White Winemaking

Question 1

why does juice need to be clarified before fermentation begins?

Answer 1

fragment of skin and pulp can leave unpleasant aromas and possibly stop fermentation

Question 2

winemaker believe that leaving a small mount of solids in the juice leads to?

Answer 2

less risk of oxidation and complexity and texture

Question 3

what is the optimum temperature for white wine production?

Answer 3

12-22

too low - pear drop

too high - non fruit aromas

Question 4

what varieties are usually used for inexpensive blends

Answer 4

chardonnay
pinot grigio

sometime sauvignon blanc- high yields but herbaceous

Question 5

why is acidification commonly needed in producing inexpensive whites?

Answer 5

because high volume grapes are usually grown in warm or hot climates lacking acidity

Question 6

what is the rough winemaking process for inexpensive whites?

Answer 6

avoid oxidation
acidification
clarify to ensure fruitiness - centrifuge speeds this up
stainless steel tanks at cool temps
if primary fruit characters are desired the wine will be chilled and add so 2 to avoid MLF and quickly racked off its lee’s

if a buttery style is preferred, MLF and oak staves will be used

RCGM is usually added and wines are stabilized fined and filtered so2 topped up at bottling

Question 7

7!ways to make sweet wine?

Answer 7

stopping fermentation 
adding sweetening 
concentrating sugar 
noble rot
drying on vine
drying after picking
freezing on vine

Question 8

which is a sweet wine making region that uses so2 to stop fermentation early?

Answer 8

kabinett and spatlese

Asti

Question 9

2 sweetening components that can be used in sweet winemaking

Answer 9

sussreserve - unfermented grape juice

RCGM - little sweetness to high volume

Question 10

how can grapes form noble rot instead of grey rot?

Answer 10

fully ripe grapes
humid misty mornings and dry afternoons
the rot punctures the grape and the sun slows development and allows water to evaporate concentrating acid flavour and sugar

Question 11

what are the distinctive flavours of noble rot?

Answer 11

honey, apricot, citrus, dried fruit

Question 12

what is passerillage

Answer 12

• drying grapes on vine
• warm dry autumn’s are needed
• dried fruit and tropical fruit
• labeled late harvest

Question 13

drying healthy grapes after picking is used in the ______ wines of italy

Answer 13

passito

Question 14

why does the sugar concentrate in ice wine juice?

Answer 14

ice remains in press

Question 15

what are common winemaking choices of aromatic grapes?

Answer 15

cool inert
gentle clarification
large oak is used in Alsace to encourage some oxidization for texture
MLF is avoided by adding so2 after fermentation however lee’s can add texture

Question 16

creamy style styles of sauvignon blanc?

Answer 16

pessac leognan
fume blanc

these are oaked, matured on lee’s, use MLF

Question 17

what are some winemaking decisions for non aromatic whites

Answer 17

exposure to oxygen - improving ability to age

clarification / or not to add complexity and texture

inert/ small oak/old oak

MLF and Lee’s are common however mlf may not be desired for fruitier styles