Fortified Wines
9 important questions on Fortified Wines
Which of the fortified wines is the ONLY one that is fortified after in stead of during fermentation?
Which fortifying spirits for the specific fortified wines
- Sherry
- 95% abv grape spirit
- fino > 15 - 15.5% abv
- oloroso > 17% abv
- Port
- 77% abv grape of grape derived = aguardente
- Madeira
- 96% abv grape spirit
- Vins Doux Naturels
- 95-96% abv neural spirit
- Rutherglen Muscat
- 96% abv at least, neutral
Blending and BCC SVP
- (relatively high) alcohol should be integrated within the other components
- matured, concentrated wines may loose their primary fruit components
- > younger and older wines blended
- non-vintage
- different vintages blended
- in sherry and Rutherglen
- fractional blending > solera
- to gain a greater range of flavours
- blending grape varieties for colour, tannin, flavour (esp. Port)
- adding sweetening component (sweetened sherries)
- brand > house-style
- small holdings > blending grapes of different producers
- blending of numerous small vessels
- to meet a competitive price point
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What are the key choices affecting Style, Quality and Price in Fortified Wines
- Grape variety
- Vineyard site
- Timing of harvest
- Skin contact and extraction
- Timing of fortification
- The fortifying spirit
- Maturation
- Blending (BCC SVP)
- Finishing
Key factors to identify fortfied wines
- Production method
- Maturation method
- Time of fortification
- e.g. Malmsey early > high level of sugar
Alcohol levels of fortified wines
- 15-16,4% > Low
- Fino
- Manzanilla
- VDN Muscat based (Muscat Beaume de Venise)
- 16,5-18,4 > Medium
- Amontillado
- Oloroso
- Rutherglen
- Maury
- Rainwater
- 18.5+ > High
- Port
- Madeira
- VDN Reds Grenache based
Winemaking process of Madeira
- Grapes are checked for weight, health and potential alcohol
- representatives of IVBAM present
- destemming
- crushing
- skin contact depending on producers
- Tinta Negra often fermented on skins, esp for sweet styles
- fermentation usually in stainless steel with ambient yeast
- for sweeter wines > fortified earlier to retain more residual sugar
- two days
- for dry styles > a week
- fortified with grape spirit of 96%
- neutral
- free to buy but where but quality checked by IVBAM
- after fortification 17-18% abv
- clarifying
- fining
- bentonite, gelatine, albumin
- filtering
- diatomaceous earth
- tasted and classified according to their style and quality to determine their maturation pathway
Maturation of Rutherglen Muscat
- In very old oak casks of
- 1.300-9.000 litres
- smaller barrels 180-500 L
- greater concentration though evaporation
- more oxidation
- quicker maturation
- old> no oak aromas or flavours nor tannins wanted
- In warm conditions
- traditionally in warehouses with tin roofs which become hot in summer
- the higher the vessels are stored, the warmer, the quicker the maturation
- some parts insulated > cooler > slows maturation > retains greater freshness
Maturation of Port wines
- Vila Nova de Gaia (nowadays also in Douro)
- near to Atlantic Ocean
- > more moderate > cooler
- Older oak
- new vessels first been used several years for unfortified wines
- largest = balseiros = 100.000 L
- to store wines and keep them fresh
- pipes = 600 L
- if gentle oxidation is desired
- Lees removed during maturation:
- Racking
- to avoid potential off-flavours
- the frequency is a way to control the amount of oxidation
- Gentle oxidation by:
- Storing the wines in pipas - 600L
- racking to remove the gros lees
- degree to which the vessels are topped up with wine
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