Flair Questions Flashcards
From a chemistry/geology standpoint what is bentonite, and how chemically does it work?
Montmorillonite (a smectite, silicate in sheet of SiO4 tetrahedrons) is also widely referred to as bentonite, the fining agent that is much used in wineries. Mixed into a slurry and added to wine, the swelling sheets are able to absorb potentially awkward proteins and help ensure that the wine is clarified and remains so.
Who proposed that bedrock geology infliuence quality and taste of wine?
Henri Coquand, who in 1856 touted the notion that bedrock geology influences the quality and taste of wine. He made his pronouncement with regard to the brandy produced in the area around Cognac, France. However, the maps of Cognac quality and bedrock don’t correspond, as Coquand well knew. Thus, as the whole proposal was part of a playful after-dinner speech, it has been argued that he never intended the idea to be taken seriously. Little did he know.
GIve an example of precision viticulture mapping of spoil to a very detailed level.
At Monthélie in Burgundy, for example, soil-surface variations have been mapped using aerial imagery at a scale down to five centimeters. (Source: Vineyards Rocks and Soils, Maltman)
According to Rudolf Steiner what is he benefit of spraying a vineyard with ground up quartz
The grinding is supposed to multiply the number of reflective crystal facets because (in a way unknown to science) this amplifies something called “cosmic light.”. This notion comes from Rudolf Steiner,
Where does the pencil shavings smell cited in wine tasting come from?
Pencil “lead” is made of graphite mixed with kaolinite or bentonite clay, and, just like metallic lead, it is both tasteless and odorless. The explanation concluded by saying that “if you are unsure what graphite smells like, try sharpening an HB pencil.” The pronounced odor of old-fashioned pencils is due to highly aromatic compounds known as sesquiterpenes, which are found in most kinds of cedarwood, the material traditionally used for making pencils
Name a wine region with complex terroir and geology
Wines that are made in the Côte-d’Or, and Corton. So, the golden slopes of Burgundy. From only 100 metres apart - this plot next to that plot can produce fundamentally different styles of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir depending on those things. Now the climate generally is going to be consistent, but the geology can change as there are slopes there in the Côte d‘Or. And you have those different layers of slopes which have been exposed. So, therefore you have different geological epochs, stratas of soils. Some will be lime, stony, marls, Kimmeridgian, Portlandian, some will be more kind of clay-based and alluvial. When you have all that diversity. And you don’t have all slopes facing the same way - they follow the land and the erosion of the land and fault lines. So, there are different aspects. And that means that we have slopes facing different directions, meaning that certain place can be a bit different in terms of producing a slightly riper wine or a less ripe wine, and that gives it a sense of place as well, but also other things as well.
Describe the geologoy of Chablis and how geology relates to the quality of wine
Two major types of soil: Kimmeridgian marl, and Portlandian marl. Kimmeridgian or Portlandian, is due to the geological epoch. So, for example, with Kimmeridgian, which is the picture on the left-hand side, which is where we find our very famous Grand Crus of Chablis. So, the grand cru with its seven climats plus some very famous Premier Cru sites like Montée de Tonnerre. That is the one that tends to make that nervousness and intensity that you can find within Chablis. The soil was formed 160 million years ago and is the most prized soil.
Then you have the Portlandian marls, and you got some fossils there. These were formed 140 to 150 million years ago. So, they are a younger geological soil, and you tend to get more rounded and softer wines that are produced on these. A lot of generic Chablis and Petit Chablis are found on Portlandian Marls, very broad differentiation here.
What is meant by over-extraction and what is its impact on terroir
Overzealous winemaking obscure terroir. Overripe fruit, over-extraction (too much pumping over, fermenting a too high a temperature etc..), aging in oak.
Soil adjustment: what would you add to an acidic vineyard deficient in magnesium?
Dolomite
Soil adjustment: what would you add to an acidic vineyard deficient in calcium?
Lime
