Maturation Flashcards
Blending
Refers to mixing two or more batches of wine
Can take place at any tie during the winemaking process, but is most often carried out jus prior to finishing and packaging
Blending may involve combining wines from (6):
- Different grape varieties
- Different locations (vineyards, regions, countries)
- Different grape growers that sell grapes, must or wine
- Different vintages
- Wine that have been treated differently in the winery
- Wines that have been treated equally in the winery but are in different vessels for logistical reasons
What can and cannot be blended often depend on local legislation. For example EU PDO labeled wines, grapes must come 100% from the defined geographical area. For example Brunello di Montalcino DOCG must made from 100% Sangiovese
There are several key reasons for blending wine (7)
Balance
Consistency
Style
Complexity
Mimimise faults
Volume
Price
Blending - Balance
Blending may help to increase or moderate the level of certain characteristics of the wine to produce a wine that is better balance, and in this way enhance quality
Example:
A batch of wine from a warmer vineyard or that has been packed late may be blended with a batch of wine from a cooler vineyard or that has been picked early to fine. tune acidity levels
Also, the use of different varieties is common to enhance the balance of the wine. Well known blending partners are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot ads body and ripe fruit to a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, which, when not fully ripe, can be too tannic on its own
Blending - Consistency
Significant variation among bottles in a single vintages is seen as a fault
Bleeding can be necessary to ensure a certain volume of a consistent product
In some wine styles consistency is needed across vintages. Including most styles of sherry and non-vintage sparkling wine, but also many inexpensive wines where the consumer may not expect nor accept significant vintage variation
Blending - Style
Blending is often fundamental in reaching a desired style
Even where vintage variation may be accepted and promoted, winemakers often make their wines to a certain ‘house style’ or want to create wines of certain quality levels within their range (first wine, second wine)
Also, some rose wines are made by blending red and white wine, this method allows very precise control over colour and flavour profile
Blending - Complexity
Blending two or more parcels of wine may lead to a greater range of flavours, and in this way enhance the complexity and therefore the quality of the final wine
Blending - Minimise faults
If a wine in one barrel is showing significant VA, that wine may be sterile-filtered to remove acitic acid bacteria and then blended into a larger volume of un-faulty wine to lower the concentration and sensory perception of the VA
Blending - Volume
In areas with small vineyard holdings, winemakers are likely to need to blend the wines from different vineyards to produce viable volumes of certain wines
Also, in poor vintages or in case where the producer has minimal vineyard holdings, grapes, must or wine may need to be bought in to reach certain volumes and satisfy the needs of their costumers
Blending - Price
Many inexpensive or mid-priced wines will be made to sold profitably at a certain price point
In this case, blending different parcels of wine can help to create a certain style and quality
For example, Chardonnay is sometimes blended with Trebbiano and Semillon. The later two grapes are generally cheaper to buy than Chardonnay, keeping the price point of the win low
Because Chardonnay is one of the most recognized varieties internationally, the inclusion of this grape in the blend helps the wine to sell
Lees
Describes the sediment that settles at the bottom of a wine vessel.
Made up of: Dead yeast and dying yeast Bacteria Grape fragments Precipitated tannins Nutrients and other insoluble compounds
Gross lees
The sediment that forms quickly after fermentation, made up of the larger and heavier particles
Fine lees
The sediment that contains smaller particles and settles more slowly
Autolysis
After fermentation, yeast cells will slowly die and break down.
It releases compounds that contributes flavours, body and texture to the wine.
Some of these compounds bind with phenolic compounds in the grape, reducing colour and softening tannins
They can also bind with wood tannins and wood flavour, reducing astringency and modify flavours from the wood
The reaction of lees compounds and aroma compounds
In white wines the effects of lees are generally more significant, given aromas like;
Yoghurt
Dough
Biscuit
Toasty
These can be very subtle
Lees aging and stabilization of the wine
Lees aging helps in stabilization of the wine against unstable proteins that can cause hazes
Lees aging and protection from oxygen
Lees helps to protect the wine form oxygen, helping to maintain a slow, controlled oxidation during maturation and lowering the need of so2 during this stage
However, if the layer becomes too thick, particularly a problem for gross lees, it can produce volatile, reductive sulfur compounds. In some levels this can give a certain complexity (struck match, smoke) but if not controlled this can give the wine unpleasant aromas like the smell of rotten eggs, which is a fault (reduction)
Lees aging and nutrients
Lees provides nutrients for microbes and therefore can assist the growth of lactic acid bacteria for Malo
But, also encourage the development of spoilage microbes such as Brettanomyces
Impact on the cost of lees aging
Lees aging increase the time the wine is stored at the winery before release, increasing the final cost of the wine
Also, wines aged on the lees need to be monitored regularly and may be stirred, this requires labour cost
inexpensive vs more premium wines that are aged longer and sold at higher prices
The role of oxygen in wood maturation
Wooden vessels permit a slow exposure to oxygen during the wines maturation
A newly-made vessel also contains various extractable compounds, including tannins and aromas, which can have a significant influence on the final wine
The level and compounds extracted from wooden vessels depend on the following features:
- Age of the vessel
- Size of the vessel
- Type of wood
- Production of the vessel
Age of the vessel
Each time a wooden vessel is used, the amount of extraction decreases because fewer extractable compounds remain (50% loss during first year of use)
By the time its on its fourth usage, it will contribute very little at all but still allows the ingress of oxygen
Flavours of new oak may be to dominant for many wine styles, therefore pre used barrels may be used or if new oak is used, it’s typically a part of the wine that is blended with wine stored in pre-used barrels
Size of the vessel
Small vessel (barriques 225l) hold a relatively small volume of liquid compared to the surface area of the vessel
Meaning, any extraction from the wood and exposure to oxygen is greater in small vessels than in large vessels, such as foudres
Type of wood
Oak is the most common type of wood, its easily shaped, watertight and prized for its positive effects on the aroma/flavour structure of the wine
Most oak vessels are made of European oak. Typically French, but also Hungarian, Russian or Slovenian, or American oak
Although oak is by far the most commonly used type of wood, chestnut, cherry and acacia are also occasionally used
The differences between European and American oak
Both types of oak have significant levels of vanillin, contributes vanilla
American oak has been found to contain much higher levels of lactones, which give aromas of coconut and in general tends to impart greater intensity of aromas and flavour than European oak, which is often more subtle.
By contrast, European oak tends to impart more tannin and European oak is more expensive 600-1200
American oak barrels tend to range from 300-600, they ability to saw American oak means more vessels can be made from the same amount of oak, and it also grows quicker than European oak
