Wine Production and Winemaking Techniques Flashcards
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What term describes the process of leaving grape juice in contact with skins to extract color, tannins, and flavor compounds?
Answer: Maceration
Maceration is the period of skin contact during or after fermentation that extracts color, tannins, and phenolic compounds from grape skins.
Which winemaking process converts harsh malic acid into softer lactic acid, reducing a wine's perceived acidity?
Answer: Malolactic fermentation
Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a bacterial process that converts sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid, reducing tartness and adding creaminess.
What is the primary purpose of chaptalization in winemaking?
Answer: To raise potential alcohol by adding sugar before or during fermentation
Chaptalization involves adding sugar to grape must to increase the potential alcohol level, legally permitted in cooler climates where grapes may not fully ripen.
Which vessel is most commonly used for fermenting white wines when the goal is preserving bright fruit aromas and freshness?
Answer: Temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks
Stainless steel tanks are inert, allowing precise temperature control without imparting flavor, which preserves the delicate fruit aromatics of white wines.
What is 'remontage' (pumping over) in red wine production?
Answer: Pumping fermenting juice up and over the floating cap of grape skins
Remontage involves pumping fermenting juice from the bottom of the tank over the floating cap of skins to extract color, tannins, and promote even fermentation.
Which style of wine is most closely associated with the carbonic maceration technique?
Answer: Light, fruity, low-tannin Beaujolais Nouveau
Carbonic maceration, where whole uncrushed grapes ferment intracellularly in a CO2 environment, produces light, fruity, low-tannin wines characteristic of Beaujolais Nouveau.
What is 'mutage,' the technique used in the production of Vin Doux Naturel and Port-style wines?
Answer: Adding grape spirit to fermenting must to halt fermentation and retain residual sugar
Mutage involves adding a neutral grape spirit (alcohol) to actively fermenting must, killing the yeast and preserving natural grape sugars to create naturally sweet, fortified wines.