Sparkling Wine Flashcards by Hollow Life

What are two ways to add CO2 to make Sparkling wine?

Bottle Fermentation
Tank Fermentation

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What is the first step in making Sparkling wine?

Make a base still wine

The wine is:

Dry
High Acid
Low Alcohol

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When does the CO2 appear in the wine?

During second fermentation

(first fermentation makes the base wine)

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How does the winemaker start the second fermentation?

Sugar and Yeast are added to the base wine.

The ABV increase about 1.5%

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How is the CO2 retained in the wine?

Sealed Vessel.

Either a sealed tank or a sealed bottle

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What is the Traditional Method of making Sparkling Wine?

Most common
Champagne or Cava

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How does the Traditional Method work?

Sugar and Yeast placed in bottle
Bottle sealed with Crown Cap
Second Fermentation creates CO2
CO2 dissolved in liquid
Yeasts also add flavour to wine

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What is the famous Traditional Method wine made in Northern France?

Champagne AOC

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What are the three grape varieties in a traditional Champagne?

Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meuniere

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What is the climate of the Champagne region of France?

Cool

Creates base wine that is:

High acid
Low alcohol

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Are Champagne’s a single varietal or blends?

Blends

To maintain consistancy, can be from several vintages.

AKA: Non-Vintage

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What is the Legal Minimum a Champagne must spend on the Lees?

12 Months

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What is the profile of a non-expensive Champagne

Dry
High Acid
Notes of Apple
Light autolysis (bread, biscuit)

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What is the typical profile of a good quality Champagne?

Complex flavours
Green fruit (apple), Citrus (Lemon)
Autolytic notes (Bread, Biscuit)

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What is a Vintage Champagne?

Made from the best grapes

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How is a Vintage Champagne different than a regular Champagne?

Very Complex wines
Aged in Lees for longer period
Extended bottle aging after disgorgement

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What is the typical profile of a Vintage Champagne?

Complex
Pronounced Apple, Citrus Fruit
Autolytic notes (Bread, Biscuit)
Notes of Nuts, Honey (from bottle age)

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What is Cava?

Spanish term for Traditional Method Sparkling wine

What region do most Cava’s come from?

Catalunya

What grape varieties are used in making Cava?

Mostly local grape varieties.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir permitted

Adds fruit flavours and acidity to base wine

What is the climate of Calatunya?

Warm

Grapes may need to be harvested early to retain high acidity

What is the profile of the Cava base wine?

Light flavours Apple/Pear
High Acid

Is Cava aged longer or shorter on the lees (compared to Champagne)?

Shorter.

Gives subtle autolytic character

What other countries are known for Sparkling wine?

South Africa
California
New Zealand
Australia

What is **Method Cap Classique**?

The South African term for Traditional Method

What is the **Tank Method**?

Method of creating a sparkling wine (getting CO2 into it) without adding Autolytic notes.

How does the Tank Method work?

* Base wine put in sealed tank * Add Sugar and Yeast * Second Ferment * Filter Lees * Bottle under pressure * Seal with cork and cage

What is an **Asti DOCG** wine?

Sweet, Low Alcohol wine from Piedmont, Italy

What are the steps in the **Asti Method**?

* Grape juice put in take with yeast * CO2 initally allowed to escape * Tank sealed * Fermentation stopped by filtering out yeasts * This keeps the sugar level higher and alcohol low

What is a Prosecco DOC wine?

Sparkling from North-East Italy Tank Method

What is the grape used in making **Prosecco**?

Glera

What is the grape used to make **Asti DOCG**?

Moscato (Muscat)

What is the typical profile of an **Asti DOCG** sparkling?

* Pronounced floral aromas (blossom) * Flavours Grape/Peach/Pear * Fully Sparkling

Does **Champagne AOC** have to place it's **PDO** on the label?

No One of few EU wine that do not have to Cava is another one

What are the steps in making **Traditional Method** Sparkling Wine?

* Base wine made * Added to bottle with sugar and yeast * Second Fermentation * Riddling * Disgorgement * Dosage * Resealing

What is **Riddling**?

Preparing to remove the yeasts from the sparkling wine

How does Riddling work?

Riddling slowly moves the yeasts to the neck of the bottle. Slowly adjusting the angle of the bottle so the yeasts drift to the neck

What machine is usually used in Riddling?

Gyropalette Cube shaped machine that can process hundreds of bottles at a time

What is **Disgorgement**?

Removing the lees sediment from the bottle

How does **Disgorgement** work?

* The neck of the bottle frozen * Crown cap removed * Pressure from CO2 pops out frozen ice and lees sediment

What is **Dosage**?

Process of topping up sparkling wine in bottle with wine and sugar mixture Done before placing cork and cage in bottle (resealing)

What is the term for the liquid added during Dosage?

Liqueur d'Expedition

Does Dosage impact the sweetness of the sparkling wine?

Yes Dosage is also the amount of sugar added to the sparkling wine, determining it's final sweetness

What is the difference between **Brut** and **Demi-Sec**?

_Brut_ has a small amount of sugar added, but because it's high acid and has bubbles, wine tastes dry _Demi-Sec_ is medium sweetness.