Sparkling

Question 1

Chardonnay’s susceptibilities

Answer 1

Early budding so prone to spring frosts
Coulure and millerandage
More disease resistant that PN but still susceptible to powdery mildew, grapevine yellows and BBR

Question 2

Pinot Noir susceptibility

Answer 2

Early budding so spring frosts
Coulure
Thin skinned so disease prone, especially downy mildew but also powdery, BBR, fan leaf and leafroll virus

Question 3

Laccase’s effect on the wine

Answer 3

(Enzyme released by botrytis affected grapes)
Serious oxidation

Question 4

Standard fermentation temperature for sparkling wines

Answer 4

14-20d celsius, typical to retain fruit but not too cold for the yeast

Question 5

Liqueur de tirage contents

Answer 5

Wine +/ must, sugar, cultured yeasts, yeast nutrients and a clarifying agent eg bentonite +/ alginite (seaweed extract to facilitate riddling)

Question 6

Amount of sucrose added in liqueur de tirage for fully spk wines

Answer 6

24g/L, = +1.5% alcohol

Question 7

Conditions yeasts need to be able to withstand for 2nd fermentation

Answer 7

9.5-11% abv
Temps of around 16 degrees
pH values below 3
Later withstanding increasing pressure in the bottle

Question 8

Temperature bottles are stored at for 2nd ferm

Answer 8

10-12 degrees

Question 9

Maillard reaction

Answer 9

A process in which sugar in the liqueur d’Expedition reacts with compounds formed in yeast autolysis and causes the development of roasted, toasted vanilla aromas

Question 10

Other names for tank method (3)

Answer 10

Cuve Close, Charmat and Martinotti

Question 11

1st Fermentation temperature for tank method and why

Answer 11

16-18 degrees to retain fresh fruity and floral notes but avoids flavours associated with low fermentation temperatures

Question 12

Diameter of cork before bottling for sparkling

Answer 12

31mm

Question 13

Inside bottle neck diameter, and percentage it allows the cork to expand back to

Answer 13

18-21mm, to 60-70% original width

Question 14

Dom Pierre Perignons contributions to Champagne

Answer 14

Produced first white wine from black grapes.
Invented the still widely used coquard press.
Blending wines from across the region to make a superior wine.
Thought to have introduced the cork stopper to France.
Pioneered the use of English glass.

Question 15

19th century developments in Champagne

Answer 15

2nd fermentation in the bottle with measured yeast + sugar to produce a known pressure.
Madame Veuve developed riddling using pupitres.
These enabled disgorgement to be developed in the last quarter of the century resulting in a dry style of Champagne.

Question 16

The year vineyard area and AOC of Champagne was set

Answer 16

1927

Question 17

The other grapes of Champagne

Answer 17

Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau

Question 18

No of villages in Echelle des Crus rating, and percentages

Answer 18

17 grand, 42 premier and 257 classic, rated 100%, 90-99% and 80-89% respectively

Question 19

Common features for all Crémant (6)

Answer 19

Whole bunch pressing, and so hand harvesting.
Max yield pressing at 100L/150kg.
Minimum of 9 months lees ageing.
Minimum 12 months ageing between tirage and release.
Maximum 13%abv in final wine.
Minimum 4 atmospheres of pressure.

Question 20

Cremant de Bourgogne Eminent AOC requirements

Answer 20

Minimum lees ageing of 24 months

Question 21

Cremant de Bourgogne Grand Eminent AOC requirements

Answer 21

For whites, pinot noir and chardonnay only
For rose, max 20% Gamay
Vintage is optional but commonly used
Minimum 36 months on lees and further 3 months in bottle
Brut only

Question 22

Varieties permitted in Cremant de Loire

Answer 22

Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau Noir and Gris, Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Max 30% Cab Sauv and Pineau d’Aunis permitted.
Sauvignon Blanc is not allowed

Question 23

Prestige de Loire

Answer 23

Launched in 2018 (with wines dating back to 2010) on the initiative of InterLoire.
The aim is to have wine sold at a minimum of €10 in France, across all sparkling categories.
Wines must be white only, made from Chenin, Cab Franc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, single or blended.
Must spend 24 months on the lees and state the vintage.
Must be Brut nature - Brut.
Producer must achieve sustainable viticulture within 5 years.

Question 24

Saumur Mousseaux

Answer 24

Average annual production from 2014-2018 is 10.6m bottles from 1300ha
Minimum 60% Chenin Blanc and max 10% Sauvignon Blanc permitted.
Roses must be minimum 60% Cabernet Franc and max 10% Sauv B.
M. Harvest is permitted and more juice can be extracted (100L from 130kg) - cheaper - potential decrease in quality

Question 25

Vouvray Mousseaux

Answer 25

Chenin must be dominant (can be 100%) Orbius only other permitted variety, must be minority. Avg production is 8.2m bottles from 1200ha Production rules are broadly similar to Saumur. Tiny production of Vouvray Petillant and increasing amounts of Pet Nat

Question 26

Principal towns within Penedès

Answer 26

San Sadurní d'Anoia - in and around which principal Cava producers are located Vilafranca del Penedès - the Consejo HQ is based here

Question 27

Macabeo characteristics

Answer 27

Late budding, is picked first and is high yielding. Susceptible to botrytis and bacterial blight. Wines have light intensity apple and lemon. Makes up 36% of registered Cava vineyards, typically planted at 100-300m in Penedes.

Question 28

Xarel-lo characteristics

Answer 28

Mid budding (so prone to spring frosts some years) and mid ripening. Susceptible to downy and powdery mildew but otherwise good disease resistance. Wines have greengage and gooseberry notes with herbal, fennel tones. Can be earthy when overripe. Has a reasonable affinity with oak. Makes up 25% of vineyards and planted from sea level to 400m in Penedes

Question 29

Paralleda characteristics

Answer 29

The lowest yielding and latest ripening of the 3. Early budding so prone to spring frosts. Susceptible to powdery mildew. Makes up 20% of vineyards and typically planted at higher sites (500m in Penedes) as it requires long ripening season to reach flavour maturity without excessive alcohol. Adds finesse and floral notes to a blend

Question 30

The 4 seperate registers regarding Cava production process, and who its administered by

Answer 30

-Growers -Producers of base wines -Storekeepers of base wines -Cava producers Administed by the Consejo Regulador del Cava

Question 31

Glera characteristics

Answer 31

Vigorous, semi-aromatic and capable of high yields Susceptible to millerandage, powdery and downy mildew, drought in summer and grapevine yellows. The first 2 buds dont bear much fruit so it has to be trained long, typically on vertically trellised systems with 8-12 buds. Low-medium planting density is common (3000vines/ha) as a high vigour variety.

Question 32

The 3 provinces Moscato Bianco can be grown for DOCGs

Answer 32

Asti, Alexandria and Cuneo

Question 33

Moscato Bianco characteristics

Answer 33

Aromatic, early budding, mid ripening with a small berry size. Prone to powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot so requires careful canopy management. Has a thin skin and due to its scent is attractive to bees, wasps and flying ants. Susceptible to mites. Recent clonal selection has sought to increase disease resistance, perfume and yields.

Question 34

The 3 types of Asti promotes by the Consorzio

Answer 34

-Moscato d'Asti -Asti Secco (off-dry style) -Asti (can also be Asti Dolce, traditional style) Defined for marketing purposes

Question 35

The most important Lambrusco varieties

Answer 35

L Salamino, L Grasparossa and L di Sorbara

Question 36

Lambrusco Salamino characteristics and DOC

Answer 36

Most widely planted. Produces fragrant, deep coloured, full bodied wines with high acidity. Most commonly blended with other varieties. DOC is Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, requires minimum 85% of variety and max yield of 133hL/ha

Question 37

Lambrusco Grasparossa characteristics and DOC

Answer 37

Does best on clay and silt, and the only variety to be grown mainly on hillsides. Produces deep coloured, full bodied wines with medium (+) tannin. The DOC is Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro. Requires minimum 85% of variety and a max yield of 126hL/ha

Question 38

Lambrusco di Sorbara characteristics and DOC

Answer 38

Makes pale, lighter bodied wines with high acidity. The DOC is Lambrusco di Sorbara and requires a minimum of 60% of this variety and a max yield of 126hL/ha

Question 39

Other 2 Lambrusco DOCs and yields

Answer 39

1) Reggiano Lambrusco, or Reggiano DOC, in province of Reggio-Emilia. Max yields 126hL/ha 2) Lambrusco di Modena DOC, or Modena DOC, in province of Modena. Max yields 161hL/ha resulting in low fruit concentrations

Question 40

Sweetness categories within Lambrusco frizzante

Answer 40

Secco/asciutto, Abboccato and Amabile. Each encompasses a broader range

Question 41

The 3 large producers that make about 1/3rd of all Franciacorta

Answer 41

Guido Berlucchi, Ca' del Bosco and Bellavista

Question 42

Perlwein sweetness categories

Answer 42

Trocken = up to 35g/L Halbtrocken = 33-50g/L Mild = 50g/L +