Wine and Spirits Flashcards
1
Q
Origin of alcohol
A
8,000-10,000 years ago.
2
Q
What do you need to make wine
A
- Complex carbs
- Water
- Vessel (kvevri)
3
Q
Origin of cultivation of grains for beer
A
Fertile Crescent/Cradle of Civilisation
4
Q
First recorded brewers
A
Sumerians (3000 BC)
5
Q
Vitis Vinifera domestication
A
~7000 years ago
6
Q
Vitis Vinifera climate
A
Temperate, non-humid, warm.
Well drainage soil.
7
Q
Wild yeast pros
A
- Complex flavours
- ‘Natural’
8
Q
Wild yeast cons
A
- Unpredictable
- Stuck fermentation
9
Q
Cultured yeast pros
A
- Predictable
- Fast
- Known flavours
10
Q
Cultured yeast cons
A
- ‘Industrial’
- Commercial and mainstream
11
Q
Basic wine styles
A
Sparkling (CO2):
- 11.5-12.5% ABV
Table:
- 11.5-14.5% ABV
Fortified (ethanol added):
- 18.5-20% ABV
Flavoured (not 100% grape):
- 15.5-18.5% ABV
12
Q
Distillation
A
- Concentration of base liquid through evaporation.
- 70% ABV (~40-43% after dilution).
13
Q
Types of stills
A
- Pot still
- batch process
- Higher quality spirits - Column still
- continuous process
- lower quality.
14
Q
Dark spirits
A
- Aged/matured in cask
- ‘Harsh’/undesirable compounds lost through evaporation (ANGELS SHARE)
15
Q
Origins of sparkling
A
- 1500-1600s
- First intentional sparkling wine credited to Dom Perignon.
16
Q
Steps of producing sparkling wine
A
- Harvest
- Earlier harvest to retain acidity - Light press
- Cuveé - Free Run Juice - Primary ferment
- Production of base wine
- lower alcohol (9-11% ABV) - Carbonation/secondary fermentation individual methods.
17
Q
Carbonation
A
- Injection of CO2 directly into tank
- Lower quality wines
- ~ 3atm
18
Q
Tank method/Charmat method
A
- Add extra yeast and sugar to tank to initiate secondary fermentation.
- Transferred to bottles under high pressure.
- ~2-4 atm
19
Q
Ancestral method/Pet Nat
A
- only one fermentation (wine bottled before primary fermentation finishes).
- rarely riddled and disgorged.
- Cloudy (lees remain in bottle)
- ~2-4 atm
20
Q
Methode Traditional/Methode Champenoise
A
- ~5-7 atm
- Tank method but on bottle scale (base wines blended into bottle, yeast and sugar added).
- 1-3 years min aging
1. Blend
2. Secondary ferment
3. Riddling
4. Disgorgement
5. Dosage
6. Finishing (ie. corking, labelling, etc).
21
Q
Transfer method
A
Same method as traditionale, but post 2nd ferment sparkling transferred to pressurised tank.
22
Q
Disgorgement
A
Pressurised removal of lees by rapid freezing of bottle neck.
23
Q
Dosage
A
sugar and wine top up of sparkling after disgorgement.
24
Q
Tirage
A
sugar and yeast mixture added prior to secondary fermentation.
25
Riddling
progressive rotation to remove lees from bottle.
26
Glassware
1. Flutes (minimise carbonation loss, but low aromatics).
2. Tulips (minimise carbonation loss and higher aromatics)
3. Coupes (loss of carbonation and aromatics)
27
CIVC
Governing body of champagne
28
Grapes used in champagne
1. Chardonnay
2. Pinot noir
3. Pinot Meunier
29
Vintage & NV
1. Vintage
- all grapes from single harvest
- min aging 3 years
2. NV
- Blend of wines
- min aging 15 months
3. Prestige Cuvee
- Only made in exceptional years
- aged for much longer
30
Styles
1. Blanc de blanc (white)
2. Blanc de noir (red)
3. Blend
4. Rose
31
Amount of sugar added
1. Brut nature (no dosage)
2. Extra brut (0-6 g/L)
3. Brut (0-12 g/L)
4. Extra dry (12-17 g/L)
5. Sec (17-35 g/L)
6. Demi sec (35-50 g/L)
7. Doux (>50 g/L)
32
Regional classification
1. Grand cru
2. Premier cru
3. Autre cru
33
Cuvée
first 2,050L of juice from a 4,000kg press - finest portion of pressing.
34
Base wine
Still wine (11% ABV) used for secondary fermentation of sparkling wine.
35
Autolysis
Death of yeast cells responsible for second fermentation where wine remains in contact with lees (buttery/bready characteristics).
36
Discovery of distillation
Moorish people in 8th century Spain
37
Pure alcohol boiling temp
78.5 C
38
Wash
Alcohol/water mix
39
Congeners
Produced from mash by yeast during fermentation
40
Initial distillation ABV
Second distillation ABV
Max ABV
~27%
~72%
~97.3%
41
Spirit safe
Cooled spirit stored until taxation can be placed on it.
42
Rectification
Process of concentrating amount of ethanol in existing water/alcohol mix.
43
Benefits of using copper in stills
1. Reacts with sulfur compounds (reduction)
2. Acts as a catalyst for stimulating esterification.
3. Malleable and durable
4. High heat conductivity
44
Measuring alcohol content of spirits
Early method = proofing
100 proof = 57.1% ABV
ignition = overproof
no ignition = underproof
45
Chemical compounds in whisky
1. Phenolics - peat (smoky, iodine).
2. Aldehydes - oak (vanilla, spicy)
3. Lactones - oak (buttery, creamy)
4. Esters - fermentation (lifted fruit)
46
Whisky production steps
1. Malt & grind
- Steep, germinate, dry, grind
2. Mash & cook
- addition of water and release of enzymes (wort)
3. Fermentation
- wort converted into wash (quick)
4. Distillation
- wash enters still
5. Maturation
- American and French oak (normally American)
6. Blending/mixing
7. Dilution and bottling.
- Dilution from 60-70% to ~40% ABV.
47
Peat use in whisky
Contributes phenols
Medium peat = 15-30 ppm
48
Scotch whisky
- Legal requirement to be produced in Scotland
- Min strength 40% ABV
49
Types of Scotch Whisky
1. Single malt
- 100% barley
- single distillery
- min 3 years in cask
- pot still
2. Grain whisky
- un-malted cereal and malted barley
- large volume
- column still
- min 3 years in cask
3. Blended
- components sourced from malt and grain
- most common, biggest volume, often high quality (consistent).
50
Scotland whisky regions
1. Highlands
- Fragrant
2. Lowlands
- Grain and malt whisky
- Smaller, lesser known
3. Cambelltown
- Rich and powerful 'older style'
4. Islands
- cross between Highlands and Lowlands
5. Islay
- Smoky, peaty, maritime, iodine.
6. Speyside
- light, fresh, fragrant.
- Scotch central
51
Types of American whiskey
1. Kentucky Bourbon
2. Tennessee Whiskey
52
Kentucky Bourbon
- No less than 51% maize
- Matured in charred new American oak (>2 years)
53
Tennessee Whiskey
- 80% maize, 10% rye, 10% malted barley
- filtered through maple chips, reduced with water, matured in new American oak.
54
Distillation legalised in Aus
- 1820 (first legal distillery opened in Tas in 1822).
- previously illegal due to duty/taxation reasons.
55
The Distillation Act
- 1901
- prevented liquor licences being issued for distilleries whose primary wash < 2,700L (bad for boutique distilleries).
- Overturned by Bill Lark in 1990
56
Brandy
Spirit made from fermented grape juice.
57
Pomace
Brandy made from grape skins after fermentation.
Eg. Grappa & Marc
58
Beginning of brandy
- 1313
- Initially only as medicine and sanitary purposes.
- initially wine distilled to reduce volume for transport and taxation purposes.
59
Production of brandy
- Small pot stills (alembic stills) (double distillation).
60
Oak casks
- Quercus family
- Allows for uptake of flavour and colour.
- Water-tight, not airtight.
61
Ullage
- Empty space in casks.
62
Angel's share
Lost spirit from evaporation (~3% per year).
63
French Oak
- Hand split
- Air dried (allows undesirable compounds to leave oak).
- Delicate flavours = vanilla, spicy
64
American Oak
- Sawn
- Kiln dried (concentrates flavours of oak)
- Powerful flavours = sweet, coconut, nutty.
65
Brandy map in France
1. Cognac
- 90% Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard.
- Distilling season 1st Oct - 31st March
- Double distillation
- bottled into bonbonnes
2. Armagnac
- Column still
- Single distillation (more flavourful)
- Matured in oak
66
Brandy age grading
1. V.S - 2 years
2. V.O.S.P - 4 years
3. Napoleon - 6 years
4. XO - 10 years
5. Hors d'Age - over 10
67
Calvados
- Normandy, France
- Distilled cider
- Double distillation
- Min two years in oak
68
US prohibition
1920-1940
(increases demand for high quality gin).
69
Types of gin
1. London Dry
2. Distilled Gin
3. Gin
70
London Dry
- Redistilled of ethyl alcohol.
- Bse flavour = juniper berry
- Methanol content = no more than 5g/hectolitre
- approved natural flavours only
- only substance added = water
- no more than 1g/L of sweetener.
71
Distilled Gin
- same as London Dry but additional flavourings can be added AFTER distillation.
- can be coloured.
72
Gin/Compounded/Bathtub
- does not need to be re-distilled.
- Flavourings and additives (artificial or natural) can be added.
73
Gin definition
Clear and unaged ethyl alcohol.
74
Aus spirit definition
Potable alcoholic distillate which contains minimum 37% ABV, produced by distillation of fermented liquor derived from food sources.
75
Neutral spirit
- Flavourless, odourless and colourless (but variations in mouthfeel).
- 95% ABV (190 proof)
76
Genever
- Malted grain-based spirit (also malted wine).
- Made in Holland or Belgium
77
Types of genever
1. Jonge
2. Oude
3. Korenwijn
78
Sloe gin
Liqueur rather than a gin.
Made from sloe drupes (like plums).
Lower alcohol content of 15-30%.
79
Gin production
1. Still charged (NS + water + botancicals)
2. Maceration
3. Pot heated to 70-80 C
4. Wash vaporised
5. Bulb causes reflux.
6. Vapour rises into Lyne arm
7. Vapour passes through cold water condenser.
8. Distillate cut (in spirit safe).
9. Dilution & bottling
80
Maceration
Steeping of botanicals in NS for >24 hours.
81
Maceration methods
1. One-shot: GNS, water and botanicals in exact proportions. Only water used to reduce to bottling strength.
2. Two-shot: >> botanicals used than needed. Water and GNS used to reduce to final bottling strength.
82
Vacuum distillation
- low pressure chamber = lower ethanol BP (~30 C).
- Lower heat retains flavours of fresh botanicals.
83
Slope of Lyne Arm
- Slope parallels smoothness of final distillate.
- Steep descent risks getting wash into distillate.
84
Gin ABV directly after distillation
80-85% ABV
85
Holy trinity in gin
1. Juniper berries
2. Coriander seeds
3. Angelica root
86
Reflux
- Cooling and condensing of vapour before it reaches the condenser.
- Progressive refining
- Smoother product
87
Heads
Harsh chemical compounds
- acetone and methanol
88
Tails
- Low in alc
- Contain unpleasant fatty acids and sulphates
89
Juniper
- Conifer/peppercorn
- Alpha-pinene
90
Coriander seeds
- Spicy, floral and ginger characteristics
- Linalool
91
Angelica root
- fixative (holds lighter/brighter aromas in ethanol)
- woody and earthy
alpha-pinene and beta-pinene
92
Type of juniper that must be used
Juniper Communis
93
Gin and garnish pairings
- Fruity gins with fruit garnishes
- Spicy gins with sliced raw veges
- Herbaceous gins with freshly picked leafy herbs.
94
Tonic water
Quinine from bark of cinchona tree
95
Types of tonic
1. Indian - strong quinine
2. Mediterranean - herbal
3. Elderflower - floral
4. Aromatic - botanicals
5. Citrus
96
Gin garnish general rule
Dry gins go with berries or citrus.
97
Martini
4:1 gin:vermouth
- stirred, not shaken
98
Negroni
Campari, sweet vermouth and gin
99
Vodka GNS
min 96% ABV
100
Tequila
- Blue agave (min 51% - cheaper ones have remaining spirits from elsewhere).
- must come from Tequila, Jalisco
- distilled in copper pots.
101
Tequila production
1. Pina juice mixed with cane sugar and yeast - fermented
2. Distilled twice in copper pots
3. aged inside oak
102
Mezcal
- Any agave based liquor.
- region in Mexico
- distilled in clay pots
- aged in oak barrel
103
Fortified wine
Wine with added grape derived spirit (extra ethanol protects wine from oxidation).
104
Types of spirit added to fortified wine
- brandy spirit (35-45% ABV)
- Neutral spirit (97% ABV)
105
Role of flor
- consumes any remaining sugar
- protects against oxidation
- contributes nutty flavours.
106
Vermouth
- aromatised wine (addition of botanicals)
- 75% wine
107
Sherry
- Originates in Jerez, Spain
- Warm climate, chalky soils
- Palomino, Pedro Ximenez, Moscatel grapes (white)
108
Solera system
- Blending method
- Never completely empty barrels
- allows consistency of product
- balances freshness and tertiary characteristics
109
Sherry which uses flor
1. Fino (dry) - 15% ABV
2. Manzanilla (fino from specific area)
3. Amontillado (same as fino, but flor fades into wine) - both biological and oxidative aging.
110
Sherry which doesn't use flor
1. Oloroso (second pressing of grapes) - ox aging. Concentrates wine from evaporation.
2. Pedro Ximenez
111
Port
- Grown in Duoro Valley
- Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tina Barroca.
- Fermented in lagars in DV
- Matured in Oporto
112
Types of port
1. Ruby (fresh, 2-4 years)
2. Tawny (8-12 years)
3. Vintage (1-2 years in barrel, matured for long time in bottle.)
4. Late Bottled Vintage (3-5 years in barrel, 2-4 years maturation in bottle).
113
Madeira
- Varietal wine
- unique taste from repeatedly heating the wine
- Varieties in madeira - Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malmsey
- all white varieties
114
Reason for decline in fortified wines
- intro of new varieties into aus
- Euro migration into aus
- generational shifts
115
Soil
- lighter, sandy soils = perfumed wines with delicate fruit characteristics
- red soil = rich, raisin type flavours.
116
Muscat vs Topaque
Muscat = red variety (brown msucat)
Topaque = white (muscadelle)
117
Rutherglen classification levels of Muscat
1. Classic (5-10 years)
2. Grand (10-15 years)
3. Rare (20+)
