WSET LEVEL 2 CLASS 2
Factors Affecting Wine Style, Quality, and Price:
Vineyard Influences
-Grape Variety
-Environment
-Grape growing
Wine Making Influences
-Process for white, red, and rose wines
-Maturation
Factors affecting Cost in the Vineyard
-Thousands of grape varieties
-The Grape variety has a major affect on colour, flavour, and structure
-Each variety differs in terms of sugar, acid, and tannin
-Example Cabernet Sauvignon is high in tannins and Pinot Noir is softer in tannin
Balance
Intensity
Length
Complexity
A Vine Needs
-Sunlight: Hours of sunlight, and the intensity of sunlight
(Higher altitudes = more intense)
-Water: Good drainage is required
-Warmth: Especially during ripening period
-Nutrients: Nutrient deficient wines generally create better quality wines
-The growing environment is therefore critically important
-Different varieties have different requirements, hence the importance of aligning
grape variety with terroir
Climate
-Climate is the expected weather in a typical year
(Hot – Moderate – Cool)
-Largely determined by proximity to the equator
Main affects on climate:
-Latitude
-Altitude
- Ocean temperatures
Hot VS Cool Climates
Hot:
-More alcohol and fuller body
-More tannins and less acidity
Cool:
-Less alcohol and lighter body
-Less tannins and more acidity
(More food friendly)
Weather
-Weather varies year to year
(Rain, frost, hail, high winds, and extreme heat)
-Weather affects style and quality
(Vintage variation)
Sunlight
-Energy source for the grape to combine CO2 and water into sugar for ripening
-Slopes and aspect can be used to capture sunlight
-South facing slopes are premium as well as proximity to bodies of water for
sunlight reflection
-In cool climates to let sunlight in
-In hot climates you shield the grapes using canopy management
Water
-Naturally occurring in wet climates
-In hot climates irrigation can be essential
-Too much water can result in:
Flavour dilution
Less alcohol and body
Wet conditions can encourage rot (major issue)
Warmth
-Needed for the production of sugar
(Slows if weather is too hot or too cold)
-Vines can stay cool by evaporating water
-A vine can shut down in extreme heat
Soils and Nutrients
-Soils can absorb or reflect warmth
-Stony soils are warmer than clay soils
-Drainage is important
(Gravel and chalk provide excellent drainage)
-Quality wines often come from poor soils
-Fertile soils can result in excessive growth
Terroir
-The natural environment is called the terroir
-Terroir has a major affect on Style, quality, and price
“The natural environment of a vineyard”
Grape Growing
-Expertise can affect the style and Quality
-Major vineyard management tasks
Balancing yield for wine style
Pruning
Canopy management
Pest and disease
Harvest (Harvest date is crucial)
-People influence how the grape reacts with nature
Yields
-Effect on quality
-Lower yields result in more concentrated flavours
-Opposite approach is to maximise yields using irrigation
Pest and Diseases
-Animal pests (Birds-deer- insects)
- Fungal diseases such as mildew and rot
-Long-term prevention of diseases caused by viruses
Harvest
-Timing is a crucial decision
-Mostly by machine
-Speed and cost
-Sometimes by hand
-Top quality, steep sites legally required
(Example: Many regions in France due to soil compaction)
-Hand harvest enables better selections
Wine Making
Fermentation
-Creates alcohol, carbon dioxide, and heat
(Changes flavours and characteristics)
-Determines sweetness
-Yeast + Sugar = Alcohol
Carbon dioxide
-Wineries need to have superior ventilation due to the risk of carbon dioxide in the
air during fermentation period
White Wine Making
Crush
Press
Yeast – There are many different types of yeast both natural and wild. Often more
than one is used in the process of fermentation
(The use of wild yeast is risky)
Fermentation
-Low temperatures (12ºC – 22ºC)
Too low can stop process
Too high can kill aromas
-Preserves fruit aromas
-Usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks
-Different vessels can be used
Tanks (stainless steal)
Concrete (egg vessels)
Barrels (oak)
Red Wine Making
-Crush
-Yeast
-Fermentation (20ºC – 32ºC)
Lower temperatures = Slower process
-Maceration
Skin contact
Different methods
More tannin flavours when done in longer periods (May risk bitterness)
Free run wine
Press wine
Rose Wine Making
-Must be made from black grapes
-Macerated with short skin contact (12-36 hours)
-Then made with white wine process (12ºC to 20ºC)
White Zinfandel is made this way
Oak
-Oak Contact
Staves or chips
Oak essence
Barrel fermentation or barrel aging
-French Oak
More subtle with toasty and nutty flavours
-American Oak
Sweeter, coconut, and vanilla flavours
Ageing
-New oak or used oak barrels
Oak barrels have roughly a 4-year life span and are very expensive
Maturation
-Some wines benefit from maturation
-Softens tannins for red wines
-Can add flavours of toffee, fig and, coffee
Majority of wines are made for early consumption
Choice of vessel
-Inert prevents oxygen (stainless steel)
-Oak allows oxygen
-Bottle maturation
Complexity can develop
Leather, mushroom, and wet leave aromas/flavours
*Screw caps are early consumption wines*
Vineyard Factors Affecting Price
Land cost
Varies massively across the world
Labour
Human or mechanized
Cost of labour (pruning harvest)
Yield
Reducing yields cost more and makes less wine
Supply and demand
How popular is the product?
Winery Factors Affecting Price
Equipment
How much equipment is used
Oak
New or old (old being cheaper)
Type (French oak more expensive)
Maturation
No income until the wine is sold
Miscellaneous Factors Affecting Price
Packaging
Bottles – Thick or thin glass (unusually shaped bottles)
Closures – Cork, screw cap, etc.
Capsule (seals) – Foil, plastic, etc.
Label – Materials used, size, etc.
Transportation
Truck, Air, Ships etc.
Distribution costs
Agent fees
Mark ups
Taxes
How much is the consumer willing to pay?
HOMEWORK
Taste:
One cool climate wine
One warm climate wine
Preferably the same varietal
