最新红酒培训WSET - Level - 2 - 中级教材Looking - behind - the - Labels

Sweet Wines

Yeast converts sugar to alcohol, and for almost all wines, red or white, the fermentation continues until no detectable sugar remains. The resulting wines are dry. For sweet wines, either the fermentation must be interrupted, or a sweet component added to sweeten the wine or, for some exceptional wines, the sugar levels in the grape juice are so high that sugar remains in the wine after the yeasts are killed by alcohol. Interrupting the fermentation

If the yeasts are stopped before they have finished converting all the sugar to alcohol, a sweet wine will result. This could be achieved by removing the yeasts using a fine filter to ensure none remain in the liquid.

Or the yeast could be poisoned, using sulphur dioxide or alcohol. One common way to do this is to fortify (add alcohol) part way through the fermentation. This technique is used for Port as well as many fortified Muscat wines.

Sweet fortified Muscat wines are made widely around the Mediterranean from Greece to Portugal. They include Vins Doux Naturels such as Muscat de Beames de Venise AC, and Muscat de Rivesaltes AC from southern France. These are generally released, unaged, and are best consumed soon after production while the intensely fruity aromas (grape, peach, perfume) are at their freshest. The wines are medium or full-bodied, and sweet, with high alcohol and medium or low acidity. Moscatel de Valencia is an inexpensive sweet fortified Muscat wine from Spain.

Sweet fortified Muscat wines are also made in other parts of the world, and are a particular speciality in Australia. Rutherglen Muscats, from a hot region in northern Victoria, are aged for a long period in oak. This causes the wine to

oxidise and develop complex dried-fruit and kernel flavours(raisin, prune, fig, dried apricot, coffee, toffee). They are sweet and full-bodied, with high alcohol and medium or low acidity. Adding a sweet component to the blend

Adding sugar to wines to make them sweet is not permitted. However, some sweet liquids can be used for sweetening. These include the unfermented grape juice(sussreserve) used to sweeten many medium or sweet German wines. Apart from Pedro Ximenez, the traditional styles of Sherry(Fino, Amontillado and Oloroso) are dry. Sweet Pedro Ximenez Sherry, or mixes of grape juice and alcohol, or concentrated grape juice may be added to make medium and sweet Sherries such as Oloroso Dulce, commercial Amontillados, and Pale Creams. Concentration of sugars in the grapes

this group of methods is used for most of the greatest sweet wines. Yeasts die when the alcohol level reaches around 15% abv. If there is still some sugar left, then this will remain in the finished wine. The required sugar levels to achieve above 15% are not found in normally ripened grapes. However, there are ways of concentrating the sugar levels in the grape. One method is to dry the grapes. A variation on this method is to take advantage of noble rot. A third method is to freeze the grapes.

Dried Grape Wines

Drying the grapes causes them to shrivel. This could occur on the vine, with some late-harvested grapes, or it can be done by laying the grapes out in well-ventilated, dry conditions that encourage evaporation. Sweet wines made this way include Recioto wines from Italy. An extreme example is PX (Predro Ximenez) Sherry.

Noble Rot Wines or Botrytis cinerea, is an important part of the production of many classic sweet wines, including

Sauternes, Tokaji, Austrian and German BA and TBA wines, and the sweet wines of the Loire. When Botrytis cinerea mould

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attacks healthy, ripe grapes, it weakens the skin, speeding up the evaporation of water from the flesh of the grapes and causing them to shrivel. As well as concentrating sugars and acids, the mould adds its own unique flavours to the wine. A combination of factors is needed to make these wines: a problem-free ripening period to ensure fully ripe, healthy grapes; Damp, misty mornings to encourage the growth and spread ofthe botrytis mould; and warm dry afternoons to speed the drying out of the grapes. Such conditions are found in very few wine growing regions, and cannot be relied on to occur every year.

The mould rarely affects all of the grapes evenly, which means that several passes may have to be made through the vineyard to pick all the grapes at the perfect stage of rottenness. Hand picking is essential, and the laborious process of grape selection makes these wines expensive to produce. Where these wines sell at more modest prices, it is often because a less rigorous selection of grapes is used.

Certain grape varieties are particularly susceptible to noble rot, including Riesling, Semillon and Chenin Blanc. The characteristic aromas of noble rot are hard to describe, and the best way to recognise them is to try a few examples of these wines. Words that have been used include dried apricot, rye bread, sweet biscuits, cabbage, orange marmalade, pineapple and mushroom.

Sauternes AC is a region to the south of Graves AC in Bordeaux. Semillon is the main grape variety, though Sauvignon Blanc is also used t add acidity and aromatic fruit flavors. Luscious sweetness is balanced by high acidity. These full-bodied wines have high alcohol and citrus stone fruit and botrytis flavors(lemon, peach), and often a hint of new oak(vanilla, toast, coffee). These wines age well, gaining vegetal complexity in the bottle.

Tokaji is wine from northeastern Hungary. Although some dry and medium wines are made, the most famous wines are the sweet Tokaji Aszu. These are classified with a number of puttonyos, indicating the level of sweetness in the wine. The sweetest is 6 puttonyos, but even a 3 puttonyos wine is sweet. Tokaji wines are amber in colour, due to a long period of ageing in oak. They are full-bodied. Sweet, with medium alcohol and high acidity. They have intense flavors of dried fruits and sweet spices(orange peel, orange marmalade, dried apricots, raisins, cinnamon, rye bread). These wines age well, gaining notes of nut, coffee, caramel and honey.

Sweet and rare BA wines and the even sweeter and rarer TBA wines are QmP quality categories in Germany and Austria. In order to be classified as a BA or a TBA, the levels of sugar in the must are so high that they can normally only be achieved with the help of botrytis. These wines have medium or light alcohol, medium or full body, and are very sweet with high acidity. Flavors depend on the grape variety used, but generally intense botrytis flavors are accompanied by dried fruit

notes(dried apricot, raisin). In Germany, the finest Bas and TBAs are made with Riesling, generally from steep vineyard sites above the Rhine and Mosel.

Botrytis-affected sweet wines are also made in Coteaux de Layon AC, Vouvray AC, and other Loire appellations, from Chenin Blanc. In Alsace AC, botrytis-affected sweet wines are occasionally made from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat. Australia produces good quantities of botrytis-affected sweet wines, mainly using Semillon or Riesling. Frozen Grape Wines

In Canada, Germany and Austria, healthy grapes are sometimes left on the vine and harvested in winter while the water in them is frozen. The grapes are crushed while still frozen so that the ice crystals can be removed, leaving an intensely concentrated sugary grape syrup that is used to make sweet Eiswein or icewine. Because these are made with intensely concentrated juice from healthy grapes, the wines have very pure, pronounced, varietal-fruity flavors, high acidity, full body and sweetness.

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Sherry & Port

Sherry is a dry, medium or sweet fortified wine made around the town of Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain.Thebase wine for all Sherries is a neutral white wine,though after its special ageing process the final product can be amber or even deep brown in colour. Port is a sweet fortified wine made from grapes grown in the upper Douro in portugal.Although white Port exists,most Port is purple,ruby or tawny in colour,depending on how it has been aged. SHERY PRODUCTION

There are many different styles of Sherry,but the starting point for almost all is a neutral,dry,low-acid wine made from the Palomino grape variety.Alcohol is added to fortify the wine,before it goes through the solera ageing process.

Sherry is matured in old casks that contain the wine but do not give it any oak flavours.Maturation takes place using the solera system This is a technique which blends younger and older wines together continually as they age. It ensures a

consistent style of mature wine.Most of the flavours in a Sherry come from this ageing process,and the differences in style between Sherries aredue to differences in their ageing periods and conditions. SHERRY STYLES

FinoandManzanillaSherries are pale in colour,dry,

medium-bodied,typically with around 15% abv.The wine is kept fresh during the solera ageing process by a layer of yeast known as‘flor’,which floats on the wine.this layer of flor protects the wine from air that would otherwise spoil it.The yeast gives unusual bready notes to the wine,which has refreshing citrus zest and almond flavours. After bottling,these wines rapidly lose their freshness,so they should be consumed,chilled,as quichly as possible.Pale Gream Sherries are young Finos that have been sweetened with concentrated grape juice.

AmontilladoSherries are made by taking a Fino or Manzanilla,and adding more spirit to increase the alcohol and so kill off the flor.

With no protection,the wine begins to oxidise.Amontillados have a deeper,amber colour and nutty flavours.When they ary removed from the solera,Amontillados are dry wines.

However, for some markets,it is common for them to be sweetened before bottling,with the result that many commecial Amontillados have medium sweetness.

OlorosoSherries are fortified after fermentation to 18% abv.At that strength, flor will not grow so oxygen attacks them throughout their ageing.Oloroso wines are deep brown,and full-bodied with high alcohol.The oxidationresults in intense kernel and animal flavours (roasted nuts, coffee, meat).As with Amontillado Sherries,these are dry when they are drawn from the solera, but it is even more common for sweetening to occur before bottling.These may be labelled as Oloroso Dulce,or Gream Sherries.

PX(Pedro Ximénez) are intensely sweet Sherries made from sun-dried Pedro Ximénez grapes. The wines are almost black,with intense dried fruit fiavours (fig,prune,raisin,sultana). They are full-bodied,and syrupy in texture due to their extremely high sugar content.These are used as the sweetening component of the finest sweetened Sherries. 储存、服务和消费 葡萄酒储存

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如果葡萄酒储存不当，不但会导致变味，甚至可能使酒败坏。 The following general points should be followed when storing wine:

For long-term storage, the temperature for all wines should be cool and constant, preferably between 10 and 15 ℃ , as extremes of cold and heat can cause damage. One of the worst places for long-term storage is in a kitchen, due to the wide fluctuations in temperature. Extended periods of refrigeration can cause corks to harden and lose their elasticity, with the result that the seal fails and air can attack the wine causing it to become stale. Sparkling wines lose their fizz. Storage, Service and Responsible Consumption

seal fails and air can attack the wine causing it to become stale. Sparkling wines lose their fizz.

Store wine on its side to ensure the cork remains in contact with the wine. If the cork dries out it can let in air, and the air will oxidise the wine.

Keep wines away from strong light. Natural sunshine or artificial light will heat the wine and it will become stale and old before its time. Artificial light can cause unpleasant flavours to develop in some wines. Keep wine away from vibrations, in order for it to lie undisturbed. SERVICE OF WINE Service temperatures

Ice buckets or wine coolers are often used to keep white, rose and sparkling wines cold. An ice bucket should be filled three-quarters full with equal quantities of ice and water so that the bottle is fully surrounded by iced water. The water is then able to transfer the heat from the bottle to melt the ice (air acts as an insulator and a bottle in ice alone will chill very slowly until some of the ice has melted). Glassware

An enormous range of glass shapes and sizes is used for the service of wine, each designed to emphasise a particular wine's characteristics. The use of the correct glass will enhance the drinking experience.

Red wines are best served in larger-sized glasses.This will allow air to come into contact with a large wine surface and develop the aromas and flavours.

White and rose wines require medium-sized glasses so that the fresh, fruit characteristics are gathered and directed towards the top of the glass.

Sparkling wines are best served in flute glasses. This shape enhances the effect of the bubbles (and thus the wine's aroma), allowing them to travel through a larger volume of the wine before bursting at the top of the glass. For this reason the old-style, saucer-shaped glasses are cpmpletey inappropriate, as the bubbles are very quickly lost.

Fortified wines should be served in small glasses to emphasise the fruit characteristics rather than the alcohol. However, the glass should be large enough to allow swirling and nosing.

Clean glassware is of the utmost importance, as even the slightest taint can ruin the flavour of the wine. This can also apply to 'clean' glasses from a dishwasher; it is worth checking the glasses to make sure no detergent or salt residue remains in

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