Title: WSET Level 3 / WSET Level 3 C41 - Sparkling Wine P

Front: What are the three main requirements when it comes to grapes for sparkling wine?
Back: Grapes should have low sugar levelsHigh acid levels are desirableFlavours should be ripe enough not to have green, herbaceous flavours
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Name: What are the three main requirements when it comes to grapes

Front: Why should sparkling grapes have relatively low sugar levels?
Back: As the secondary fermentation adds 1.2 to 1.3% abv
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Name: Why should sparkling grapes have relatively low sugar levels

Front: What range of alcohol will sparkling wine-makers aim for when making their still base wines?
Back: 10 - 11% abv
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Name: What range of alcohol will sparkling wine-makers aim for whe

Front: Why are high acid levels desired for sparkling wines?
Back: Many sparkling wines are made in a refreshing style

Front: Which kinds of regions are best for growing grapes for sparkling wines?
Back: Cool regions
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Name: Which kinds of regions are best for growing grapes for spark

Front: Why are cool regions best for grapes for sparkling wines?
Back: Changes to sugar and acid levels happen slowly and at the same time as changes to the grapes' flavours

Front: Why may warm regions be unsuitable for the growth of grapes for sparkling wines?
Back: Sugar levels can rise and acid levels fall very quickly
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Name: Why may warm regions be unsuitable for the growth of grapes

Front: What is the only option in warm areas when growing for sparkling wine? What is the risk/reality in a lot of these cases?
Back: Picking earlyThese grapes can be overtly green and herbaceous
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Name: What is the only option in warm areas when growing for spark

Front: Describe how grapes for sparkling wine may be picked and why
Back: Grapes for the best wines are typically hand-picked to retain whole bunches of unsplit grapesFor inexpensive sparkling wines in warm regions, machine harvesting may be the most efficient way of picking grapes before they accumulate too much sugar and lose their acidity

Front: What should happen as sparkling grapes arrive at the winery and why?
Back: They should be pressed as soon as possibleBecause avoiding the crushing stage will minimise contact between the skins and the juice
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Name: What should happen as sparkling grapes arrive at the winery

Front: Describe pressing for sparkling grapes
Back: It will be gentle to minimise the extraction of any tannins and colour (especially important for black grapes when using them for white sparkling wines)

Front: What other than gentle pressing helps to minimise the extraction of colour and tannins?
Back: The use of whole bunches during pressing
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Name: What other than gentle pressing helps to minimise the extrac

Front: How does pressing sparkling grapes come into the field of law?
Back: In most EU regions, legislation determines the maximum pressure that can be used during pressing and he amount of juice that can be extracted from the grapes
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Name: How does pressing sparkling grapes come into the field of la

Front: How many methods of sparkling wine production are there? What are they?
Back: FiveTraditional MethodTransfer MethodTank MethodAsti MethodCarbonation
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Name: How many methods of sparkling wine production are there? Wha

Front: What will determine the sparkling method which is employed by winemakers?
Back: In Europe this may be determined by wine lawOutside of Europe, the method used may be informed by the style which is intended on being created, or the costs involved
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Name: What will determine the sparkling method which is employed b

Front: Briefly describe the Traditional Method of sparkling wine making
Back: It indicates a wine that has undergone a second fermentation in the bottle in which it is later sold
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Name: Briefly describe the Traditional Method of sparkling wine ma

Front: Which technique is often used to make most premium sparkling wines?
Back: Traditional method
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Name: Which technique is often used to make most premium sparkling

Front: What are the main down-sides to using the traditional method for making sparkling wine?
Back: It's costly and time-consuming
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Name: What are the main down-sides to using the traditional method

Front: What is the big advantage for producers of sparkling wines made using the traditional method?
Back: They often command the highest prices
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Name: What is the big advantage for producers of sparkling wines m

Front: What are the principal steps of the traditional method after harvest and pressing?
Back: Making the base wineBlendingSecond alcoholic fermentationYeast autolysisRiddlingDisgorgement and corkingBottle ageing
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Name: What are the principal steps of the traditional method after

Front: Describe the first alcoholic fermentation for the traditional method
Back: It usually takes place in large stainless steel, temperature controlled vatsSome producers still use oak vats or barrels for some or all of their wines
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Name: Describe the first alcoholic fermentation for the traditiona

Front: Describe the base wine for traditional method sparkling wines
Back: It's usually completely dry with neutral flavours and high acidity
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Name: Describe the base wine for traditional method sparkling wine

Front: What must a winemaker decide once their traditional method base wine has fermented?
Back: Whether the wine will undergo MLF and/or a period of maturation in oak before the second alcoholic fermentation
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Name: What must a winemaker decide once their traditional method b

Front: When are base wines used for sparkling wines?
Back: Most are used the year after the harvestSome are stored for use in future years

Front: What are the principal functions of blending in creating sparkling wines?
Back: To help to achieve the 'house style' year on year despite vintage variationTo improve the balance of the wineTo enhance the complexity of the wine
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Name: What are the principal functions of blending in creating spa

Front: What are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir respectively believed to bring to a sparkling blend?
Back: Chardonnay: Citrus fruit, finesse and longevityPinot Noir: Aromas/flavours of red fruit and more body
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Name: What are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir respectively believed to

Front: How may old reserve wines help to add complexity to a sparkling wine blend?
Back: They can bring flavours of dried fruit to the blend
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Name: How may old reserve wines help to add complexity to a sparkl

Front: How may a broader texture and spicy flavours be added to a wine for sparkling wine?
Back: By blending in wines that have been matured in oak
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Name: How may a broader texture and spicy flavours be added to a w

Front: How may blending options be broadened for making sparkling wines?
Back: Grapes are often fermented in many different small parcels
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Name: How may blending options be broadened for making sparkling w

Front: What happens once a traditional method sparkling blend is made?
Back: A small proportion of liqueur de tirage is added
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Name: What happens once a traditional method sparkling blend is ma

Front: What is liqueur de tirage?
Back: A mixture of wine, sugar, yeast, yeast nutrients and a clarifying agent

Front: What are the stages of secondary alcoholic fermentation for traditional method sparkling wines?
Back: Liqueur de tirage is addedBottle is closed with a crown cap that has a plastic cup insertBottles are stacked horizontally in the producers' cellars at a cool, constant temperature
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Name: What are the stages of secondary alcoholic fermentation for

Front: What happens in the bottle during secondary fermentation?
Back: Alcohol is raised by about 1.2 - 1.3% abv CO2 generated by the yeast dissolves into the wine, creating bubbles

Front: What is the pressure created in the bottle by secondary alcoholic fermentation?
Back: Five to six atmospheres
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Name: What is the pressure created in the bottle by secondary alco

Front: What stage is after secondary alcoholic fermentation? Describe it
Back: Yeast autolysisYeast die and form a sediment of lees in the bottleOver a period of months, the dead cells start to break down, releasing chemical compounds into the wine (yeast autolysis)
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Name: What stage is after secondary alcoholic fermentation? Descri

Front: How does yeast autolysis affect a wine?
Back: The compounds released contribute to the flavour, typically giving bread, biscuit and toasty notes

Front: How long does yeast autolysis last for?
Back: Typically four to five yearsIt can last for up to ten years

Front: Describe the flavour of wines that spend a longer time their lees
Back: The develop more of a pronounced yeast character
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Name: Describe the flavour of wines that spend a longer time their

Front: Why might wine be kept on its lees after autolysis is complete?
Back: It can maintain the wine's freshness for years
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Name: Why might wine be kept on its lees after autolysis is comple

Front: Which stage of sparkling wine-making comes after yeast autolysis/maturation?
Back: Riddling
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Name: Which stage of sparkling wine-making comes after yeast autol

Front: Which two processes of sparkling wine-making remove the dead yeast cells?
Back: Riddling and disgorgement
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Name: Which two processes of sparkling wine-making remove the dead

Front: Describe riddling
Back: Involves moving the bottle very slowly from a horizontal position to an inverted vertical positionYeast sediment is dislodged and gradually slides down the side of the bottle, collecting in the plastic cup insert in the crown cap

Front: How was riddling traditionally performed?
Back: By hand

Front: Describe hand-riddling
Back: Bottle were placed horizontally in the holes of an A-frame rack called a pupitreEach day given a shake and a twist and raised slightly closer to vertical

Front: What is a Pupitre?
Back: The A-frame used for hand-riddling during the process of sparkling wine-making

Front: What are the major disadvantages of hand-riddling?
Back: A very labour intensive processTakes up to eight weeks to complete

Front: What is the alternative to hand-riddling?
Back: Mechanised riddling

Front: Why is mechanised riddling a better option than hand-riddling?
Back: It's quicker Less labour intensiveCan be carried out in bulk
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Name: Why is mechanised riddling a better option than hand-riddlin

Front: What is the standard machine in use for mechanised riddling?
Back: The gyropalette

Front: Describe a gyropalette
Back: A cage holding 500 bottles on a hydraulic arm, which is regularly rotated and inclined

Front: How quickly does a gyropalette typically complete the process of riddling?
Back: A matter of days
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Name: How quickly does a gyropalette typically complete the proces

Front: Which stage comes after riddling?
Back: Disgorgement and corking

Front: Describe disgorgement
Back: The neck of the upturned bottle is submerged in a very cold brine solution, which freezes the wine in the neckBottles are inverted into an upright positionFrozen wine holds the sediment in positionCrown cap seal is removedPressure created by the dissolved CO₂ ejects the frozen wine, taking the sediment and plastic insert with it

Front: Describe corking for a sparkling wine
Back: After disgorgement, the wine is topped up with liqueur d'expéditionSealed with a cork which is held secure by a wire cage

Front: How long does the process of corking for sparkling wine take? Why?
Back: A matter of secondsIt is entirely mechanised to avoid a loss of pressure and reduce the risk of oxidation
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Name: How long does the process of corking for sparkling wine take

Front: What is liqueur d'expédition?
Back: A mixture of wine and sugar
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Name: What is liqueur dexpédition?

Front: What is the sugar in liqueur d'expédition known as? What is it for?
Back: DosageUsed to balance acidity and help with flavour development
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Name: What is the sugar in liqueur dexpédition known as? What is

Front: What are sparkling wines labelled as which are made without sugar with the addition of liqueur d'expédition?
Back: Brut nature or Zéro dosage depending on producer or wine region
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Name: What are sparkling wines labelled as which are made without

Front: Why will wine always be added just before corking a traditional method sparkling wine?
Back: To make up for the wine lost during disgorgement
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Name: Why will wine always be added just before corking a traditio

Front: Why is the liquid in liqueur d'expédition so important?
Back: It is in effect a second blending operation used to create the house style
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Name: Why is the liquid in liqueur dexpédition so important?

Front: Describe the role of screw-tops in sparkling wine
Back: The vast majority of sparkling wines are sealed with corks

Front: Describe a sparkling wine cork
Back: A cylinder with an area on its round face around three times that of the opening of the bottle

Front: How does the cork in a sparkling wine keep the perfect seal?
Back: It has to be compressed considerably before it can be inserted into the neck of the bottle

Front: How is complete security ensured for the cork of a sparkling wine?
Back: By adding a wire cage
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Name: How is complete security ensured for the cork of a sparkling

Front: Which process occurs after disgorgement?
Back: Bottle ageing

Front: What may the main reason be for bottle ageing a sparkling wine?
Back: It may be bottle-aged for a further few months to allow the liqueur d'expédition to integrate with the wineSome premium sparkling wines may benefit from further ageing anyway
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Name: What may the main reason be for bottle ageing a sparkling wi

Front: How may a consumer/retailer know the precise age of a sparkling wine?
Back: Because most are not vintage-datedIt is nearly always impossible to know whether the wine inside the bottle is youthful and fresh or more mature
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Name: How may a consumer/retailer know the precise age of a sparkl

Front: How have a number of sparkling wine producers attempted to give a greater idea of age for their consumers?
Back: By adding a date of disgorgement to the labels
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Name: How have a number of sparkling wine producers attempted to g

Front: What would be the main purpose for using the transfer method?
Back: It's an adaptation of the traditional method that avoids the processes of riddling and disgorgement
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Name: What would be the main purpose for using the transfer method

Front: Why would a producer using the transfer method choose to avoid disgorgement and riddling?
Back: They are costly and complex
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Name: Why would a producer using the transfer method choose to avo

Front: How is the transfer similar to the traditional method?
Back: It's the same up to the point of riddling

Front: Describe the transfer method from after secondary alcoholic fermentation
Back: The wines are disgorged into a sealed tank under pressureThe wine is filtered to remove yeast leesLiqueur d'expédition is addedThe wine is rebottled into a fresh bottle
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Name: Describe the transfer method from after secondary alcoholic

Front: What are the main advantages of using the transfer method?
Back: It gives good quality sparkling wines at a cheaper price than the traditional methodWith larger batches it is an easy way to ensure consistent quality and style

Front: How may one tell whether a wine has been made with the traditional method or the transfer method?
Back: Transfer method wines will often state 'bottle-fermented' on the labelTraditional method wines will often print the term 'traditional method' or 'méthode traditionnelle' on their labels
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Name: How may one tell whether a wine has been made with the tradi

Front: What characteristic does the tank method allow?
Back: It allows for the retention of the base wine's flavoursTraditional and tank method wines produce wines that have the flavour of bread and toast

Front: What kind of wines is the tank method ideal for creating?
Back: Those made from aromatic varieties such as Muscat and Riesling or those to be made in a fruity style such as Prosecco

Front: Why is the tank method popular for sparkling wines?
Back: It's cheaper, faster and less labour-intensive that transfer or traditional wines

Front: How is the tank method seen with regard to quality?
Back: As an inferior method to the traditional methodWith high quality grapes and care during production, high quality wines can be made in this way

Front: Describe the treatment of the base wine during the tank method
Back: It takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to retain pure fruit and floral flavoursBase wines do not usually undergo MLF or oak ageing
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Name: Describe the treatment of the base wine during the tank meth

Front: What is added before secondary fermentation during the tank method?
Back: Yeast, sugar, yeast nutrients and clarifying agents
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Name: What is added before secondary fermentation during the tank

Front: What is the big difference between the tank method and transfer/traditional methods? Describe it
Back: Secondary alcoholic fermentation takes place in a sealed tank able to withstand the pressure as CO₂ dissolves into the wine
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Name: What is the big difference between the tank method and trans

Front: What happens during the tank method immediately after secondary fermentation?
Back: Wine is filtered to remove yeast lees before being bottled under pressure
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Name: What happens during the tank method immediately after second

Front: What characteristic do most tank method wines not show? Why?
Back: Notes of yeast autolysisBecause they spend no extended time on the lees

Front: How may autolytic character be created in wines made using the tank method?
Back: By using paddles to stir up the lees during the second fermentation
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Name: How may autolytic character be created in wines made using t

Front: Why is lees-stirring relatively uncommon in wines made using the tank method?
Back: Most winemakers using this method will want to retain primary fruit flavours
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Name: Why is lees-stirring relatively uncommon in wines made usin

Front: What is the Asti method principally used for?
Back: The production of sweet sparkling wines in the Asti region of Piemonte

Front: What kind of wines does the Asti method produce?
Back: Sweet, fruity sparkling wines

Front: What is unusual about the Asti method?
Back: It only involves one alcoholic fermentation

Front: Describe fermentation in the Asti method
Back: The juice is chilled and stored until neededWhen the juice is required, it is warmed and the fermentation takes place in pressurised tanksCO₂ is initially allowed to escapePart way through, the tank is sealed so that CO₂ is retainedFermentation continues until alcohol reaches about 7% abv and pressure to five to six atmospheresFermentation is stopped by chilling the wineWine is filtered under pressure to remove yeast

Front: What is the principal behind carbonation?
Back: CO₂ is injected into a still wine, which is then bottled under pressure

Front: For what kind of wine is carbonation useful?
Back: Fruity, sparkling wines that retain the flavours of the base wine

Front: For what kinds of grapes is carbonation most often used and why?
Back: For grapes with strong varietal flavours
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Name: For what kinds of grapes is carbonation most often used and

Front: What is the biggest advantage of carbonation?
Back: It's the cheapest of all the methods

Front: What are the EU laws regarding sweetness of sparkling wines?
Back: Sparkling wines must use certain labelling terms to denote levels of sweetness

Front: What are the seven levels of sweetness which may appear on an EU sparkling wine label?
Back: Brut Nature/Bruto Natural/Naturherb/Zéro DosageExtra Brut/Extra Bruto/Extra HerbBrut/Bruto/HerbExtra-Sec/Extra-Dry/Extra TrockenSec/Secco/Seco/Dry/TrockenDemi-Sec/Semi-Seco/Medium Dry/Abboccato/HalbtrockenDoux/Dulce/Sweet/Mild
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Name: What are the seven levels of sweetness which may appear on a

Front: What are the residual sugar requirements for Brut Nature et al?
Back: 0-3 g/l (dosage cannot be added)
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Name: What are the residual sugar requirements for Brut Nature et

Front: List the most commonly used terms used to describe styles of sparkling wines
Back: Non-vintageVintageRoséBlanc de BlancsBlanc de NoirsPrestige Cuvée
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Name: List the most commonly used terms used to describe styles of

Front: What is 'Non-vintage' used to describe?
Back: Wines made from grapes harvested in more than one vintage
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Name: What is Non-vintage used to describe?

Front: What do non vintage wines usually represent for a producer?
Back: Their standard offering/house style

Front: What does 'Vintage' mean for a wine from Champagne?
Back: That the wine must come from a single year
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Name: What does Vintage mean for a wine from Champagne?

Front: What does 'Vintage' mean in regions other than Champagne?
Back: Generally that all grapes must come from a single vintage, but some may allow a small percentage to come from other years
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Name: What does Vintage mean in regions other than Champagne?

Front: Why do vintage Champagnes command a price premium?
Back: Here there is considerable vintage variation, so 'Vintage' is only made in the best years

Front: Why may non-Champagne vintage wines not necessarily be held in quite the same esteem?
Back: Vintage variation may be less of a problem
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Name: Why may non-Champagne vintage wines not necessarily be held

Front: How may rosé sparkling wine be made?
Back: Either by blending red and white base wines or by a short maceration

Front: How may colour be adjusted in a rosé sparkling?
Back: With the liqueur d'expédition

Front: There are some sparkling wine appellations that only permit their rosé wines to be made by...
Back: Maceration
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Name: There are some sparkling wine appellations that only permit

Front: What is a commonly used term for a sparkling wine made only from white grape varieties?
Back: Blanc de Blancs
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Name: What is a commonly used term for a sparkling wine made only

Front: Which term is generally used to describe the best sparkling wine in a producer's range?
Back: Prestige Cuvée
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Name: Which term is generally used to describe the best sparkling

Front: Why are Prestige Cuvée wines an important part of the sparkling wine market?
Back: Reputations have been built based on an association with luxury as well as celebration
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Name: Why are Prestige Cuvée wines an important part of the sparkl