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Displaying Faq 11 - 20 of 26 in total
A. Sparkling wines requires two fermentations, one to obtain still wine and the second to make it sparkling. Also, sparkling wines need grapes to be harvested early when acid level is still high and sugar levels are low.
Two are the main methods used, the Traditional Method (used for Champagne and Franciacorta ) and the Tank Method (used for Prosecco, etc).
The Traditional method, also called Méthode Champenoise or Metodo Classico, of which examples are Cava, Champagne, Crémant and Franciacorta, produces the best sparkling wines and is also the most costly in terms of labour and production costs. The second fermentation, from still to sparkling wine, takes place entirely inside the bottle and last between a few months to years, the longer the fermentation the better is the wine.
In the Tank Method, also known as Charmat Method, Metodo Martinotti or autoclave, used amongst the others, for the production of Prosecco, the second fermentation from still to sparkling wine takes place in the tank. It is less costly than the traditional method and produces sparkling wines of lower quality and it duration varies from a few days to a few months, the longer the fermentation the better the wine.
A. A wine is oxidized if it has been exposed to too much oxygen. This can happen during the winemaking process or after the wine has been bottled due to a faulty closure. How do I know if my wine is oxidized? If the wine has become darker, tending toward orange, for white wines or brown for red wines and has little aroma, it is likely to be oxidized and the wine is ruined, there is no way back.
There are certain wines and wine making processes that require some level of oxidation, examples are Sherry and Madeira.
A. Even if you can afford to buy a whole case or more for each wine you want to "age", and every year or so, open a bottle and taste it, it is very difficult to assess whether a wine is age worthy and when to drink it. I would say that four are the main elements to keep into consideration when purchasing a age worthy wine. The producer, the vintage, even if good producer in bad vintages do not make the wine and vintage charts do not exist for all regions, the wine itself (eg Barolo is made to be aged) and the grape/wine making process.
The producer, looking at their history and production, we immediately know whether their wines are made to be aged or not. The vintage, this is not just valid for the biggest wine regions, Bordeaux, Barolo, but there are plenty of great, age worthy wine from other regions for which there is no vintage chart, in this case we need to learn more about the producer. The wine itself, by simply entering the wine on google we learn about the wine, how it is made and whether it is made to age or not, lastly the grape/wine making process. There are grapes that are most suited to ageing then others, merlot for example won’t age unless barrel aged, cabernet sauvignon or nebbiolo on the other side are suited to ageing and by knowing the grape and whether the wine maker has used barrels in the wine making process, we will know whether the wine is age worthy or not, but remember, it is just a guess. If you want to learn more read this post
A. A natural wine is a wine made without using chemicals and minimum intervention in the vineyards and cellar during the wine making process. Natural wines differ from organic and biodynamic wines.
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A. Once you open a bottle of wine, the wine is exposed to oxygen, therefore, it will begin to oxidate and deteriorate.

Here’s a rough guide:

Sparkling wines charmat method (Prosecco, Spumante) 2/3 days
Sparkling wines classic method (Champagne, Cava, Franciacorta) 3/4 days
White/Rose’ wine up to 5 days
Light bodied wines: up to 5 days
Full bodied wines: up to 5 days
Fortified wines: about a month
A. It depends on the wine. For young wine, it makes little to no difference, it allows the wine to get in touch with the oxygen and release its aroma. For aged wines, it allows a better drinking experience, it allows the wine to breath and soften.
An alternative would be to put the wine in a decanter before drinking it. Swirling the wine, independently of the type and quality, allows the aromas to be released and appreciated.
A. A wine that has an aroma reminiscent of wood or oak is called oaky, the aroma could be the result of a wine aged in barrel or where wooden sticks or pieces are added during the fermentation process. This second process is not allowed in the "old World" wine producing countries but allowed in the New World.
A. Very briefly. Grapes are the primary ingredient in wine, and they are harvested once they reach optimal ripeness. The timing depends on the type of wine being obtained - white wines generally require early harvested grapes because of the acidity required to make them, while red wines are made from fully ripened grapes. Harvesting can be done by hand (grapes are selected, only the best grapes are harvested, best wines) or mechanically (anything gets harvested, lower quality wines). Grapes are crushed to release the sugar in their juice. The juice naturally ferments when yeast comes in contact with the sugar in the grape juice. The result is alcohol and carbon dioxide. Red wine is made with dark-skinned grapes and fermented with the grape skins. White wines are made with grapes, or if made with some dark-skinned grapes the grape skins are removed prior to fermentation. Rose’ wines have contact with the skins of dark-skinned grapes just long enough to impart a rose' color. The fermented wine is then separated from the grape solids and transferred into a vat or casks for ageing, then it clarified and finally, the wine is bottled and can either continue the ageing process or consumed.
A. The vintage is the year on the wine label and refers to the year the grapes were harvested. The characteristics of a particular year are determined by the weather conditions and resulting grapes and affect the quality of the wine. For sparkling wines, such as Champagne or Franciacorta, vintage is only indicated in great years. A vintage wine also means a great wine, a wine made in a great year.
According to the Italian wine legislation, vintage is a requirement on all DOC and DOCG wines, for IGT and Table wine is not, however, it is common practice to have the vintage also on IGT.
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A. If a wine is corked, it will give off a distinct aroma. Many people say this aroma smells like wet newspaper, a dank basement or a wet dog.
Displaying Faq 11 - 20 of 26 in total

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