Bev Appreciation Exam 1

What is a wine tasting?

The process of evaluating wine using sight, smell, taste, and touch to assess its characteristics and quality.

Where do wines get their color?

Primarily from pigments in grape skins. Red wine gets its color from skin contact during fermentation, while most white wine is made with little or no skin contact.

How does sugar level in grapes impact alcohol amounts in the wine produced?

Higher sugar levels in grapes generally produce higher potential alcohol because yeast converts sugar into alcohol during fermentation.

What’s the purpose of serving red wines in glassware with a wider bowl?

A wider bowl allows more oxygen contact and provides space for aromas to develop and collect.

In what kind of soils are the highest quality grapes planted?

Well-drained, relatively low-fertility soils that limit excessive vine growth and encourage concentrated grape flavors.

Why do we suck oxygen in our mouths during our wine tastings?

To aerate the wine in the mouth, helping release aromas and making flavors easier to perceive.

Why do winemakers blend different types of grapes together to make wines?

To combine flavors, aromas, acidity, color, and tannins to create a more balanced and complex wine.

What is the result of fermentation being stopped before all the sugar is consumed by yeast?

Residual sugar remains in the wine, producing a sweeter wine with potentially lower alcohol content.

What is Chaptalization?

The addition of sugar to grape must before or during fermentation to increase the potential alcohol level of wine.

What is the most commonly used yeast strain for making wines?

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a yeast species commonly used for wine fermentation.

What term would apply when a white wine is lacking in adequate acidity or red wine is lacking acid and/or tannin?

Flabby: A wine that lacks sufficient acidity and structure.

What are disadvantages of using natural cork enclosures?

They can cause cork taint, allow inconsistent oxygen transfer, leak, dry out, or crumble.

What is tannin and does it come from?

Tannin is a naturally occurring compound that creates a drying, astringent sensation in the mouth. It comes primarily from grape skins, seeds, stems, and oak barrels.

What are the optimum conditions for evaluation wine visually?

Neutral white lighting, a white background, and a clear glass tilted at an angle to observe the wine's color, clarity, and intensity.

What wine attribute causes salivation?

Acidity, which stimulates saliva production and creates a mouthwatering sensation.

What is phylloxera?

A root-feeding insect pest that devastated European vineyards in the 19th century. It is commonly managed by grafting European grapevines onto resistant American rootstocks.

What are the steps of the wine tasting process?

See (observe appearance), swirl (release aromas), smell (evaluate aromas), sip (assess flavors and structure), and savor (evaluate the finish).

Where do vitus vinefera grapes grow best in the world related to latitude?

Vitis vinifera grapes generally grow best between 30° and 50° latitude in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

What is a microclimate?

The specific climate conditions of a small area, such as an individual vineyard or part of a vineyard.

What is terroir?

The combination of soil, climate, topography, and other environmental factors that influence a wine's characteristics.

How does aging impact tannins?

Aging can soften tannins and reduce their perceived astringency, resulting in a smoother mouthfeel.

What is veraison?

The stage of grape development when berries begin to change color, soften, and accumulate sugar as they approach ripeness.

What is diacetyl?

A compound that produces buttery aromas and flavors in wine, often associated with malolactic fermentation.

In which country did coffee originate?

Ethiopia, where coffee is believed to have originated before spreading to Yemen and other parts of the world.

What process impacts the flavor of coffee the most?

Roasting, which develops many of coffee's characteristic aromas and flavors.

How does pruning grapevines impact the quality of the wines produced?

Pruning controls crop size and vine growth, helping improve grape ripeness, concentration, and overall wine quality.

What does a narrower location on a wine label indicate higher quality?

A more specific geographic designation, such as an appellation or vineyard, may indicate stricter production standards and a distinctive origin, although it does not automatically guarantee higher quality.

What is viticulture?

The science and practice of growing and cultivating grapevines.

Where does the first processing of grapes occur?

At the winery, where grapes are received, sorted, and typically crushed and destemmed.

What is a cap in wine processing?

The layer of grape skins, seeds, and other solids that rises to the surface of fermenting red wine.

What do grape skins contribute to red wines?

Color, tannins, flavor compounds, and aromas.

What is the most-commonly used method of mixing cap and juice?

Pumping over (remontage), which circulates fermenting juice over the cap to extract color, tannins, and flavor.

When are red wines pressed?

Usually after fermentation or near its completion, separating the wine from the skins and seeds. The timing varies by winemaking style.

What is lees?

Dead yeast cells and other particles that settle at the bottom of a wine vessel after fermentation.

What does brix measure?

The sugar concentration in grape juice, which helps estimate grape ripeness and potential alcohol content.

What is malolactic fermentation and what does it do to wine?

A bacterial process that converts sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid, reducing acidity and sometimes producing buttery flavors.

What kind of wood are wine barrels made from?

Oak, particularly French oak and American oak.

What is racking?

Transferring wine from one vessel to another while leaving sediment behind.

What senses do we use when evaluating wine?

Sight, smell, taste, and touch (mouthfeel). Hearing may also contribute to the overall sensory experience.

What does fermentation create?

Alcohol, carbon dioxide, heat, and various flavor compounds as yeast converts sugar into alcohol.

What happens to grapes after the crusher/destemmer?

The crushed grapes are sent for further processing. Red wine grapes typically ferment with their skins, while white wine grapes are usually pressed before fermentation.

What is grape must?

Freshly crushed grape juice containing pulp, skins, seeds, and sometimes stems before or during fermentation.

What causes fermentation?

Yeast consumes grape sugars and converts them primarily into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Who brought wine grapes to the New World and for what purpose?

European explorers and missionaries, particularly Spanish missionaries, brought grapevines to the Americas to produce wine for religious ceremonies and other uses.

Which is a commonly barrel aged white wine?

Chardonnay, which can develop vanilla, toast, and buttery notes through oak aging and malolactic fermentation.

What is the ideal ratio for coffee to water?

Approximately 1

Which sense is most important in wine evaluation?

Smell, because aroma contributes significantly to perceived flavor and helps identify a wine's characteristics.

What defines a long finish?

A wine whose flavors and sensations persist in the mouth after swallowing or spitting it out.

What is the most important attribute of soil when growing grapes?

Drainage, because well-drained soil helps regulate vine growth and prevents excessive water accumulation around the roots.

What is a climate?

The long-term pattern of weather conditions in a region, including temperature, precipitation, sunlight, and seasonal variations.