CSW Viticulture & Winemaking 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the name of the practice where newly harvested grapes are fermented without crushing, allowing whole berries to ferment intracellularly?
- Extended maceration
- Carbonic maceration (Correct answer)
- Cold soak
- Thermovinification
Correct answer: Carbonic maceration
Carbonic maceration involves fermenting whole uncrushed grape clusters in a CO₂-rich environment, producing wines with low tannins, bright fruit, and low acidity—classic for Beaujolais Nouveau.
Question 2: What is 'volatile acidity' (VA) in wine, and what is its primary component?
- Total fixed acidity, primarily tartaric acid
- The measure of steam-distillable acids, primarily acetic acid (Correct answer)
- The pH reading of finished wine
- Malic acid concentration before MLF
Correct answer: The measure of steam-distillable acids, primarily acetic acid
Volatile acidity refers to the gaseous acids in wine—primarily acetic acid (vinegar)—which are a sign of bacterial spoilage when present at elevated levels.
Question 3: Which training system is commonly used for high-vigor vines in warm climates to increase yield and sun exposure through divided canopy?
- Gobelet (bush vine)
- Single Guyot
- Geneva Double Curtain (GDC) (Correct answer)
- Cordon de Royat
Correct answer: Geneva Double Curtain (GDC)
The Geneva Double Curtain divides the canopy into two hanging curtains, improving light penetration and allowing vigorous vines to produce more evenly ripened fruit.
Question 4: What does the term 'extended maceration' refer to in red winemaking?
- Soaking grape skins in water before fermentation
- Prolonged skin contact after fermentation is complete to extract additional tannins and color (Correct answer)
- Adding enzymes to break down grape skins
- Fermenting at unusually high temperatures
Correct answer: Prolonged skin contact after fermentation is complete to extract additional tannins and color
Extended maceration keeps red wine in contact with grape skins for weeks after fermentation ends, extracting polymerized tannins that are softer and more age-worthy.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of 'chapitalization' in winemaking?
- Adding tartaric acid to increase acidity
- Adding sugar before or during fermentation to increase potential alcohol (Correct answer)
- Reducing residual sugar in sweet wines
- Adding tannin powder to improve structure
Correct answer: Adding sugar before or during fermentation to increase potential alcohol
Chapitalization (named after Jean-Antoine Chaptal) involves adding sucrose to grape must in cool climates where insufficient natural sugars would produce an under-strength wine.
Question 6: What soil characteristic is most valued for premium viticulture due to its ability to retain heat and reflect light onto grapes?
- High organic matter content
- Heavy clay composition
- Dark-colored stones and pebbles (such as galets) (Correct answer)
- Fertile loam with high nitrogen content
Correct answer: Dark-colored stones and pebbles (such as galets)
Dark-colored stones like the galets roulés of Châteauneuf-du-Pape absorb heat during the day and release it at night, promoting even ripening and higher sugar accumulation.
Question 7: Which micro-oxygenation technique is used in red winemaking to soften tannins and stabilize color without barrel aging?
- Délestage (rack and return)
- Micro-oxygenation (MOX) (Correct answer)
- Flash détente
- Saignée (bleeding)
Correct answer: Micro-oxygenation (MOX)
Micro-oxygenation introduces tiny, controlled doses of oxygen into wine in tank, mimicking the slow oxygen exchange of barrel aging to polymerize tannins and stabilize anthocyanin-tannin complexes.
CSW Viticulture & Winemaking 5
What is the name of the practice where newly harvested grapes are fermented without crushing, allowing whole berries to ferment intracellularly?