FWS Fundamentals Flashcards
1
Q
Who were the Phocaeans and what was their contribution to wine culture in France?
A
Greeks who settled around Massilia in the 6th century BCE
They introduced viticulture, pruning and grapevine propagation.
2
Q
What innovations did the Romans introduce to viticulture in France?
A
- The use of barrels for wine storage and ageing
- Roads eg Via Domita for transporting wine & spreading viticulture across France.
3
Q
What was the impact of the Roman Empire’s trade networks on French wines?
A
French wines could be sold throughout Europe, enhancing France’s wine reputation.
4
Q
How did the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet affect Bordeaux?
A
- Created a political and economic alliance
- Secured long-term trade relations between Bordeaux and England.
5
Q
What was the significance of the Hundred Years War on Bordeaux’s wine trade?
A
- It disrupted wine production
- France reclaimed Bordeaux and expelled the English (encouraged by Joan of Arc)
6
Q
What effect did the Thirty Years War have on Alsace’s vineyards?
A
Widespread destruction
Disrupting viticulture and damaging vineyards in Alsace.
7
Q
How did Champagne’s wines become associated with the Royal Court of France?
A
Louis XIV popularised Champagne in Versailles during the 17th Century.
8
Q
What scientific advancements improved wine quality in the 18th and 19th centuries?
A
- Discoveries in fermentation processes (Louis Pasteur)
- vineyard management
- new ageing techniques
better consistency, preservation and higher quality
9
Q
What changes did the Napoléonic Code bring to Bordeaux and Bourgogne’s wine industries?
A
- Bourgogne divided vineyards, consequently relied on négociants to bottle many vignerons’ wine under a single label.
- Bordeaux divided estates as paper shares and maintained holdings.
10
Q
What was the impact of the Bordeaux exhibit at the Exposition Universelle of 1855?
A
- formalised Bordeaux’s wine classification system
- reinforced its dominance in the wine world.
11
Q
What was the effect of phylloxera on French vineyards?
A
Phylloxera devastated vineyards, leading to the discovery of grafting European vines onto resistant American rootstocks.
12
Q
How did WWI affect the Champagne vineyards?
A
- destruction of vineyards
- many Champagne houses closed
13
Q
What role did the Weinfürers play during WWII in France’s wine industry?
A
They confiscated French wine assets and redirected large quantities to German markets.
14
Q
What are the three administrative divisions of France?
A
- Commune
- Département
- Region
15
Q
How do wine region boundaries differ from administrative boundaries in France?
A
Wine regions like Beaujolais span more than one region: Bourgogne- Franche-Comté and Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
16
Q
What are the 4 rift valleys, 2 massifs, and 2 basins in France?
A
- Rift Valleys: Vosges Mountains, Saône Graben, Morvan uplands and Jura Mountains
- Massifs: Massif Central in south-central France (and Massif Amorican in north-west France)
- Basins: Paris Basin, Aquitaine Basin
17
Q
Define ‘graben’ and its impact on wine regions.
A
- bedrock that has dropped between two fault lines
- The slopes created are prime vineyard land
eg Côte d’Or (Saône graben) and Alsace (Rhine graben)
18
Q
What is the significance of the Massif Central to the Rhône Valley?
A
It creates a natural barrier (west of the region), blocking cold winds.
19
Q
Why are vineyards typically planted on slopes?
A
- better drainage
- increased sunlight exposure for grape ripening
20
Q
Why are mid-slope vineyard positions considered most prized?
A
- balance of sunlight and drainage
- avoiding extremes of the valley floor and top of the slope.
21
Q
What does a vineyard’s orientation impact?
A
It affects sunlight exposure, crucial for grape ripening and wine quality.
22
Q
Why are vineyards often planted near river systems?
A
- Rivers moderate temperatures
- They reflect light for grape ripening
23
Q
Differentiate between the Left Bank and Right Bank in Bordeaux.
A
- Left Bank vineyards are Cabernet Sauvignon dominant
- Right Bank vineyards are Merlot dominant.
24
Q
Name the major rivers in:
Bordeaux
Bergerac
Bourgogne
Chablis
A
Garonne: Bordeaux
Dordogne: Bergerac
Saône: Bourgogne
Serein: Chablis
Also: Loire (Loir, Vienne (Vouvray), Layon, Aubance)
25
What soil variables significantly impact wine quality?
* Drainage
* Mineral content
* Temperature regulation
| Quality vineyards are on shallow, moderately fertile soils
26
What are the characteristics of warm and cold soils?
* Warm soils: Sands and gravels that retain heat, promote early ripening
* Cold soils: Clays with compact, dense structures that slow grape ripening
27
Which ocean current affects Western Europe's climate?
* The Gulf Stream
##footnote
provides milder temperatures beneficial for vineyards.
28
List the three principal climate types in France.
* Maritime Climate: Mild winters, cool summers
* Continental Climate: Cold winters, hot summers
* Mediterranean Climate: Warm, dry summers, mild winters
29
What are the temperature parameters for photosynthesis in grapevines?
Photosynthesis occurs between 10°C and 35°C
30
How do heat and wind affect photosynthesis?
* Excess heat: can cause hydric stress & shut down photosynthesis.
* Strong winds: moisture loss & damage
31
How did Europe’s mini-Ice Age contribute to sparkling wine development?
* Colder temperatures resulted in incomplete fermentations
* Fermentations restarted in spring, leading to the accidental creation of sparkling wines.
32
What damage did the Winter Freeze of 1956 cause?
* Froze vine roots: Loire, Bordeaux, & Rhône
* 1/4 of Bordeaux vineyards killed.
* Malbec replaced by Merlot.
* In southern France 2/3 olive trees died & were replaced by grapevines.
33
What are the principal winds of France and the regions they affect?
* N Mistral: Rhône and Provence
* N Tramontane & Cers: L & R
* Föhn: Alsace
* S Autan &Marin: Languedoc and parts of the southwest
* E Levant: L & R
* NE Grec: L & R
* S wind Sirocco: from Sahara
* Vent d’Espagne: hot & humid
* W Canigounenc: Roussillon only
34
How is global warming affecting French vineyards?
* acid falling, sugar rising, less capitalisation needed
* more mature phenolics (pigment & tannin), less pyrazine (green pepper)
* Bourgogne: more hail
* Rhône & Languedoc: flash floods
* polar vortex - extreme frosts eg Champagne
* unpredictable rainfall
* heat waves, leaf burn, sunburnt grapes
35
What is the effect of Botrytis cinerea on grapes?
In its noble form, it concentrates sugars and acids for sweet wines; in grey rot form, it destroys grapes.
* reduce sugar 1/3
* reduce acids
* reduces water by 1/2
* increase extract
* produces gluconic acid for honey flavour
36
What are the synonyms for Botrytis cinerea?
* Noble rot
* Grey rot
* Pourriture noble
37
Why do good vintages often come in pairs?
The buds on the current year's shoots develop the following year's crop
38
Identify the 6 major pruning systems in France.
* Guyot (cane pruned)
* Cordon (spur pruning)
* Gobelet (bush)
* Éventail (fan , spur pruning) used in Beaujolais, Savoie and Languedoc
* Vallée de la Marne (double guyot over one side) used for Meunier
* Chablis (spur pruning) used in Champagne for Chardonnay
39
Differentiate between conventional, sustainable, organic, and biodynamic farming.
* Conventional: Uses synthetic chemicals
* Sustainable: Uses chemicals when necessary
* Organic: Prohibits synthetic chemicals
* Biodynamic: Incorporates spiritual principles and organic methods
40
What are the steps in white wine production?
* Harvested, pressed
*( SO2 optional)
* Débourbage (settling)
* (Chapitalisation / acidification)
* Fermentation 14-20 degrees
*( Malolactic conversion / sur lie ageing - batonnage)
* Racking (wine separated from sediment) SO2 adjusted
* (Blending)
* Clarification
* Cold stabilisation
41
What are the steps in red wine production?
* Harvesting, (sorting, destemming, crushing)
* (cold soak)
* Fermentation
(Pigeage (punching down),
remontage (pump over),
délestage (rack and return)
* Pressing: Liquid separated from solid
Vin de goutte is run off into a tank / barrel for ageing
Skins go into the press to produce the vin de presse
* Malolactic conversion to soften acidity
* Wine is racked, often several times (SO2 added)
(micro-oxygenation - mimics barrel ageing
* Blending before or after ageing
* Clarification and stabilisation (fining agents)
42
What are the steps in rosé wine production?
Rosé grapes are picked earlier than red wine grapes and vinified like a white wine.
**Direct Press:** pressed immediately after harvest to minimise skin contact and extraction.
Fermented as if it were a white wine.
**Saignée:** grapes are crushed and macerated for 8-24 hours, then some pink juice is bled from the tank to make rosé. The liquid left behind is used to produce a concentrated red wine.
**Cuvaison Rapide** (rapid soak): grapes are crushed and allowed a brief period of extraction before pressing.
43
What happens during fermentation in red wine production?
Fermentation runs warm (up to 32 degrees) and can last 1-3 weeks. Techniques to extract colour and tannin:
(Pigeage (punching down),
remontage (pump over),
délestage (rack and return).
44
What is the purpose of pressing in wine production?
To extract grape juice from the skins, seeds, and pulp, separating it from the solids
Pre fermentation for white, post fermentation for red
45
Why is ageing important for red wine?
Red wines are aged (some times in oak barrels) to soften tannins, enhance flavour and add complexity.
46
What is the main goal of harvesting grapes for rosé wine?
To maintain acidity by harvesting grapes 10-14 days earlier.
47
What happens during crushing and short maceration in rosé wine production?
The grapes are crushed, and skins are left in contact with the juice for a short period to extract colour.
48
How is juice separated from the skins in rosé production?
**Direct Press:** pressed immediately after harvest to minimise skin contact and extraction.
Fermented as if it were a white wine.
**Saignée:** grapes are crushed and macerated for 8-24 hours, then some pink juice is bled from the tank to make rosé. The liquid left behind is used to produce a concentrated red wine.
**Cuvaison Rapide** (rapid soak): grapes are crushed and allowed a brief period of extraction before pressing.
49
How is the fermentation process for rosé wine similar to white wine?
The juice is fermented similarly with temperature control for freshness.
50
How can a winemaker influence flavour during fermentation?
* different strains of yeast to maximise or minimise certain aromatics
* controlling fermentation temperature.
* Residual sugar can be left by chilling the must and filtering out the yeast.
51
What is the primary fermentation step in the méthode champenoise?
The base wine (vin clair) is made by fermenting different grape varieties separately (usually in stainless steel).
52
What is tirage in the méthode champenoise?
Tirage is the act of bottling the blend of vin clair for the second fermentation
liqueur de tirage: yeast / sugar solution to start second fermentation
53
What is the process of riddling (remuage)?
The collection of dead yeast cells in the neck of the bottle for disgorging.
54
What occurs during disgorging (dégorgement)?
The process of freezing the dead yeast cells in the neck of the bottle and removing them.
55
What is dosage in sparkling wine production?
A mixture of wine and sugar added to adjust the sweetness of the sparkling wine after dégorgement.
| also known as liqueur d'expédition
56
Rank the sweetness levels for sparkling wine from driest to sweetest.
1. Brut Nature/Zero Dosage (0-3g)
2. Extra Brut (0-6g)
3. Brut (0-12g)
4. Extra Dry (12-17g)
5. Sec (17-32g)
6. Demi-Sec (32-50g)
7. Doux (sweetest) (50g+)
57
What defines Champagne?
A sparkling wine made in the Champagne region using the méthode champenoise.
58
What is Crémant?
Sparkling wine made outside of Champagne but using the 'Méthode traditionnelle', aged 9 months on lees.
| longer ageing for Crémant de Bourgogne
59
Define Mousseux.
General term for sparkling wines, 3atm pressure.
60
What characterises Pétillant?
* Lightly sparkling wines
* less carbonation than mousseux,
* 1-2.5atm.
61
What is Pétillant Naturel (Pét-Nat)?
| Méthode Ancestrale
* Partially fermented, chilled and bottled with some residual sugar.
* May have sediment
* may have been disgorged (no sediment).
62
Define semi-sweet wine.
| Moelleux
Wines that have noticeable sweetness from late-harvest (may be affected by noble rot).
63
What characterises sweet wine as doux or liquoureux?
Doux: non-botrytised
Liquoureux: botrytised.
64
What is vin doux naturel?
A fortified sweet wine produced by adding alcohol to fermenting grape must to stop fermentation.
65
Define reductive winemaking.
* Oxygen exposure is minimised for fresh fruit flavours.
66
Define oxidative winemaking.
Exposure to oxygen is purposeful, leading to nutty, dried fruit flavours.
67
What is the saignée method?
Juice is bled off from red wine fermentation after a short period of skin contact to make a rosé wine.
68
What is direct press in rosé production?
Grapes are pressed immediately to extract juice without maceration.
69
What is carbonic maceration?
* An anaerobic, enzymatic fermentation process inside the berry
* whole grape clusters are fermented in a sealed tank with carbon dioxide.
results in banana and candied fruit flavours
70
How does vatting time affect wine?
Shorter vatting times generally result in more expolosive aromatics
Longer periods add depth, tannin and complexity.
71
What is the history of 'place names' on a French wine label?
* Louis XV labelled barrels CDR (Coste du Rhone) to stop fraud
* Boiseaumarie (in C-d-P) worked to delineate zones of production.
* Capus codified 'origin' into law in 1927 with AOC legislation.
72
Why did the French codify origin and production standards into law?
To protect the authenticity and quality of their wines.
73
Who were the 2 key figures in the development of France’s AOC legislation?
Pierre Le Roy Boiseaumarié and Joseph Capus (1927)
74
What is the least restrictive level in the French/EU wine quality pyramid?
Vin sans IG (vin de France).
75
What does IGP stand for in wine classification?
Indication Géographique Protégée (vin de pays).
76
What characterises AOC/AOP wines?
* delimited area of origin
* list of authorised grape varieties
* max yield & min alcohol level
77
What is a Cahier des charges?
Regulations that delineate:
* production zone
* viticultural practices
* production standards.
