Introduction to Wine

Beyond latitude, what has the greatest climactic effect on temperature?

altitude: slopes can increase or decrease soil's exposure to light. Vines do best in loose, well-drained, low fertility soils.

What did Louis Pasteur do for wine in the mid 1880s?

first to describe activities of yeast

What happens if weather is too hot and humid?

vines attacked by fungus

Why is ripening uneven in equatorial climates?

vines do not have sustained dormant period

What is lees contact?

when dead yeast cells ferment the wine (usually white)

When do leaves stop photosynthesizing?

when weather is too cold, hot or dry

Which countries are the leaders in wine consumption?

1. US, 2. France

What is taste?

1. overall process of analyzing wine 2. putting wine in the mouth 3. five tactile sensations perceived on the tongue

What percentage of wine do France and Italy produce?

17%

What happens when a sparkling wine is opened?

Atmospheric pressure to which wine is subject decreases allowing residual CO2 to go from liquid to gaseous state

What are advtanges of crossings or hybrids?

Better disease resistance than their parent wines

What are sulfites?

Compounds containing sulfur dioxide. They act as preservatives. Suf.ites present in more sweet and white wines. Stabilize wine to be transported/stored without losing character.

What type of wines go through alcoholic and malolactic fermentation?

Nearly all red wines. Whites and rose just go through alcoholic fermentation because malolactic reduces fruity smells of wine and reduces acidity.

What happens right before white wine is bottled?

Short maturation period in neutral container and filtered to remove debris, yeast and bacteria that could referment

On the NE seaboard, variety of products is rivaled by what nation?

UK

What happens after fermentation of red wine?

Wine and skins are separated. Skins are then pressed. The wine extracted is high colored and tannic and may or may not be added to the free-run wine.

What is an aromatized wine?

Wine flavored by non-grape substance. Retsina, Greek wine, flavored by pine resin is an ex.

What is another word for maturation?

Aging

What is wine?

An alcoholic beverage obtained from fermentation of juice of grapes

What countries have become wine dynamos in the last 15 years?

Chile (wine production grew 17% btwn 2006 and 2009), Australia (rise btwn 1995-2005), Argentina

What climate yields acidic wines? What yields higher alcohol wines?

Cooler climates yield acidic wines. Warmer climates yield higher alcohol.

What does New World mean?

Countries that were discovered by European explorers during great period of exploration during and after the Renaissance

When did red wine become more popular and why?

During 1990s, perception that red wine consumption was healthier and made red wines more popular than whites. Americans drink 2.5 gallons per person per year as of 2010

When are tannins extracted?

During fermentation and from oak when wines come into contact with oak. During this aging period, fruit character is lost and red wines become floral.

What is the maturation period?

End of alcoholic fermentation to bottling of wine to determine style of wine. Much of flavor of red wine comes from maturation period.

What regions are in the Old World?

Europe, Near East, Northern Africa

What is malolactic fermentation?

Follows alcoholic fermentation when bacteria accelerates reaction, where malic acid, sharp tasting acidity is transformed into lactic acid, a softer tasting acidity, and CO2. Reaction gives off less heat.

Which countries vie each other to lead the world in wine PRODUCTION?

France and Italy. US is 4th

What is a quality of red wines aged in stainless steel or neutral containers?

More fruity

What happens during aging of red wines in the bottle?

Reactions soften the astringency caused by tannins which are present in the skins, seeds and stems of the grape.

What is alcoholic fermentation?

Transformation of sugar into heat, CO2 and alcohol. Yeast accelerates the reaction

What is fermentation and what are the 2 types?

Transforms grape juice into wine. 2 types: alcoholic and malolactic

What grapes are the best wines made from?

Vitis Vinifera: Europe's only indigenous species under cultivation

When does a crossing occur?

When 2 different Vitis Vinifera varieties pollinate each other

When does a hybrid occur?

When a vitis vinifera and a vine variety of another species pollinate each other and create a unique individual

What colors do white and red grapes produce?

White grapes produce water-white to greenish-yellow wine. Red grapes product water-white to garnet-purple wines. Pink to salmon color rose is obtained by brief contact btwn juice/wine and red grape skins before or during fermentation

What happens to the appearance of wine w/ age?

Whites get darker and more golden brown, esp. if they have been matured in new oak barrels. Red wines get paler, more limpid and browner.

What is a fortified wine?

Wine to which a distillate has been added. Port and sherry are classic fortified wines.

How early did man cultivate grapes?

as early as 4000 BC

What does the presence of tannins in wine cause?

astringency, drying sensation and bitterness

At what latitude do most vineyards lie?

between 30 and 50 degrees latitude

What are wines classified by?

color, degree of carbonization, sugar content, alcohol content, and by whether or not non-grape substances have been used to enhance flavor

What are qualities of an immature wine?

dumb in the nose or closed or are dominated by fermentation-associated smells or are imbalanced.

Why has the Old World lost much of its competitive edge in the world market?

excessive regulation

When does the weather have biggest impact on grapes?

just before and during harvest. Napa Valley has little variance in weather, so wines vary less from vintage to vintage unlike Burgundy's continental climate

How are sweet wines made?

natural or intentional cessation of fermentation before all sugar has been transformed into alcohol or by addition of sweet grape juice to dry wine

What gives wine most of its color?

pigment in skins of grape. Nearly all grapes have colorless pulp. When and how skins come into contact with juice and/or wine determine appearance of young wine.

What is the most important difference between red wine and white fermentation?

red juice and wine remains in contact with skins for varying periods of time, resulting in extraction of color, tannins and other substances

What has helped New World wine producers?

scientific strategies, computerized systems, modern marketing techniques

What happens just before fermentation of white wine?

separation of skins from grape juice occurs just before fermentation. Pressing the crushed grapes in a press, usually one that presses gently.