Untitled Flashcards Set

Components, Viticulture, Vinification/Enology, and Winemaking

What information is listed on a wine label?

• Varietal (What type of wine, grape)

• Producer (Who made it)

• Vintage (What year)

• Origin (Where it’s from)

• Possibly some indication of special handling, ranking, or classification

What are the major differences between how white and red wines are made?

• Red wine fermentation has skin contact, white does not

  • Vatting, pressing, aging, barrel sampling, age

• A white wine can be made from either white or red grapes

  • settling/pressing

• Viticulture (grape growing) is the same

• Viniculture changes—white grapes pressed and just juice is used and fermented, but the red is fermented with whole grape

• Reds are aged for longer, in oak barrels, allowing for more oxidation. Tannin is also added to reds through oak barrels

• Process:

  • Sorting

    • Sort grapes for bad grapes, grapes with leaves, and moldy grapes

  • De-stem/crush

    • De-stem → remove grapes from the vine

    • Crush → if the stems are ripe, they might be included in the crushing of grapes because  it can give the wine texture 

      • Crush whole berry or whole cluster

    • Free Run Juice: grapes crushed to extract juice

      • Purest juice

      • After it is crushed, the juice runs and after it stops running, the grapes are pushed a little more until it become press wine

  • Sulfur Dioxide

    • Add sulfur dioxide to the must to kill off stray bacteria or yeast

      • Must: unfermented grape juice and solids

  • Vatting (red wine only)

    • Pumping the must into fermentation vessels

    • Able to vat in either stainless steel or oak

      • Wood can impact the wine, especially if it's in a new oak barrel

        • American oak is different from french oak

    • Stainless steel is cheaper than oak barrels

      • Able to use oak chips in a tea bag that is inserted into the stainless steek vat to have the oak flavor without the high cost of the oak barrel 

  • Yeast

    • Yeast eats the sugar in the juice, giving off 1) alcohol, 2) heat, and 3) carbon dioxode

    • The yeast begins the fermentation process

  • Aging

    • Aging in either oak or stainless steel barrels 

  • Storing

    • Storing options → racking, barrel, sampling, aging, bottling

Which VITICULTURAL (grape growing) and VINIFICATION (winemaking) practices affect a wine’s quality, flavor and price?

VITICULTURAL (grape growing)

• Grape variety

• Age of wine affects yield, intensity, and complexity. Older = more concentration of flavor = more expensive a yield

• Density of planting. Less dense = better quality = pricier

• Yield/care affects quality and price. Higher yield = less quality = cheaper

• Terroir—soil type, topography, microclimate (water)

  • Microclimate: rain, average daily temperature, number of daylight hours, length of growing season

  • Site: soil, slope, elevation, drainage, orientation to the sun—marginal climates sometimes produce unique wines but vintage variation is significant

    • Dry soil allows for better water concentration to flow

• Land and labor costs

• Harvesting: the later a grape is picked the higher the sugar content

VINIFICATION (winemaking): influence and capability of the winemaker

• Equipment and facilities used to pick and make wine, types of barrels

• Production capacity and demand. Smaller quantity = higher demand = higher price

• Climate conditions affect flabor of grape and alcohol content

  • Warmer climate with sun allows for longer ripening period, allowing sugars within the grape to accumulate, resulting in a higher alcohol content

    • In the process of ripening quickly, the grapes lose their natural acidity

What are the various grape components and how do they contribute to the finished wine?

• Skin: tannins, colors, flavor

• Stalk: tannins

• Pulp: sugar, fruit acids, water, pectin, flavor

• Pips: butter, oak

• Seed: bitter oil

• Astringent: textural component

  • Stem inclusion – including stalks to boost texture

  • Tannins: gives a drying sensation to the palette

    • Components with tannin: stalk and skin

What are the major components in wine and how do these influence taste, texture, and enjoyment?

• Water (color): makes up 85% or more of table wines

• Alcohol (body): affects body (high alcohol = high body), mouth-feel, and storage life

  • Wines too high in alcohol = “hot” and give burning sensation

• Cooler climate == more light bodied wine

• Fortified wines have alcohol added in the form of brandy (grape neutral spirits) to boost as high as 22%

• Table wine alcohol content – 7-14.5%

  • Higher alcohol content can extend the storage life of wine

  • High alcohol content creates a burning sensation

• Adds weight to wine

• Affects - body, mouth-feel, storage life

• Grape sugar (aroma): yields alcohol—measured in Degrees Brix

  • Amount of sugar (potential alcohol) depends on ripeness of grapes at harvest

  • Types of sweet

    • Fruity sweet - from ripe fruit

    • Sweet sweet - residual sugar (sugary sweetness)

  • Residual sugar 

    • Balances high acidity

• Organic acids (texture): tartaric, malic, lactic, citric

  • Crispness, structure, and balance

  • Too much makes it harsh or sour but too little makes it flabby or flat

  • Acid creates a salivating feeling on the mouth

  • Levels of acidity

    • Low acidity - flabby, flat

      • Occurs in warm climates

    • Correct acidity - crips, fresh, lively

    • Excess acidity - green, harsh, sour

• Water: thin body. Water = 85% or more of table wines and dilutes the other components

• Residual sugar (sweetness): balances high acidity

  • Wines with less than 4% sugar are technically dry

  • Wines with high acidity can appear dry to the taste even though they have residual sugar

• Components from the grapeskin

  • Anthocyanins (bouqet): provide the color in red wine (pigment)

  • Tannins (taste): structure and aging potential. Mouth drying sensation and bitterness

  • Resveratrol: antioxidant believed to be effective in lowering cholesterol levels

  • Grape solids

  • Sulfites

  • Undesirable elements: bacteria, acids

• Phenois (aftertaste): organic compounds (tannins, anthocyanin)

• Grape solids (storage life)

How does the winemaker shape or adjust various components in wine?

• Fortification: add alcohol in the form of a grape neutral spirit (brandy)

• Chaptalization: addition of sugar to boost natural sugar level and produce higher alcohol level. Done in COOL growing regions. 

• Malolactic fermentation: secondary fermentation. High levels of malic acid converted to softer lactic acid

  • Produces byproducts such as glycerol (fatness) and diacetyl (buttery)

• Acidification: addition of acids (usually Tartaric) to the finished wine. Done in hot climates where natural acidity in the grapes is low

• Amelioration: addition of water and sugar to the grape must to dilute acidity and boost the alcohol in the finished wine. Done in New York in cooler regions

What is the definition of Vinification, Enology, and Viticulture?

• Vinification: winemaking

• Viticulture: grape growing

  • Harvesting

    • Hand harvesting: labor prices can impact the final price of the bottle

    • Mechanical harvesting: no labor since a machine is used

    • Night harvesting: grapes are cooler, which helps to maintain acidity 

  • Transportation to winery

    • Must be gentle to avoid releasing juices from grapes and prematurely beginning fermentation before arriving to the winery

    • Transport through baskets, truckloads

• Enology: science and study of wine and winemaking

What are the steps in wine evaluation and what characteristics are we looking for?

1. Sight

   1. Appearance: brilliant, clear, dull, cloudy, precipitated

   2. Color: Whites are pale yellow/green, light yellow or straw, medium yellow, light gold, medium gold. Reds lose color as they age (purple/red to ruby to brick red to tawny to brown)

   3. White wine → intensities of yellow, gold, and brown colors

   4. Red wine → color indicates level of aging, loses color as it ages

      1. Purple red → young immature

      2. Ruby red → youthful

      3. Brick red → mature

      4. Tawny → declining

      5. Brown → usually over the hill

         1. Too much exposure to oxygen

   5. Maderized: wine changing color

   6. Wine floaties → sediment that accumulates when the tannin molecules fall out of the solution 

   7. Characteristics → brilliant, clear, dull, cloudy, precipitated 

2. Smell (taste is dependent on smell)

   1. Aroma: fragrance associated with grape variety—fruit, veg, spice, minerals

   2. Bouquet: fragrances developed in winemaking and aging process

      1. With bottle and barrel age, the bouquet changes

      2. Wood influence: vanilla, toasty, smoky, spice, butter, coconut

   3. Smell by swirling the wine glass and taking a slight whiff

3. Taste: sense of taste is dependent on sene of smell

   1. Taste sweet (fruitiness), sour (acidity), salt, bitter

      1. Progression of taste recognition on the palate: 1. fruitness/sweetness, 2. Acidity, 3. Bitterness

      2. Body: non-sugar solids of wine

   2. Flavors

      1. Varietal: impression of varietal aroma

      2. Alcohol: sensory impression of alcohol content, weak or strong/heady

      3. Age

      4. General terms: fruity, stemmy, grassy, metallic, bacterial, fresh, clean, tired, yeasty, well-balanced, unbalanced, burnt, rubbery, nutty, foxy

   3. Steps:

      1. Attack (introduction)

      2. Evolution

      3. Finish 

What are the wine varietal (aroma & flavor) characteristics of the major grape varieties discussed in class?

WHITES

• Gewurztraminer: spicy, geranium, honeysuckle, cinnamon, ginger, grapefruit, apricot, lemon, banana, orange, peach, melon, pineapple, lychee, roses

• Sauvignon Blanc: grassy, herbaceous, bell pepper, gunmetal powder, green olive, black pepper, grapefruit, fig

• Chardonnay: apple, toasty vanilla, lemon, sweet clove, buttery or creamy, figs, melons, coconuts, tea, pear, flinty

  • Aged: peach, pineapple, sage honey

• White Riesling: fruity, apricot, peach, green apples, floral, lemon, tropical lushness

  • Botrytised: honey

• Chenin Blanc: fruity-grassiness, melon, bananas, apples (dry Chenin Blancs), citrus, celery, lemon

REDS

• Merlot: herbaceous, tea, floral, violet, bell pepper, black pepper, cassis, peppermint, cedar, chocolate, wild cherry, cigar box, roses, pipe tobacco

• Pinot Noir: velvety, roast coffee, earthy, tar, pepper, leathery, mushrooms, chocolate, berries, pomegranate, carmelized sugar, ripe cherries, wild violets, strawberries

• Cabernet Sauvignon (cab): herbaceous, tea, green olives, currants, bell pepper, spicy, more leaves and stalks than fruits and flowers

• Zinfandel: blackberry, raspberry, jammy, briary, herbaceous, eucalyptus, mint, leather, cedar, dark chocolate, cherries, black pepper, raisins

What defects or faults might one find in a wine?

• Defective odors

• Sulfur dioxide: stinging sensation in the nose

• Hydrogen sulfide: rotten egg smell

• Mercaptans: skunk and rotting cabbage

• Volatile acidity: nail polish remover

• Oxidized: bland, loss of flavor, nutty

• Maderized: cooked, sherry like with nutty flavors

• Corked (TCA): musty, moldy, wet dog

• Dekkera/brettanomyces: barnyard, horsey, mousey

• Sorbate: bubble gum smell

• Pediococcus: dirty socks

• TCA: a compound that reacts with wine and makes it taste and smell unpleasant

• Ullage: fill level in wine bottling 

  • The more air in the bottle, the higher chance of oxidation 

What happens to wine as it ages? Which wines benefit from aging?

• It gives complexity, flavors, and color changes. Red wines benefit from aging

California

Which individuals and historic events have had significant impact on the growth of California’s wine industry?

• 1779 Father Junipero Serra: established mission along the coastline of CA

• 1830 → Jean-Louis Vignes brings Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux to LA

• 1830-1860 → vinifera vines imported to Southern and Northern CA from Europe

• 1852 Count Agoston Harazsthy brings importing European vine cuttings for Buena Vista winery in Sonoma (still open). Father of CA viticulture

• 1857 → Count Agoston Harazsthy travels to Europe and brings back vine cuttings

• 1880s → phylloxera

  • Phylloxera: root-eating louse (insect pest)

    • Caused 250,000 acres of destroyed land

    • American grapes evolved tolerance to the attack, but Old World grapes were defenseless

    • Grafting: graft vines onto the phylloxera-resisting root stalk 

• 1900 → Beaulieu Vineyards (BV) si founded

• 1933: Prohibition repealed, E&J Gallo opened a small winery in Modesto

• 1937 → Andre Tchelistcheff hired at BV

• 1960s Robert Mondavi: leaves Krug. Father of modern CA wine

• 1976: Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Chateau Montelena beat French wines and put CA wine on the map—JUDGMENT OF PARIS. Elevated the status of California wines

• 1990s → Talk of Terroir

  • Where grapes are grown impacts the final wine

• 1990s → Pierce’s Disease

  • Pierce’s Disease: glassy-winged sharpshooter that wille eat one plant and fly to another plan and infect that one

• Historical Figures

  • Father Junipero Serra → Spanish missionary 

    • First reported vineyard in 1779

    • Brought over the Mission Grape (Criolla)  

  • Andre Tchelistcheff → Russian working in Bordeaux who came over to California and shared his knowledge of wine making

  • Robert Mondavi → the godfather of modern California wine

    • Created Fumé Blanc to differentiate his wine style from Sauvignon Blanc

How does one decode a California wine label? What are the labeling requirements and regulations for California? E.g. % of grape variety, meaningful controlled terms etc. Suggestion—make up a one page spread sheet comparing the requirements side by side.

• Alcohol Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB): governing body of places that produce wine labeling and distribution laws

• Generic names can indicate place name from a famous region or wine style

  • Place name: Champagne, Chablis, Burgundy

  • Wine style: ex. Sherry Port

• Proprietary names: made up names with no real meaning beyond differentiating the specific wine

• Cali wines designed as table wines are NOT required to show alcohol content, which is between 7-14% (wines above 14% alcohol required to show content)

• Federal law requires label statement that “wine contains sulfites”

• Varietal: wine must contain minimum of 75% of grapes on label

• Generic → doesn’t list the grape variety

  • Place name are often famous wine regions (i.e. Chablis, Champagne, etc.)

• Proprietary → does not have a grape variety

  • Often blends of different varietals 

  • Uses made-up names

• Geographic statements of origin

  • CA: 100% come from the state

  • County: 75% or more come from specific county

  • AVA: 85% or more come from specific AVA

    • “Valley” = AVA (more important than the county)

  • Vineyard: 95% or more come from specific vineyard

  • Estate: 100% grown, produced, and bottled by the estate

  • Vintage

    • Minimum 85% if from a country

    • Minimum 95% if from AVA

• Statements of production

  • Grown, produced, and bottled by (estate-bottled): 100% must be grown by, and wine made by company on bottle

  • Produced and bottled by or made and bottled by: 75% of grapes must be grown by and wine made by company

  • Bottled by OR Cellared and vented by: NONE of grapes need to be grown by or wine made by company

• Meritage category: blend made from Bordeaux varieties

  • Red: cab sauv, merlot, cab franc, malbec, petit verdot

  • White: sauvignon blanc, semillon

What are the major grape varieties grown in California?

• White: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc

• Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel

• Italian: Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera

• Rhone: Viognier, Mourvedre, Grenache, Syrah

What are the signature grapes varieties which have made California’s reputation?

• White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, White Zinfandel

• Red: Cab Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah

What are the geographic factors that influence grape growing and wine production in California?

• Mountain ranges, valleys, rivers, and coastal fog

• Generally warm to hot, but very variable due to influence of Pacific Ocean along coast and mountain ranges

• Pacific Ocean breezes and fog moderate the temperature downward

• Mediterranean-type climate: rain fall in the winter but not during summer growing season

  • Drip irrigation. Droughts can cause vintage variation for California wines

• Pinot Noir → temperamental grape variety

  • Grown closer to the Pacific cost where there is a cooling influence

• Heat Summation: amount of heat

  • Certain areas are hotter than other so certain areas are more inclined to grow certain grapes than others

• The Winkler Scale: a technique for classifying the climate of grape growing regions

• Meritage Category: giving merit to the heritage that is Bordeaux

How does climate influence wine styles produced in various regions?

• Microclimates: mountain ranges, valleys, rivers, and coastal fog

  • Altitude matters

  • Soil matters (30 different types)

    • Mountain vineyards = poor soils → grapes concentrated in color and flavor

  • Cooler climates: more difficulty ripening, LESS sugars/alcohol, MORE acidity 

  • Warmer climates: less difficulty ripening, LESS acidity in contrast to normal amounts of sugar/alcohol, higher alcohol levels

• Rain: if rain gets into grape clisters, they can grow mold and mildew easilyu

  • Rainslate can dilute the flavor of wine

• Heat spikes: grapes can overripen too quickly

What winemaking practices are unique and legal in California e.g. Acidification, Chaptalization, etc.?

• Cali uses generic wine names for wines originally specific to region in Europe (like Bordeaux)

• Amelioration is allowed

• Acidification is legal like in most warm climates

  • Common in warmer areas where grapes may be too sweet

• Chaptalization is NO

What are the most important AVAs in California?

• Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley/Russian River Valley, Mendocino County, Santa Barbary County, Russian River Valley

Wine in Society

What are some of the positive health related issues of moderate beverage consumption?

• Alcohol consumption induces endogenous opiod release in the human orbitofrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens

• Feeling of euphoria increases up until the point of diminishing returns

  • Feelings of warmth and relaxation 

  • Lowered inhibitions

What are some of the negative health related aspects of abusive consumption?

• Physical concerns

  • Hypertension, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, cancer, GI problems, injuries, reduced physical appearance

• Mental health concerns

  • Depression, anxiety, development and exacerbation of mental health concerns

• Cognitive impairment

  • Learning and memory problems, poor academic and work performance, dementia, impulsivity

• social/interpersonal problems

  • Relationship and familial conflict, unemployment, financial stress, risky sexual behaviors, violence (ex: homicide, suicide, sexual assualt, intimate partner violence)

What is considered moderate consumption? What is abusive consumption?

• Lower risk alcohol consumption

  • Caveat: in addition to official guidelines, lower risk depends greatly on your own individual personality, biology, physical, mental health status, family history, identities, values, culture, and gender

  • No more than 3 drinks on a single day, no more than 7 drinks per week for women

  • No more than 3 drinks on a single day, no more than 14 drinks per week for men

  • Limiting intake to 2 drinks or less per day for men, 1 drink a day for women

  • Avoid binge drinking – ⅘ drinks in one occasion for females/males

• Abusive consumption

  • Cravings

  • Control – inable to cut down on drinking

  • Compulsions – anxious when unable to drink

  • consequences

What are the signs of dependency?

• Alcohol Expectancy Theory: if someone believes drinking alcohol will help alleviate the negative effects, they may be more likely to use alcohol

What are the legal issues with respect to the consumption and service of beverage alcohol?

• DWI - driving while intoxicated

• SWAI - driving while ability impaired

What are the typical physiological effects of consuming various quantities of beverage alcohol?

• Poor muscle coordination

• Impaired memory and reasoning

• Short-term memory loss

How can we maximize our enjoyment of alcohol and minimize the negative effects?

• Avoid binge drinking – ⅘ drinks in one occasion for females/males

What is alcohol’s effect on sleep?

• Suppresses melatonin and Human Growth Hormone

• Initial sleepiness followed by rebound wakefulness

• Decreases restorative sleep

What are the signs of an alcohol emergency?

• Signs of an AOD (Alcohol or Other Drugs) Problem:

  • Alert – unconscious, passed out, unable to stay awake

  • Breathing – slow/irrregular breathing

  • Color – clammy

  • Doubt – potential head injury or trauma

What impact does tolerance have on alcohol consumption?

• As your biphasic response to alcoholo slowly rises you experience a buzz

• After a certain diminishing return point, every additional drink consumed makes you less buzzed and you start to experience the negative side effects of drinking

  • Around .06 (can vary from person to person)

• As an alcoholo tolerance is built up, the point of diminishing return lowers.

  • Can never experince the same buzz from the first few drinks

• If a month or longer break is taken from alcohol, the peak buzz feeling can return if you have not crossed over into alcohol dependence

How is alcohol processed in our system?

• Alcohol produces a quick surge of dopamine 

  • Frequent drinking can lead to less natural production of dopamine as the brain adapts to the release of alcohol-induced dopamine

• Alcohol is a Central Nervous System depressant that slows down brain function and neural activity

Does heredity, gender and body size make a difference in how our system reacts to alcohol?

• Sex Assigned at Birth – females have a higher BAC

  • less of the enzyme (alochol dehydrogenase) that metabolizes alcohol

  • Higher body far which increases the concentration of alcohol

• Body Weight – lower weight means higher BAC compared to someone who is heavier

New York

Which individuals and historic events have had significant impact on the growth of New York’s wine industry?

• 1600s: French Huguenots in Hudson Valley

• 1827: first commercial winery opened in the Hudson Valley

• 1829: Catawba and Isabella planted in Hammondsport

• 1860s-1880s: Pleasant Valley Wine Co

• 1920-1933: Prohibition damages industry

• 1934: Charles Fournier—winemaker from Champagne comes to work in Hammonsport NY and plants American/French hybrids. Wins award at CA wine competition in 1950

• 1951: Dr. Konstantin Frank—works as janitor but convinces Charles Fournier to plant Vinifera at the Gold Seal. Father of cool climate viticulture

• 1968: Table wine passes fortified wine

• 1976: NYS Farm Winery Act (393 wineries establishes since)

• 1970: Taylor leaves Taylor winery to focus on hybrids, opens Bully Hill and hires Hermann Wiemer as winemaker, winery growth and consumption doubles

• 1976 → NYS Farm Winery Act

  • NYS Farm Winery Act: allowed small wineries to sell their products directly to customers for the first time 

• Historical Figures

  • Charles Fournier → arrived to upstate NY from Champagne

    • Knew how to grow grapes in cold climates, prior to his arrival, people didn’t think it was possible to make good wine in cool climates

  • Hermann J. Wiemer → brough Riseling to the Finger Lakes

What are the major grape varieties grown in New York State? Give examples of vinifera, labrusca and

hybrid varieties.

• 60% Vitis Labrusca, 25% hybrids, 15% vinifera

• Vitis Labrusca: native fox grapes (Niagara) varieties processed into jellies, juice, sweet wines, and wine coolers. Simple, “grapey” taste. Concord (jam grape), Delaware (pink grape)

• Hybrids: cross between (Conford) Vinifera and phylloxera-resistant vines (developed in 1800). Very successful in NYS

  • White hybrids successful in Finger Lakes. Red hybrids generally less successful

  • Seyva Blanc, Cayuga

• Vinifera: world’s greatest wines. Difficult in upstate because of cold, Bordeaux varietals grown on Long Island (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon)

  • White vinifera more successful than reds in Upstate. Red vinifera more successful on Long Island

  • Chardonnay (white), Pinot Noir (red), Merlot (red)

How does one decode a New York wine label? What are the labeling requirements and regulations for New York wine and how might they differ from Federal standards? E.g. % of grape variety, meaningful controlled terms etc. Suggestion—make up a one page spread sheet comparing the requirements side by side.

• Reserve has no meaning

• Varietal: 75% must be those grapes (EXCEPT Labrusca: 51%)

• NYS: 75% must be from NYS

• AVA: 85% from that AVA

• Single Vineyard: minimum 95% from the vineyard, vineyard is different from the producer

• Estate: 100% comes from the producer

• Vintage: must be 85% from that year (EXCEPT Vintage from AVA: must be 95%)

What regions in New York are known for specific wine styles and grape varieties, and why?

• Finger Lakes: 85% of NYS wines, 107 wineries. NYS table wines, Riesling, sparkling, chardonnay

• Long Island: 54 wineries, mainly on North Fork. Warmest NYS growing region.

  • Major focus is vinifera varieties: Merlot, Chardonnay, Cab Sauvignon, Red blends

• Hudson Valley: 34 wineries. Shortest growing season. Major focus is on White Hybrids: Seyval Blanc

• Lake Erie: 21 wineries in NYS. Cool, short growing season. Lower natural sugar and high acidity. Concord, niagara

  • Major focus is labrusca varieties and grape juice production

• Niagara Escarpment: relatively new region with 6 wineries. Major grapes: native varietals, vitis vinifera, and hybrids. 

What are the signature grapes varieties which have made each region’s reputation?

• Finger Lakes: Riesling, sparkling, Chardonnay

• Long Island: vinifera—Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Red Blends

• Hudson: white hybrids, Serval Blanc, blends

• Lake Erie: mostly labrusca and best known for grape juice, concord, niagara

• Niagara: native varietals, vitis vinifera, and hybrids

What are the geographic factors (e.g. bodies of water, mountain ranges etc.) that influence grape growing and wine production in New York wine regions.

• Soils originated from the glacial period—slatey, silt loam with some clay in the FInger Lakes and clay/sand on Long Island

• Bodies of water in each major growing region influence climate

  • Finger Lakes (drain cold air, buffers against cold air in fall and spring), Long Island (LI Sound, Atlantic, Peconic Bay), Hudson River Region (river valley draws in maritime air), Lake Erie (cool, short growing season with lake as buffer), Niagara Escarpment

  • during summer brings cool breezes that allow fruit to ripen slowly and maintain acidity

    • Lakes retain heat so they can provide warmth during harsh winters which prevents the roots from freezing and protecting vines from winter injury

      • Elongates the growing season, allowing more time for the vines to ripen

How does climate influence wine styles produced in various regions?

• White wines and sparkling do better in regions where temperature can drop, like Finger Lakes (cold growing conditions)

• Long Island is warmer with longer growing season so they do red grape varieties

• Cold climate means grapes are less ripe so they produce less sugar, lowering the potential alcohol

What winemaking practices are unique and legal in New York, e.g. Acidification, Chaptalization,

Amelioration etc.?

• Amelioration is common due to the cooler growing regions

• Chaptalization and amelioration → legal

  • grapes grown in cold climates have less sugar

• Acidification → legal 

  • not usually used in cold climates

What are the most important AVAs (American Viticultural Areas)?

• Finger Lakes AVAs: Finger Lakes, Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake

• Long Island AVAs: North Folk, Hamptons (South Fork), Long Island 

• Hudson Valley River Region AVA

• Lake Erie AVA: spreads across NY, OH, and PA

• Niagara Escapement AVA

Oregon and Washington

What historic events and individuals influenced the growth of the wine industry in the individual states covered in class?

Washington

• 1825: first grapes planted

• 1903: large scale irrigation

• 1933: prohibition ends

• 1940: Dr. Walter Clore (father of Washington wine making)

• 1960: commercial vineyards planted

• 1967: Ste. Michelle Vintners established

• 1983: Yakima Valley AVA established

• 2001: 100 wineries

Oregon

• 18k - 15k years ago: Missoula Floods (ice shelf cracked and did not refreeze and brought with it the power of all the rivers and boulders, carving a valley with the water going into the Wallamette River)

• 1847: Henderson Luelling (Oregon trail pioneer) brought several dozen varieties of fruit planting from Iowa to Oregon, including the state’s first recorded grape plantings

• 1916: prohibitions for four years before national implementation, vines are torn out to plant fruit trees and potatoes

• 1960s: modern era of Oregon wine

• 1965: David Lett and Charles Coyrt root the first Pinot noir vines in Willamette valley

• 1970s: erath, sokol blosser, adelsheim, campbell, and ponzi families establish vineyards

• 1983: Willamette Valley becomes Oregon’s first AVA and establishment of the Oregon Wine Board

• 2014: A to Z (Oregon’s largest wine producer) becomes the first B Corp certified winery in the world

How does one decode an Oregon or Washington wine label? What are the labeling requirements and regulations for Oregon and Washington wine and how might they differ from Federal standards? E.g. % of grape variety, meaningful controlled terms etc.

Oregon (100% grapes from oregon)

• No generic names allowed

• Varietal: 90% variety rule applies to all (pinot noir, pinot gris, chard) except 18 varieties which can be blended with up to 25% of other varieties 

• County/State: 100% for state/county

• AVA: 95%

• Estate: 100%

• Vintage: 85% for county/state

Federal: 75% grapes from named place, 85% grapes from AVA

Washington: Most of the same Federal Standards as Cali

• No generics allowed

• Varietal: 75% minimum

• WA: 95%

• AVA: 85% 

• Vintage: 95% for AVA, 85% for WA

• Single vineyard: 95%, 95% OAVA

What are the major grape varieties grown in Oregon and Washington?

• Oregon: pinot noir (59%, black cherry, raspberry, mushroom, earthy, 50% oak, low tannin, med acidity, med sweet), pinot gris (14%, lemon, tangerine, melon, honeysuckle, apricot, no oak, high acid, medium sweet), chardonnay (7%), syrah (4%)

• Washington: cabernet sauvignon (high tannin, low acid, full, 100% oak, blackberry, licorice, black cherry, choc), chardonnay, riesling (med sweet, high acid, elegantly dry, no oak, peach, mineral, lemon, orange), merlot (med tannin, low acid, med sweet, bluets, choc, black cherry, med oak), syrah

• IRF Riesling Scale: dry, medium dry, medium sweet, sweet

What are the signature grapes varieties which have made each state’s reputation?

• Oregon: Pinot Noir signature red and Pinot Gris/grigio signature white

• Washington: Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot

What are the geographic factors (e.g. bodies of water, mountain ranges etc.) that influence grape growing and wine production in Oregon and Washington?

• Pacific Ocean, Oregon Coastal Range, Cascade Mountain Range

• Rainfall can be high

• Oregon has temperate climate with cooler growing conditions than California or Washington

  • Pacific Ocean, rivers, mountain ranges provide wind and  cool airflows in the summer and frost protection in the spring and fall, wind helps to dry out wetness to prevent grapes

  • Mountain ranges (Coast Range, Klamath Mountains, Cascade Range) = rain shadows

• Western Washington is too wet and cool to grow grapes

  • Latitude: grown between 46 degrees and 47 degrees, same as Burgundy and Rhone, to create ripe fruit with flavor & body, latitude brings 1.5 extra sunlight hours compared to Cali

  • Soil Layers: basalt bedrock → ice-age flood sediments → wind-deposited silt and sand 

  • Rain Shadow: 120 inches rainfall, but Colombia Valley receives less rainfall resulting in up to 300 sunny days annually

How does climate influence wine styles produced in various regions?

Oregon

• sunshine (15 hours of daylight during growing season allow for extra ripeness hours) and cooler nights preserving grape acidity and an extended growing season → creates wine that is food-friendly and great aging potential

• Pinot noir grapes need cool climates to grow. 

• Warmer parts in the southern part of the state in the Rogue River Valley allow for warmer red grapes like cabernet sauvignon and merlot to grow

Washington (diurnal shift, soils, rain shadow, water)

• Hot days and cool nights combined with 17 hours of summer sunlight provide ideal growing conditions

• Dryer regions: merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, semolina, and syrah

• Wetter regions: Riesling and Gewurztraminer

What winemaking practices are unique and legal in Oregon or Washington e.g. Acidification, Chaptalization, etc.?

• Amelioration and acidification permitted in Washington, NOT chaptalization

• Amelioration, acidification, chaptalization all OK in Oregon

What are the most important AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in each of these states?

Oregon

• Willamette Valley (marine sedimentary, volcanic basalt, windblown loees grapegrowing soils, 69% of total Oregon vineyards), Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains, Tualatin Hills, Red Hill Douglas County, Rogue Valley, Applegate Valley, Umpqua Valley, Rogue Valley

Washington

• Colombia Valley (basalt foundation soil, active volcanic region), Yakima Valley

France

Why and when was the AOC system established? Who monitors the AOC system?

• Wine laws began in the 1930s in France

  • INAO: Institut National Appellations d’Origine (governing body). Branch of French Ministry of Agriculture which manages administration of the process for wines and monitors both Viticultural and Vinicultural practices in the AOC regions

  • AOC: Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée

• Why?: To control certain aspects of grape growing and wine production in specific geographic areas

• Established in 1935 to dictate how wines from specific regions should be produced

• INAO monitors the AOC system 

What does the French AOC/AOP attempt to regulate?

• Place of origin (restricted geography)

• Grape varieties (only specific grapes)

• Alcohol content (min and max)

• Maximum yields (hectoliters per hectare)

• When harvest may begin each year

• Production methods (winemaking, chaptalization)

  • This is done region by region. Local governing region has power to declassify a producer’s wine

• AOC regulations are done by region and the local government has the power to declassify a producer’s wine

What assurances does AOC/AOP offer the consumer?

• Wine laws can help establish authenticity and set certain standards, but cannot guarantee quality

  • Top quality has strict regulations based on that appellation. The more specific the site, the better the quality of wine

How did the change to the EU labeling regulations in 2008/9 affect France?

• EU came in and decided to standardize wording across all of the European countries in regards to domination of origin and levels of wine

• Vin de Table → Vin de France

• Vin de Pays → IGP

• AOC → AOP

• If you were already producing, you can use old/both, but new producers have to use standardized

• Old Hierarchy: Vin de Table (table wine: red, white, rose) → Vins de Pays (country wine) → AOC

• New Hierarchy: Vin de France → IGP (country wine) → AOC

  • Vin de France: will say “Vin de France”

    • Not allowed to list the origin of the grapes, but vintage and wine varietal allowed

    • Geography: all of France

  • Vins de Pay/IGP: will say “Vin de Pays du Gard” or “Pays D’Oc”

    • Made from vinifera and hybrids

    • If wine varietal listed, must be 85%

    • Geography: a section of France (85% from region)

  • AOC: will say “Appellation D’Origine Controlee” or “Appellation Savennieres Controlee”

    • Geography: a specific and proven wine region 

• AOC vs IGP

  • IGP comes from a larger area with fewer regulations on grape growing and varieties allowed

• Wine Labeling

  • Labeled by place (except Alsace or varietal IGP wines)

  • Estate production statements: Mis en bouteille à la Propriété, Mis en bouteille au Domaine/Château

  • Négociant production statement: Elévé et mis en bouteilles par...

  • Non-controlled terms: Vielles Vignes, Réserve

How does the US system of AVAs differ from the French AOC system?

• AOC has strict regulations that AVA does not have. Harder to copy an AOC bottle than an AVA one.

• AOC meant to assure that wines are made to a particular recognizable standard and are typical, in both type and quality, of the region

  • AVAs are very specific but they have nothing to do with what grapes can be grown, what methods they can use, and they don’t tell them when they can harvest. ONLY PLACE (specifies only a location)—85% of grapes used to make a wine must be grown in the specified area

• A vineyard may be in more than one AVA—NOT the case for AOC

France: Alsace

• Fresh, fruit-driven, aromatic and non-oaked wines

What are the classifications of Alsace wines and what flavor differences might one find when comparing them?

• 3 general AOCs and 51 Grand Cru AOCs

• Appellation Alsace Controlee 1962: 71.5%

• Appellation Crement d’Alsace 1976: 24.6%—sparkling wines made with local grape varietals

• Alsace Grand Cru 1983: 3.9%—has 51 vineyards within that have their own AOC

  • Only Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat, and Gewurztraminer qualify

• Long, thin. Monovarietals. Known for high quality white wines

What are the major grape varieties grown in Alsace?

• 90% white—Riesling (21.8%), Pinot Blanc (21.3%), Gewurztraminer (19.6%flowers, spices, rose, acacia, peppermint, clove, cinnamon, ginger, grapefruit, litchi, mango, pineapple, high alc, low acidity), Sylvaner (6.8%), Pinot Gris (15.6%), Muscat (2.3%, white flowers, plumeria, grape)

  • melon de bourgogne (used to make muscadet; citrus (tart lemn, kaffir lime, green apple, pear, salinity)), chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc

• 10% red—Pinot Noir (malolactic fermentation)

What are the benchmark wines which Alsace is known for?

Whites

• Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer all share a certain aroma and flavor—spiciness

  • Then Sylvanaer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat

Reds: Pinot Noir

THEY DON'T BLEND!

What are the labeling requirements and how does one decode an Alsace wine label, including important terms?

The label should include the following minimum information:

• Type of wine: either name of grape variety or some other approved definition

• Vintage year: only single vintage wines are allowed

• Percentage of alcohol (rounded to half or whole)

• Volume of content

• Name of producer: including if a grower/producer (viticulteur, viticultrice, vigneron) or only bottler (récoltant) 

  • Wines named after the place (villages) where the grapes are grown

• Sur Lie Aging: INAO require sur lie aging must have a min of 6 months of aging on the yeast cells

• Controlled label terms

  • Varietal labels: France exception!!—100% of grape (except for Rosé d’Anjou blend)

  • Blended wines

    • Edelzwicker: blend of Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Pinot Gris, and Riesling

    • Gentil: min 50% Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and/or Gewurtzstraminer

  • Vendanges Tardive: late picked grapes produce fuller bodied wine with higher alcohol levels, late harvest

  • Selection de Grains Nobles: Botrytis Cinerea affected grapes produce a rare sweet wine, Noble rot, sweet, botrytis cinerea affected grapes

• Blended wines (no grape varietal on label):

  • Gentil: minimum 50% Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and/or Gewürztraminer

  • Edelzwicker (kitchen sink blend): a blend of white grapes of AOC Alsace without any indication of percentage

• If it has an Alsace regional name (since there is a restriction on the grapes grown there)

• All still Alsace wines should be bottled in flete bottle (no shoulder)

What label terms are not regulated and thus may not provide useful information to the purchaser?

• Reserve, Personnelle, Cuvee, Special

How does Alsace’s labeling system differ from other wine regions of France?

• Only French wine-growing region with a long practice in varietal labeling

• Under appellation rules, only one varietal label may be used on a wine, blends cannot use several labels simultaneously

• Labels wine based on varietal (100% of named grape) → AOC classifications

1. Alsace AOC

2. Alsace Grand Cru AOC (5% of total production)

   1. 4 tons/acre yield restriction

   2. Qualified varietals: riesling, pinot gris, muscat, gewurztraminer

3. Crémant d’Alsace: sparkling wine

How does one identify sparkling and dessert style wines made in Alsace from the dry table wines made there?

• Alsace makes a traditional method sparkling wine called Cremant d’Alsace

• Vendange Tardive on the label indicates late-harvested grapes, which adds sweetness and glycerin

• Selection des Graines Nobles are rare and expensive, among the greatest botrytis affected dessert wines in the world

How does Alsace’s climate and geography influence its wine styles?

• Location: Northeastern France

  • Highest yields in France

• Climate: temperate thanks to the Vosges Mountains on the east side—rain shadow

  • Northerly cool climate → can chapitalize but would not acidify

  • Less than 20 inches of rainfall per year

  • Growing season 50 days longer than Germany creates aromatic wines

• Unique microclimate: mountains block cold winds and create a very dry climate

  • Average rainfall is lowest in France—long cool growing season that allows WHITE grape varieties to produce more aromatics and develop higher sugar levels than the German wine regions just across the Rhone to the east

• Harvest: September through November—growing season 50 days longer than Germany. Produces very aromatic wines

• Soil types: limestone/sand, clay/marlstone; flint/schist/shale/slate

What winemaking practices (if any) are unique to Alsace?

• Organic production is emphasized (no pesticides). Wine touches the tartrate lining of the barrel instead of the barrel itself

• White wines are generally not put through malolactic fermentation

• Only Pinot Noir is put through ML-fermentation

• Mostly mono varietals. No vins de pays regions → have to declassify to vin de tables. Chaptalization is permitted, but fermentation cannot be artificially stopped → high alcohol

• Alsace has the highest approved yields in France

• Use of fermentation and storage barrels with layer of tartaric crystals

• Use of fluted green bottles 

• Largest vineyard areas for white

• 51 AOCs (West: Nantais, Central: Anjou, Saumur, Touraine, East/Upper Loire)

• 4 IGPs

• Sur Lie: lees are mostly dead yeast cells that exist as the byproduct of fermentation; sur lie ageing is when wine is left on the fine lees after vinification until bottling

  •  during the ageing process the lees decompose, releasing sugars and proteins into the wine

  • Adds flavor and texture

France: Loire Valley

• France’s leading producer of white wines

What are the classifications of Loire wines and what flavor differences might one find when comparing them?

AOCs from West to East

• Pays Nantais:

  • Muscadet

  • Grape—Melon de Bourgogne

• Anjou: SWEET WINES

  • Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc

• Saumer: Chenin blanc, Cabernet Franc

• Touraine: Chenin Blanc

• Upper Loire: Sauvignon Blanc

What are the major grape varieties grown in Loire?

• White Grapes: sauvignon blanc (grassy, herbaceous, vegetal, green olive, bell pepper, flinty, grapefruit, gooseberry, mangosteen), chenin blanc (fruity, melon, peach, apple citrus, tropical fruit, acacia flowers, quince, baby powder, almond, late harvest (hiney, tropical fruit, apricot, quince, orange, lemon zest))

  • #1 Chenin Blanc. Produced in several styles: sec (dry), moelleux (semi sweet), demi sec (off dry), doux (sweet)

    • Varietal characteristics: fruity, melon, peach, apple, citrus

    • Late harvest: honey, tropical fruits, apricots, quince, orange, and lemon zest

  • Other white grapes: melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet), Sauvignon Blanc (#2) fermented in stainless steel with batonnage

• Red Grapes

  • BEST reds: Cabernet Franc (blackcurrants, cassis, dark fruits, violets, vegetal, bell pepper, spicy raspberries)

  • Grolleau

  • Gamay Noir a Jus Blanc

  • Pinot Noir

What are the benchmark wines which come from the Loire?

• Chenin Blanc

• Melon de Bourgogne: grown nowhere else, produces wines of minerality and acidity with clean, citrus flavors—Muscadet: sur lie (aging on the yeast cells)

How does one identify sparkling and dessert style wines made in the Loire Valley from the Loire’s dry table wines?

• Sparkling wines from the Loire: “Fines Bulles” (fine bubbles)

  • Made by the Methode Traditionelle like Champagne but with local grapes (Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc)

  • sparkling wine made by the méthode traditionnelle just like champagne but with local grapes of chenin blanc and cab franc → cremant de loire, saumur brut, montlouise sur loire, anjou mousseux, vouvray

• Anjou wines → chenin blanc grape varietal, dry wine produced in Loire Valley in Savennieres and Saumur

• Savennières wine → chenin blanc grape varietal

• Label says sweetness level: sec = dry, semi-sec = slightly sweet, moelleux = semisweet, doux = sweet

What are the labeling requirements and how does one decode a Loire wine label?

• Wines named after the places where the grapes are grown (villages)

  • “Vouvray”: village

• Place dictates the grape which can be used/grown and vinification methods

  • Sancerre - Sauvignon Blanc

  • Vouvray - Chenin Blanc

  • Pouilly Fuisse - Chardonnay

  • Chablis - Chardonnay

  • Bourgogne - Pinot Noir

• Grape Varieties: 100% for most AOC wines except when noted as a blend (like Rose de Anjou)

• Vielles Vignes: old vines, no legal definition

• Appellation: production statement

  • Mis en bouteille a la Propriete; Mis en bouteille au Domaine: Estate

  • Mis en bouteille par: Bottled by

  • Domain means estate

How does the Loire’s climate and geography influence its wine styles?

• Location: South and West of Paris

• Climate: ranges from temperate in the west to continental in the east

  • Microclimates: influenced by Atlantic Ocean to the west and by Loire River

    • Cool climate and limestone—wines become more vegetal (best for whites and sparkling)

• Vouvray → top soil of siliceous clay and limestone clay over tuffeau (limestone of Loire Valley)

What historic events influenced the growth of the wine industry in the Loire?

• Garden of France: Original home of rich and famous

• Medieval knights built fortresses and the Church grew the vineyards

• Kings and queens built pleasure castles in 15th and 16th centuries

  • French Kings/Noble Families build various Châteaux

• Henry Plantagenet becomes King of England in 1154

• Nobility of the 17th and 18th centuries built elegant chateaux

• Chenin Blanc first cultivated in 845 AD

What winemaking practices (if any) are unique to the Loire?

• Limestone cellars are unique

• Harvest is later (vendage tardive)

• Sur lie: wine is left on the “fine” lees after vinification until it is bottled, which adds flavor and gives the wine more texture

• Rosé wine making methods: maceration (juice sits on skins to extract color), bleeding/saignee (bleed off some of the colored juice to then ferment), blending (white + red = pink)

What label terms are not regulated and thus may not provide useful information to the purchaser?

• Vielles vignes: old vines, no legal definition

Are there individuals who made a significant impact on the wine industry in any of these countries?

• Champalou producer in Vouvrey: husband and wife team since 1983. Sustainability farmed, 35 year average vine age, aged on lees for 11 months

Italy

What is the equivalent to the French AOC system in Italy?

• Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) established in 1963

• DOC Categories: 

  • Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin (DOCG, 1980) = DOP

    • guarantee of authenticity but not quality (n o quality guarantee)

  • Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC, 1966) = DOP

    • regulates grapes, geography, yields, aging

  • Indication of Typical Geographic Origin (IGT) = IGP

    • 85% varietal (if stated, 2 grape varietals have to add up to 85%)

    • Includes non-approved varietals and % of varietals from a DOC/DOCG

  • Vino/VDT (Table wine, least government regulations) = French Vin de France

    • Merlot, syrah, chard, cab sauv, cab franc, sauv can be used country of origin with/without vintage date 

What are the classifications of Italian wines and how do they differ?

• DOCG: Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin—most restrictive 

• DOC: Denomination of Controlled Origin—regulate geography, grapes, yield, aging

• IGT: Indication of Typical Geographic Origin—85% must be from that area of origin. Less restrictive than DOC

• VDT: table wine. Simplest wines with few government controls

• Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): guaranteed wine

What are the principle grape varieties used to make the Benchmark wines of Italy e.g. Barolo, Chianti, Brunello? (Emphasis will be on the ones discussed in class.)

• White: Pinot Grigio Friulano, Trebbiano, Arneis Moscato

• Red: Nebbiolo/Barbera/Dolcetto, Sangiovese, Aglianico

• Barbaresco: minimum aging = 26 months, riserva = 50 months, sturdy, austere

• Barolo: minimum aging = 38 months, riserva = 62 months, powerful, full-bodied, tannic

• Barbera: red wine, high acid, med body, low-moderate tannin, cherry, raspberries, plum, spice

• Dolcetto: high acid, med body, low-moderate tannin, black tea, licorice, choc, bluet, blackberry, spices, sour cherry

• Nero d’Avola: red berry fruit, plum, spice, tobacco

What are the most important Italian wine regions and what wines are they best known for? Emphasis will be on the ones discussed in class

• White: pinot grigio (mango, melon, apple, pear, honey; not approved in Tuscany so called Toscano) & friulano (dry, Friuli, Venezia, Giulia), trebbiano (dry, sweet, countrywide), arneis & moscato (dry, sparkling, sweet, Piedmont, Lombardy) 

• Red: nebbiolo (wine with nebbiolo; barolo, barbaresco, locations: piedmont, lombardy)

• Trentino-Alto Adige: dry, still white wines, medium-med + bodied reds, single varieties. Pinot Grigio

• Frascati DOC: Malvasia bianca di candia,  trebbiano, malvasia del lazio

• Campania: fiano, greco, falanghina (lemon, citrus, peach, honey, almond, stainless steel)

• Piemonte: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Moscato

  • 14 DOCGs: Barolo, Barbaresco

  • nebbiolo (most famous, rose, tar, cherry, spice, cured meats, licorice, black tea), barbera (red, cherry, licorice, blackberry, herbs, black pepper, stainless steel, aged 1 yr), moscato (white)

• Tuscany: Sangiovese (9 different names, blend of cab sauv, merlot, sangiovese; dried cherries, violets, dried strawbs, cinnamon; fermented in stainless) —Chianti

• Veneto: red (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, International Grapes); white (Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, Garganega, Friulano, Picolit, Glera)

  • DOCs: Valpolicella, Bardolino

  • DOCGs: Amarone della Valpolicella, Bardolino Superiore, Recioto della Valpolicella (increasing in body bc rehydrating the grape & passing leaves thru): Valpolicella DOC → Valpolicella Ripasso DOC → Veronese IGT / Rosso Verona IGT → Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG → Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG), Soave (Superiore and Superiore Classico), Prosecco Superiore

• Sicily: Nero d’Avola

• Chianto DOCG (7 sub-zones, clasico) → alc contents: chianti (11.5%), superiore/clasico (12%, Lower yields, additional aging, higher alcohol, can only come from the 7 zones and not from Classico), classico riserva (12.5%)

  • Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione: sourced from estate vineyards, 30-month maturation and bottle refinement period, Blind tasting to confirm quality

  • Banfi Chianto Classico: short age in oak; mde within the Chianti Classico Zone, between Florence and Siena

• Aglianico (cherries, spice, red fruit, plum, high tannin, high acid): Campania, Basilicata

• Puglia: negroamaro (means bitter black; black cherry, plum, blackberry, herbs)

What are the labeling requirements and how does one decode Italian wine labels?

• Can use some grapes with country of origin, without vintage date, as table wine

  • Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay

How does Italy’s climate influence wine styles produced in various regions?

• Latitudinal range of country permits wine growing from the Alps in the north to near Africa in the South

• Peninsular with long shoreline contributes moderating climate to the coastal wine regions

• Mountains and foothills provide altitudes for grape growing and a variety of climate and soil conditions

List the 5 ways Italian wines are labeled.

• Grape varietal: associated with DOC or IGT, place is written above origin indication

• Place/zone of production

• Grape varietal and place/zone of production

• proprietary/fantasy names: now with IGT/IGP or DOC designation

• Legend: folklore or tradition plus place name (di Montefiascone)

What terms on an Italian wine label are meaningful and what do they tell us?

• Secco: dry. Dolce: sweet

• Classico: classic or heartland section of the zone

• Superiore: for DOC, higher level of alcohol or aging. Riserva: for DOC and DOCG, has been aged longer

• Rosato: rose. Rosso: red. Blanco: white

• Bianco (white), Rosato (rose), Rosso (red), Secco (dry), Dolce  (sweet), Classico (classic or heartland section of the zone), Superiore (in DOC wines =  higher level of alcohol or ageing, possibly lower yields and sometimes a special geographic origin), Riserva (longer aged wine; applies to DOC and DOCG (27 months for Chianti Classico Riserva; Brunello Riserva requires 5 years)

• Imbottigliato (bottled), Azienda Agricola (wine estate), Azienda Vinicola (négociant), Cantina (cellar, winery), Tenuta (estate)

How do Super Tuscans differ from other Italian wines made in Tuscany?

• Super Tuscans may use non-indigenous grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese)

  • Super Tuscan wine comes from the sangiovese → on the IGT level (more structured)

    • Comes from same varietal as chianti

• Tuscan wines made in 1970s that ignored DOC regulations and made blends such as Tignanello

• Uncategorized within the Italian wine classification system

What label terms are not regulated and thus may not provide useful information to the purchaser?

Producer terminology

• Imbottigliato: bottled

• Azienda Agricola: wine estate

• Azienda Vinicola: negociant

• Cantina: cellar, winery

• Tenuta: estate