WSET Fortified Wine Production Methods 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes 'Palo Cortado' Sherry from other styles in terms of its development?
- It starts developing under flor but then loses it naturally, resulting in a wine with Fino finesse and Oloroso richness (Correct answer)
- It is produced by blending Fino and Oloroso in equal proportions
- It is made from Moscatel grapes rather than Palomino
- It is a deliberately oxidized style from the very start of production
Correct answer: It starts developing under flor but then loses it naturally, resulting in a wine with Fino finesse and Oloroso richness
Palo Cortado is a rare style that begins aging under flor like Fino but naturally loses its flor yeast cover, then continues with oxidative aging like Oloroso, creating a uniquely complex wine.
Question 2: In Port production, what determines whether a harvest will be officially 'declared' as a Vintage year?
- Each individual Port house decides independently whether the quality of their wine merits a vintage declaration (Correct answer)
- The Portuguese government issues a formal decree declaring all Port houses must release a Vintage
- A committee of the IVDP (Port Wine Institute) votes on a universal declaration for all producers
- A Vintage is automatically declared whenever rainfall falls below a set threshold during harvest
Correct answer: Each individual Port house decides independently whether the quality of their wine merits a vintage declaration
Vintage Port declarations are made individually by each Port house based on their own assessment of the quality of their wine, meaning not all houses declare in the same year.
Question 3: What is the primary grape variety used in the production of Banyuls, a French Vin Doux Naturel?
- Grenache Noir (Correct answer)
- Carignan
- Muscat à Petits Grains
- Syrah
Correct answer: Grenache Noir
Banyuls, produced in Roussillon near the Spanish border, is made primarily from Grenache Noir, which must account for at least 50% of the blend.
Question 4: What is the purpose of adding 'arrope' or 'vino de color' to some commercial Sherry styles?
- To add sweetness and dark color to wines such as Cream Sherry and Medium Sherry (Correct answer)
- To add acidity and freshness to counterbalance the oxidative aging
- To introduce yeast nutrients that restart flor development in old butts
- To precipitate tartrate crystals before filtration and cold stabilization
Correct answer: To add sweetness and dark color to wines such as Cream Sherry and Medium Sherry
Arrope (intensely concentrated cooked must) and vino de color (a blend of arrope and fermented must) are used to add sweetness and dark color when producing sweeter commercial Sherry styles.
Question 5: Which of the following fortified wines undergoes a deliberate process of oxidative aging in outdoor conditions called 'Canteiro'?
- Madeira aged under the attic rafters of lodges (Correct answer)
- Oloroso Sherry aged in open-topped barrels
- Tawny Port aged in the heat of the Douro Valley summers
- Banyuls aged in glass demijohns exposed to sunlight
Correct answer: Madeira aged under the attic rafters of lodges
The Canteiro method ages Madeira wine in casks positioned in the upper floors or attics of lodges, where heat from the sun accelerates the gentle oxidation and development of the wine.
Question 6: What is the maximum residual sugar level for a Fino Sherry to be classified as 'Dry'?
- Less than 5 grams per liter of residual sugar (Correct answer)
- Less than 12 grams per liter of residual sugar
- Less than 20 grams per liter of residual sugar
- Less than 45 grams per liter of residual sugar
Correct answer: Less than 5 grams per liter of residual sugar
Fino Sherry, as a dry style, contains less than 5 g/L of residual sugar, which is achieved because the wine is fermented to dryness before undergoing biological aging under flor.
Question 7: Which production method is used to make Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherry intensely sweet?
- The grapes are sun-dried on esparto grass mats to concentrate sugars before pressing and fermentation (Correct answer)
- Fermentation is stopped very early by adding large amounts of grape spirit
- Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) concentrates sugars on the vine before harvest
- The wine is sweetened by blending with concentrated grape juice after fermentation
Correct answer: The grapes are sun-dried on esparto grass mats to concentrate sugars before pressing and fermentation
PX grapes are spread on esparto grass mats and sun-dried (soleo) for 1-2 weeks, during which they lose moisture and their sugars concentrate dramatically before pressing.
WSET Fortified Wine Production Methods 5
What distinguishes 'Palo Cortado' Sherry from other styles in terms of its development?