Q.1
What does it mean when the grape juice is 'racked' in the winemaking process?
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The grape juice is poured onto a rack so excess water can evaporate
Racking is another word for pressing the grapes
The wine is removed from the lees or sediment into another, empty container
The grape juice is stirred during fermentation
Q.2
How does red wine usually get its colour?
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The grape juice is kept in contact with the skins during fermentation
Colouring is added
Nothing needs to be done, the grapes are red so the wine will be red
Maturing the wine in oak barrels
Q.3
In red wine production, what do the winemakers have to do when the grape skins rise to the surface during fermentation?
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Each grape skin is removed, photographed and catalogued - this only happens in the EU due to a new law passed by Brussels
Remove the skins from the fermentation tank for use later in the production process
This means the wine is now ready to be bottled.
The skins have to be punched back down so they stay in contact with the grape juice
Q.4
What flavours do toasted, American oak barrels generally add to wine?
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Stronger vanilla and spice notes
Chocolate and honey notes
Lemon and ginger flavours
All of the above
Q.5
Why would you introduce oxygen into wine making during fermentation?
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To stop the yeasts growing
To add bubbles
To make the resulting wine lighter
To help the yeasts grow
Q.6
Why do winemakers sometimes need to top up the barrels during the maturation process?
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The wine loses flavour during maturation so it needs to be topped up with younger wines
Because a winemaker may need to change the blend, depending on how a wine is progressing
Because many wineries have mice, who developed a penchant for wine and have worked out ways of barrel sampling
Because the wine evaporates during maturation
Q.7
What can marc/grape pomace, the substance left over after the wine making process, be used for?
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Distilled or used as compost
Making fortified wine
As a natural food colouring agent
It is sold to beauty companies, because when you put marc on your skin, it can be used as a fake tan. Different grape colours result in different finishes
Q.8
Why are some wines, such as Pinot Noir, cold soaked (the grapes kept at a low temperature) at the beginning of the fermentation process?
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Perceived to add vanilla flavours to the wine
Cold soaking helps the grapes "chill out" before winemaking
Perceived to take away some of the colour and tannin of thick skinned grapes
Perceived to add more fruit and colour to the final wine
Q.9
What is the difference between the winemaking process of red and rosé wines?
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The fermentation process for red wines is longer than for rosé wines
Rosé wines generally have less time in contact with grape skins, typically one or two days
Grapes used for rosé wines are always cold pressed whereas it is optional with red wines
Red wines generally require more sulphur to be added
Q.10
Why might winemakers choose to age their wines in stainless steel tanks instead of oak barrels?
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There is less flavour imparted to the wine from the vat
You can remove oxygen with inert gas
It's cheaper than oak barrels
All of the above