02 Vinification

Question 1

Steps of the winemaking process

Answer 1

1. Harvest
2. Sort (under-ripe, over-ripe, stems, animals)
3. Crush
4. Press & remove skins (white wine)
5. Fermentation
6. Press (red wine)
7. Aging
8. Fining / filtration
9. Bottling / packaging

Question 2

Crush pad decisions

Answer 2

• Sort (under-ripe, over-ripe, stems, animals)
• Destem (or not) - most destem, but ripe stems can add perfumy character
• Crushed or whole berry - crushed breaks fruit & lets juices escape, whole berry is used in carbonic masceration
• Pressing - whites & rose are pressed before fermentaiton, reds are pressed afterwards

Question 3

Fermetnation vessels (shape & size)

Answer 3

Small vessels: more control over what goes in, smaller batches

Larger vessels: more goes in, have a consistent taste

Egg shape: fermentation takes place in the center & induces movement so the yeast never settles

Question 4

Vessel material

Answer 4

Stainless steel
- Easy to clean, can control temperature
- Lets solids fall out before bottling

Wood
- Lets wine breathe more, extract flavors from wood
- Some evaporation increases concentration
- New vs. Old barrels - cost & level of extraction tradeoffs

Question 5

Carbonic Maceration

Answer 5

• Tank filled with whole berries under CO2
• Intracellular fermentation (fermentation within the grape, so it bursts open)
• Berries at bottom are crushed & ferment normally
• Imparts a candied fruit characteristic
• Examples
  –> Traditional style in Beaujolais
  –> Sometiems seen in Syrah
  –> Sometimes seen in Cabernet Franc in Loire

Question 6

Winemaking additions

Answer 6

• SO2
• Chapitalization
• Acidification
• Water

Question 7

Chapitalization

Answer 7

• Addition of sugar to must to increase final alcohol content of wine
• Common in cooler areas / vintages
• Low sugar content will be acidic, sugar helps yeast react and makea more rounded wine

Question 8

Acidification

Answer 8

• Addition of acids to must or to a finished wine
• Common in warmer climates to get a balanced wine

Question 9

SO2

Answer 9

• Traditional addition
• Natural winemaking ahs more wild flavors
• Keeps wine clean and fresh
• Let’s varietal characteristic show through

Question 10

Water addition to grapes

Answer 10

• Common in warmer climates
• yeast dies at >16% alcoholic content
• Water dilutes & lets yeast continue fermentation
• Dilution can reduce acidity & sometimes additional acid needs to be added

Question 11

Lees

Answer 11

• Autolysis: breakdown of yest cells to add complexity
• Gives richer, creamier texture
• Provides extra flavor
  –> Bread dough
  –> Yeast / Beer
  –> Toast
  –> Light floral
  –> Nuts (blanched almonds, pine nuts, peanut shells)
• Used in cool-climate growing to derive more expressive aromas & flavors
• Used on white and sparkling wines: e.g., Pinot Grigio & Muscadet, Champagne

Question 12

Malolactic Fermentation

Answer 12

• Tart malic acids converted to softer tasting lactic acid
  –> Malic acid is intense, astringent, and tastes of under-ripe green apple & sour candy
• Common in red wines
• Imparts flavor & texture to white wines
  –> butter (diacetyl)
  –> cream

Question 13

Cap Management

Answer 13

• Cap: big layer of grape skins at the top of the tank
• Goal: have cap soaked in wine to extract & get the most color / flavor
• Considerations
  –> Level of Oxygen exposure
  –> Temperature control
• Masceration options

Question 14

Cap management: Maceration options

Answer 14

• Pump Over: pump from bottom of tank onto top to extract flavor
• Punch down: big stick to push the wines down and to let them stay moist & extract flavor

Question 15

Wine Faults

Answer 15

• TCA (damp cardboard)
• Sulfur Compounds (rotten eggs, onion, no fruit)
• Volatile Acidity (vinegary, hairspray)
• Ethyl Acetate (nailpolish)
• Bretanomyces (barnyard)
• Oxidation (nutty, bruised, no fresheness / brightness)
• Maderization (cooked, burnt sugars)

Question 16

TCA

Answer 16

• Wine Fault
• Tastes like damp cardboard, dirty basement, old book
• Mold in contact with chlorine based chemical
• Typical problem with natural cork that has bacteria

Question 17

Sulfur Compounds

Answer 17

• Wine Fault
• Sulfur dioxide: smells like match stick, rotten egg, shuts down fruit flavors
• Hydrogen Sulfide: lack of O2 during fermentation; gives an onion smell; can reduce by swirling wine with copper penny

Question 18

Volatilie acidity

Answer 18

• Wine fault
• Intense aromas that are vinegary - like hairspray

Question 19

Maderisation

Answer 19

• Wine Fault
• Flavors that are cooked - burnt sugar, toasted marshmallow
• Improper bottle storage

Question 20

Fining

Answer 20

• To improve attractiveness of wine by clarifying
• Cold stabilization: process to preciptate out tartrate crystals
• Can use bentonite or egg whites

Question 21

Filtration

Answer 21

• Helps with microbial stability to ensure no re-fermenting occurs in bottle
• Ensure yeast / other microbes are gone from the bottle by passing through a series of filters

Question 22

Implications of barrel aging

Answer 22

• Evaporates excess water
• Oxidizes: white wines darken from pale yellow to gold, red wines lighten in color
• Textural changes: wine softens
• Flavors imparted: Vanilla, Oak, Taost, Spice, Coconut

Question 23

French vs. American Oak

Answer 23

French - subleter aromas of vanilla, toast, & spice, cedar

American - bold, more itennse flavors of vanilla, baking spices, carmel, dill, & coconut