Vinification (R)

Question 1

What is vinification?

Answer 1

• It begins when the grapes arrive in the winery.

- Decisions and practices made in the winery by the winemaker that affect quality and style.

Question 2

List the factors of vinification.

Answer 2

1. Pre-Fermentation
2. Fermentation
3. Types of Winemaking
   - White, Rose, Red
   - Sparkling
   - Dessert and Fortified
4. Fermentation Vessels
5. Aging and Maturation
6. Important Vinification Terms
7. Preparation for Bottling
8. Packaging

Question 3

List the factors of pre-fermentation.

Answer 3

1. Sorting (sorted to remove excess - leaves, branches, damaged fruit, random unwanted items)
2. De-stemming (obvious. Can elect against this.)
3. Crushing (crushing to release juice. Be gentle or unwanted bitterness and tannins!)
4. Fermentation (sugar + yeast = alcohol+CO2)
   (also creates flavors, aromas, heat)

Question 4

Winemaking steps - white wine?

Answer 4

1. Harvest (red or white grapes)
2. De-stem or Whole Bunch
3. Crush
4. Press juice from skins (must) (skin contact)
5. Fermentation
6. Aging?
   - None
   - LEES CONTACT
   - Barrel (type and size)
7. Fine and/or Filter
8. Bottle

Question 5

Winemaking steps - rose wine?

Answer 5

1. Harvest (red grapes)
2. De-stem or Whole Bunch
3. Crush
4. Press juice from skins (must) (skin contact limited)
5. Fermentation
6. Aging?
   - None
   Barrel (type and size)
7. Fine and/or Filter
8. Bottle

Question 6

Winemaking steps - red wine?

Answer 6

1. Harvest (red grapes)
2. Crush
   - De-stem or Whole Bunch
   - Skins and seeds macerated with juice (must)
3. Fermentation
4. Press juice from skins
5. Aging?
   - None
   - Barrel (type and size)
6. Fine and/or Filter
7. Bottle

Question 7

List the primary factors of a fermentation vessel.

Answer 7

• Size
• Shape
• Material

Question 8

How does a fermentation vessel impact the final wine?

Answer 8

Can affect:

• Aroma
• Flavor
• Texture

Question 9

Name three sizes/shapes of vessels.

Answer 9

1. Foudre: 1000+ liter (large)
2. Barrique: 224 liter (small)
3. Egg-shaped

Question 10

Name three vessel materials.

Answer 10

1. Wood
2. Stainless Steel
3. Concrete

Question 11

What does barrel aging do?

Answer 11

• Evaporation of excess water
• Oxidation: Causes color change in wine
  (white = darken pale yellow to gold. red = lighten)
• Textural: Softens wine
• Flavor Changes: Vanilla, oak, toast, spice (cinnamon, clove, allspice), Coconut

Question 12

What are the primary barrel considerations?

Answer 12

• Age
• Type of wood
• Financial Considerations
• Size of Barrel

Question 13

What is another name for a new oak barrel and how does it impact a wine?

Answer 13

• “First use”

- Will impart the most flavor and aroma

Question 14

What is another name for an older oak barrel and how does it impact a wine?

Answer 14

• “Used”
• Imparts little to no flavor or aroma after 4-6 years of use.
• STILL impacts oxidative flavors and textural effects

Question 15

New oak barrels are extremely __________. What do winemakers have to consider and what is an alternative?

Answer 15

• Expensive.
• Does the style require use of high percentage of oak? If so, does winery have the means/model to support the production year?
• Oak chips or planks are an alternative

Question 16

__________ barrels will impart __________ flavor to the wine because a lower percentage of surface area is in contact with the wood.

Answer 16

• Large

- Less

Question 17

__________ barrels will impart __________ flavor to the wine because a higher percentage of surface area is in contact with the wood.

Answer 17

• Small

- More

Question 18

When is a barrel rendered neutral?

Answer 18

• After its fourth to sixth use

Question 19

How do neutral barrels impact a wine?

Answer 19

• No longer impart flavors or aromas
• DO IMPART oxidative flavors
• DO IMPART textural effects

Question 20

How does aging in oak affect the texture of a wine?

Answer 20

• Softens the wine

Question 21

How does barrel aging affect the color of a wine?

Answer 21

• Red wines grow lighter in color

- White wines grow darker in color, from pale yellow to gold

Question 22

What types of flavors does barrel aging impart on a wine?

Answer 22

• Vanilla
• Oak
• Toast
• Spice (Cinnamon, Clove, Allspice)
• Coconut

Question 23

What are the main types of wood used for barrel aging?

Answer 23

• American Oak
• French Oak
• Slavonian (from northeastern Croatia)
• Hungarian

Question 24

Describe the flavors imparted by American oak.

Answer 24

BOLD:

• Vanilla
• Baking Spices
• Dill
• Coconut

Question 25

Describe the flavors imparted by French Oak.

Answer 25

SUBTLE: - Vanilla - Toast - Spice

Question 26

What is malolactic fermentation?

Answer 26

- The process by which tar malic acid, natural in grapes, is converted to softer tasting lactic acid. - Occurs in red and white wine

Question 27

How does Malo impact the flavor of a red wine?

Answer 27

- No flavor is imparted

Question 28

How does Malo impact the flavor of a white wine?

Answer 28

- Buttery or buttered popcorn flavors | - Creamy texture

Question 29

Describe carbonic maceration.

Answer 29

- Whole berries are blanketed under CO2 gas - Grapes begin to ferment from the inside - This is called intracellular fermentation, where sugars inside the grapes are converted to alcohol in the absence of yeast - Berries at the bottom are naturally crushed and ferment normally - This technique is historically associated with the Beaujolais region of Burgundy, France

Question 30

What is intracellular fermentation?

Answer 30

- The process by which sugars inside the grapes are converted to alcohol in the absence of yeast - Often associated with carbonic maceration

Question 31

What is lees contact?

Answer 31

- A winemaking decision to leave white and sparkling wines in contact with the yeasts that produced the fermentation. - Autolysis occurs, this is when yeast cells die and release flavor components such as additional richness, creaminess and texture

Question 32

Where and why is lees contact often used?

Answer 32

- Cold climate growing regions | - To derive more expressive aromas and flavors

Question 33

What is lees?

Answer 33

- After fermentation, yeast cells die and settle to the bottom of the tank or barrel - The accumulated material is known as lees

Question 34

What is "sur lie aging"?

Answer 34

- A decision to leave fermented wine in contact with the lees for an extended period of time to impart additional aromas and flavors

Question 35

What types of flavors and aromas are imparted through "sur lie aging"?

Answer 35

- Bread Dough - Yeast - Toast - Subtle white flowers - Nuts (blanched almonds, pine nuts, peanut shells)

Question 36

What is must?

Answer 36

- Unfermented grape juice

Question 37

What are two common must adjustments?

Answer 37

- Chaptalization: Addition of sugar to increase final alcohol content - Acidification: Addition of tartaric acid to increase acidity to achieve improved balance

Question 38

Describe the steps to prepare for bottling. (5)

Answer 38

1. Fining: Clarify the wine for attractiveness. - Cold stabilization: A process that causes tartrate crystals to precipitate out of the wine at very low temps (25F) 2. Filtration: Extracts yeasts and other microbes. Assures wine does not re-ferment. 3. Packaging: Bottle, Tetra Pak, Keg, Can 4. Closures: Cork, Screw Cap, Glass "Vino-Lok" 5. Capsules and Labels: For identification and increased sales

Question 39

What is cold stabilization?

Answer 39

- A process that happens while fining a wine to prepare for bottling - Causes tartrate crystals to precipitate out of the wine at very low temps (25F)