally Brut
Sourced from all over - Maconnais, Beaujolais, Cote d'Or (flats), Chablis, Hautes Cotes de Beaune and Nuits
85
Crémant de Bourgogne Regulatory Requirements?
Maximum 75 hL/ha
Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc must be minimum 30% Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris
Maximum Gamay 20%
86
Crémant de Bourgogne Eminent?
Minimum 24 months on lees
87
Crémant de Bourgogne Grand Eminent?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay only for whites (Rosé can be 20% Gamay)
Minimum 36 months on lees, and further 3 in bottle
Brut only
88
Crémant de Loire Grape & Style?
Chenin Blanc predominates, though also Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau Noir and Gris, Pineau d'Aunis, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Medium-intensity apple and citrus, light autolytic biscuit, honey in older wines, high acidity
Generally Brut, increasingly also Brut Nature, some Demi-Sec
Grapes grown solely in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine
89
Crémant de Loire Climate & Environment?
Cool Continental due to Atlantic Ocean
Wide range of soils including chalk in Touraine and schist and limestone in Anjou, though many will be in more clay-heavy soils
Lots of excavated caves for ageing
High lime content in soils, so tolerant rootstocks are needed
90
Crémant de Loire Regulatory Requirements?
Maximum 30% Cabernet Sauvignon or Pineau d'Aunis
Sauvignon Blanc not allowed
Maximum yield is 74 hL/ha
91
Prestige de Loire?
2018 initiative for CdL, Vouvray and Saumur
Minimum 10 Euros per bottle
Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir only
Minimum 24 months on lees
Vintage-dated
Brut only (incl. Nature/Extra)
Producers must be sustainable within 5 years
92
Saumur Mousseaux?
```
Minimum 60% Chenin Blanc
Up to 10% Sauvignon Blanc
Mechanical harvest allowed
100L per 130Kg permitted - so risk of lower quality
Maximum yield 67 hL/ha
```
93
Vouvray Mousseux?`
Chenin Blanc, and potentially Orbois
| Maximum yield 65 hL/ha
94
Cava Grape Varieties?
Xarel-Lo, Parellada, Macabeo
| inreasingly, also Chardonnay
95
Cava Grape Growing Region?
Penedes (Catalunya, 95%), Rioja, Valencia
96
3 Main Cava Production Regions?
Penedes - most significant, 200-300m usually, some as high as 700-800m; varied soil types, chilly nights, San Sadurni d'Anoia and Vilafranca del Penedes
Lleida - 100-700m, varying between Mediterranean and continental climates, huge 2,200 ha Raimat estate
Tarragona - low hills and Mediterranean climate, Macabeo focused and generally simple wines, Trepat used for Cava Rosado
97
Macabeo also known as?
Viura
98
Macabeo Characteristics?
Late budding
High yield
Susceptible to bunch rot and bacterial blight
Light intensity apple and lemon aromas
99
Xarel-Lo Characteristics?
Mid-budding and mid-ripening
Susceptible to mildew
Greengage, gooseberry and herbal fennel notes
Works well with oak
100
Parellada Characteristics?
```
Typically planted on higher sites
Low yielding
Late ripening
Early Budding
Susceptible to powdery mildew
```
101
Cava Rosado Grapes?
Garnacha Tinta - prone to oxidisation, so little used; contributes ripe red fruit and spice
Trepat - high acid, strawberry flavours
Pinot Noir
102
Cava Regulations?
```
Maximum yield of 12,000 kg/ha
Maximum yield of 80 hL/ha
Maximum 1 hL of must from 150 kg
Rosado must be made through skin contact (not blending white and red)
Chaptalisation not used
```
103
Cava Irrigation?
Not allowed for increased yields, only to protect vines
104
Cava Rootstocks?
Lime resistant
105
Vineyard Risks in Cava?
```
Downy Mildew (misty/wet)
Powdery Mildew (when dry)
Copper and Sulphur, and canopy management, used to counteract
```
Grape Moth
Sexual confusion used
106
Unusual Grape Testing in Cava?
Gluconic acid values, as indicator of botrytis
| high level can interfere with yeast during secondary fermentation, creating wine instability
107
Cava Fermentation Temperatures?
14-16 Celsius
108
3 Tiers of Cava Labelling?
Cava - minimum 9 months on lees, medium to medium (+) acidity, light to medium intensity apple, lemon and herbal, light biscuit
Cava Reserva - minimum 15 months on lees, more autolytic flavour
Cava Gran Reserva - minimum 30 months on lees; may only be Brut or drier
109
Consejo Regulador del Cava 4 Registers?
Growers
Producers
Producers of Base Wines
Storekeepers/Maturers of Base Wines
110
Cava de Paraje Calificado?
```
Single estate grown, owned by producer
Minimum 10 year old vines
Maximum yield 8,000 kg/ha
Maximum yield 48 hL/ha
Minimum 36 months on lees
Brut or drier
```
111
Corpinnat?
```
Producer group in Cava
100% organic grapes
Hand-harvested
Estate-vinified
90% local varieties
18, 30 or 60 months minimum age on lees
```
112
Classic Penedes?
Organic grapes only from the DO
Minimum 15 months on lees
e.g. Albet I Noya, Loxarel
113
Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja
Hand harvested in Rioja
| Ageing minimums on lees: Crianza (15 months), Reserva (24 months), Gran Anada (36 months)
114
German Sparkling Classifications?
Sekt - tank method, no mention of vintage or varietal, only sold 6 months after second fermentation, minimum 90 days on lees (30 if stirred); light intensity and no perceptible autolysis
Deutscher Sekt - German-grown fruit, tank or traditional, vintage or non-vintage, can be varietally labelled if 85+%, cannot label regional origin
Deutscher Sekt bA - "bestimmter Anbaugebiete" - "of a defined region"; quality wine from 1 of 13 defined regions e.g. Rheingau; tank or traditional
Winzersekt - "Winegrower Sekt" - estate-bottled, traditional method, minimum 9 months in bottle; usually riesling; vintage, varietal and producer name on label; typically if riesling it will be medium intensity apple and peach, toasty smoky autolysis, high acidity and Brut
Perlwein - AKA Secco - tank or carbonation, less than 3 atmospheres of pressure; effectively frizzante
115
Sekt Regulations?
Must be second fermented
Minimum 10% ABV
Minimum 3.5 bars of pressure
Perlwein can be from a specific region (Qualitatsperlwein bA)
Tank method = min. 3 months on lees; 1 with battonage (6 months total incl. off lees)
Traditional method = min. 9 months
Transfer method = min. 3 months on lees (9 months total)
116
German Sweetness Levels?
Trocken (dry) = up to 35 g/L
Halbtrocken (off-dry) = 33-50 g/L
Mild = 50+ g/L
117
Flaschengarung?
Bottle Fermented, though can use transfer method
118
Klassische Flaschengarung?
Second fermentation in bottle - no transfer method permitted
119
Major Sekt Producers?
```
Rotkappchen
Mumm
Henkell & Co
Schloss Wachenheim
Reichsrat von Buhl (Winzersekt)
Schloss Vaux (Winzersekt)
```
120
VDP Sekt?
Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter - high quality Sekt association
Fruit must be estate-grown and intended for Sekt production
Picked early by hand, whole bunch pressed, traditional method
Minimum 15 months on lees, going up to 36 months if single vineyard tier
