Theory

Question 1

Grapes used for high quality sparkling wines are generally…

Answer 1

Just-ripe in flavour, with high acidity, sugar level for base wine quite low (9-11.5% abv)

Question 2

____ pressing is often practised for premium traditional method sparkling wines.

Answer 2

Whole-bunch

Question 3

Pros and cons of whole-bunch pressing

Answer 3

Pros - Gentle, low in solids and phenolics (thus delicate fruit flavours), stems help to channel juice flow
Cons - time consuming as fewer bunches can be loaded

Question 4

Typical primary fermentation temperature for sparkling wines

Answer 4

14-20°C

Question 5

Reasons for using a low temperature for primary fermentation

Answer 5

• To retain fruit flavours
• Not too cold for the yeast

Question 6

_____ yeast is used for primary fermentation for reliability

Answer 6

Cultured yeast

Question 7

Why is cultured yeast widely used?

Answer 7

• Base juice v low pH so can be stressful for most yeast strains
• Certain strains promote unwanted flavours, thiols or esters
• Pronounced primary flavours are generally not wanted for autolytic styles -> neutral-ish wine

Question 8

What properties are desirable for the yeast used in traditional method sparkling wines?

Answer 8

• Tolerance for low pH
• Neutral yeast
• Promotes rapid autolysis
• Encourages easy flocculation (dead yeast clumping togehter)

Question 9

Which Champagne yeast strain is widely used?

Answer 9

Prise de mouse EC1118

Question 10

Malolactic conversion can cause the base wine for sparklings to be

Answer 10

• Lower in acidity
• Thicker in texture
• Produces diacetyl, giving a buttery flavour
  But diacetyl will be metabolised by yeast during the second fermentation, thus devoid the wine with buttery notes

Question 11

The eight reasons for blending and their applications in making sparkling wines

Answer 11

1. Balance -Pinot Noir for body, Chardonnay for acidity, Meunier for fruits
2. Consistency - NV consisitency, house style
3. Style - easy drinking vs for ageing
4. Rose wines - in Champagne, blending reds and whites is allowed
5. Complexity - blending vineyards, parcels, clones, oak treatment, MLF, ageing for a more complex wine
6. Minimisation of faults - small imperfections could be diluted
7. Volume - with different varieties and/or reserve wines
8. Price - Meunier cheaper than Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Question 12

Statbilisation happens at which stage of making traditional method sparkling wines?

Answer 12

Between the first and second fermentation - stablised for tartrates and proteins

Question 13

What is liqueur de tirage?

Answer 13

A mixture of wine, and/or must, sugar, cultured yeasts, yeast nutrients and a clarifying agent (bentonite and/or alginate)

Question 14

What is alginate?

Answer 14

A seaweed extract to facilitate riddling

Question 15

What does prise de mousse mean?

Answer 15

Capturing the sparkle

Question 16

The more sugar in the liqueur de tirage, the _____ the pressure and _____ bubbles.

Answer 16

The higher the pressure, the more bubbles.

Question 17

For most sparkling wines, ____g sucrose per litre is added via liqueur de tirage to give ___ bar atmospheres

Answer 17

24g/L for 6 bars

Question 18

_____ is used to seal the wines for second fermentation

Answer 18

Crown cap

Question 19

The typical settings for the second fermentation

Answer 19

• “Sur latte” - bottles laid horizontally
• 10-12°C
• 4-6 week depending on the temperature
• The lower the temperature the long the fermentation time

Question 20

Ageing on lees takes ____ months for the autholytic notes to become detectable

Answer 20

15-18 months

Question 21

Remuage

Answer 21

French for riddling

Question 22

Time difference to complete riddling - machine vs hand

Answer 22

4 weeks for gyropalettes and riddling machine
~8 weeks for manual riddling

Question 23

Sur latte

Answer 23

bottles laid horizontally

Question 24

Sur pointe

Answer 24

bottles stored upside down on their cecks

Question 25

What is in liqueur déxpedition?

Answer 25

A mixture of wine and sugar/RCGM. The wine can be young for a boost of youth and fruitiness, old for finesse, red for rose colours

Question 26

Dosage

Answer 26

Same as liqueur d'expecdition

Question 27

Maillard reaction

Answer 27

Sugar reacting to the protein formed during yeast autolysis to develop roasted, toasted, vanilla aromas. Thus appellations encourage their producers to carry out bottle ageing post disgorgement.

Question 28

Three key benefits of the transfer methods

Answer 28

1. Save time and cost by skipping riddling 2. Reduce bottle-to-bottle variation 3. Make bottling special formats easier - half bottles, jeroboams and above Favoured by large-volume producers

Question 29

Describe the different steps of transfer method

Answer 29

1. Same up to second fermentation, with the liqueur de tirage doesn't need to contain fining agents to help flocculate 2. Lees ageing to the appropriate length 3. Bottles to be chilled to 0°C 4. Bottled opened by a transfer machine and poured into pressurised receiving tanks 5. Add sugar/RCGM and SO2 6. Sterile filtering before bottling

Question 30

Labelling differences between traditional method and transfer method

Answer 30

Traditional - "Fermented in this bottle" Transfer - "Fermented in bottle"

Question 31

Pet Nat

Answer 31

Abbreviation of Petillant naturel

Question 32

Four cons of the ancestral method

Answer 32

1. Outcome varies significantly 2. Unwanted RS 3. Fermentation may start again 4. Potential cloudiness

Question 33

Describe the different steps of the ancestral method

Answer 33

1. Fill half fermented must in the bottle 2. Crown cap it to capture the sparkles 3. Winemaker to decide whether to disgorge it or leave as it is, ie. cloudy

Question 34

Cuve close

Answer 34

Another name for the tank method

Question 35

Charmat method

Answer 35

Another name for the tank method

Question 36

Martinotti method

Answer 36

Another name for the tank method

Question 37

Three key benefits of the tank method

Answer 37

1. No riddling time or costs 2. No disgorgement needed saving costs 3. Cutting back lead time ie. lees ageing Therefore good for inexpensive large volume easy drinking wines

Question 38

Why is the tank method considered inferior to the traditional method?

Answer 38

- Prestige associated with Champagne - Low cost - Quality of fruit is usually lower anyway

Question 39

The first fermentation is typically ______ °C for the tank method to retain floral and fresh fruit characteristics.

Answer 39

16-18°C

Question 40

Describe the different steps of the tank method

Answer 40

1. First fermentation at 16-18°C in stainless steel tanks 2. Sugar and yeast added to the base wine 3. Rapid second fermentation in pressurised tanks 4. Short lees ageing with the option of dropping the tank to 2-4°C and paddling to stir up the lees for added texture and flavours 5. Cold stablise to precipitate tartrates 6. Remove yeast through centrifugation or filtration 7 . Adjust sugar level and add SO2 8. Bottle and ship off

Question 41

Describe the different steps of the Asti method

Answer 41

1. Only single fermentation in a pressurised tank 2. Once the desired level of pressure and amount of sugar are achieved, chilled to stop ferment 3. Yeast filtered out, add SO2, cold stabilise 4. Bottle and ship off

Question 42

RS for Brut Nature, Bruto Natural, Naturherb, Zero Dosage

Answer 42

0-3 g/L

Question 43

RS for Extra Brut, Extra Bruto, Extra Herb

Answer 43

0-6 g/L

Question 44

RS for Brut, Bruto, Herb

Answer 44

0-12 g/L

Question 45

RS for Extra-Sec, Extra-Dry, Extra Trocken

Answer 45

12-17 g/L

Question 46

RS for Seco, Secco, Seco, Dry, Trocken

Answer 46

17-32 g/L

Question 47

RS for Demi-Sec, Semi-Seco, Medium-Dry, Abboccato, Halbtrocken

Answer 47

32-50 g/L

Question 48

RS Doux , Dulce, Sweet, Mild

Answer 48

50+ g/L

Question 49

Five factors that affects the quantity and quality of mousse

Answer 49

1. Amount of sugar in tirage to be converted -> quantity 2. Base wine quality affect how CO2 dissolves -> quality & quality, ie.botrytis reduces the amount of bubbles that can form 3. Time on lees -> quality and quantity, ie. the longer the time the more CO2 will dissipate; the longer the time the more integrated the CO2 will be 4. Disgorging carefully will retain more CO2 -> quantity 5. Size and shape of the glass -> quantity, flute will best retain