WSET Level 2 Latest 2023 Graded A

WSET Level 2 Latest 2023 Graded A Sweetness and umami in food Two components in food that tend to make Wine harder (more astringent and bitter, more acidic, less sweet and fruity) Salt and acid in food Two components whose presence in food tends to make wines taste softer (less astringent and bitter, less acidic, sweeter, and more fruity) Sweetness in food Increase the perception of bitterness, acidity, and the burning effect of alcohol in wine. Decreases the perception of body, sweetness, and fruitiness in the wine Dishes containing sugar A general rule is to select a Wine with higher level of sweetness Unami in food Increases the perception of bitterness, acidity, and alcohol burn in wine. Decreases the perception of body, sweetness, and fruitiness in the wine. Acidity in food Increases the perception of body, sweetness, and fruitiness in the wine. Decreases the perception of acidity in the wine. Salt in food Increases the perception of body in Wine and decreases the perception of bitterness and acidity in the wine. Can help soften harder elements. Bitterness in food Increases bitterness in wine. Generally bitter flavors add to each other. Chili heat in food Increases the perception of bitterness, acidity, and alcohol burn. Decreases the perception of body, richness, sweetness and fruitiness in the wine. burning sensation of chili Alcohol increases Flavor intensities of the food and wine Should be matched so one does not over power the other. Curry, an intensely flavored food Can be paired with a lightly flavored wine. High sugar foods Should be paired with a wine that has at least as much sugar High Umami dishes Should be paired with wines that are more fruity than tannic as umami in the food emphasizes the bitters of tannins. High acid foods Should be paired with high acid wines, because acid in food decreases acidity in wine and increases sweetness, and fruitiness. To grow and produce wine, a vine needs: Carbon dioxide, sun light, water, warmth, and nutrients Climates suitable for wine production can be divided into three categories: Hot, moderate, and cool The climate of a Wine region is determined by: Latitude; how close it is to the equator In addition to latitude, these two factors also effect climate: Altitude and oceans High altitudes will have what kind of climate: Cooler climate Western Europe's warm ocean current ensures what? That Western Europe is not as cold as regions with similar latitudes in North America. California, Chile, and South Africa are cooled by what kind of ocean currents: Cold ocean currents Hot climates generally produce what style of wines: More alcohol, fuller body, more tannin, less acid Cool climates generally produce what styles of wine: Less alcohol, lighter body, less tannin, more acidity What is the most important time of year for weather conditions to affect the grape: The growing season; particularly when the grapes are ripening Once grape skins have been damaged, the are susceptible to what: Rot Which two regions are vintages most important: Bordeaux and Champagne Why are vintages important in Bordeaux and Champagne? Weather varies greatly from year to year Sunlight is the source of energy that allows the grape to do what? Combine carbon dioxide and water into sugar Grapes use sugar to do what? To ferment into alcohol In regions far from the equator, vines can receive more sunlight by what? Being planted on slopes angled toward the sun or above rivers that reflect sunlight Too much water causes grapes to do what? To become bloated Water for a grape can com from: Rain, the ground, or from irrigation Too much rain may result in bigger crops, but the flavors and sugars will be: Diluted Diluted grapes from too much water will have less: Alcohol, body, and flavor In Europe, where rainfall is high, the best vineyards are: On slopes, or have gravel or chalk soils, which drain water away quickly In regions with little rainfall, vineyards use what: Irrigation In addition to bloated grapes with diluted sugar, too much rain can cause what: Rot What latitudes are most of the vineyards between: 30 to 50 degrees If weather is too cool or hot, sugar production can: Slow down or stop Dry, stony soils are generally warmer or cooler than wet clay soils? Warmer. A grape combines what and what to make sugar: Carbon dioxide and water Pruning, controlling number of grape bunches, and positioning of the leaves do what: Vineyard activities that help a grape to ripen fully Harvest occurs when: Once grapes have ripened In addition to soil, slope, climate, weather, and care, what can potentially negatively effect a grape: Animal pests, fungal diseases like mildew or rot, and long term diseases like fungi, bacteria, and viruses Top quality wines can be made from both: Machine harvested and hand harvested grapes The stalk contains what: Tannins The skin contains what: Color, tannin, and flavoring compounds The pulp contains what: Water, sugar, and acids The seeds contain what: Bitter oils When yeast feeds on sugar in the grape juice, what happens? They produce alcohol, carbon dioxide, and heat The color of red and rose wines are obtained how? Soaking the colored skins in the fermenting juice True or false: white wines can be made from both black or white grapes? True True or false: red wine can only be made from black grapes True In white wines, the grapes are usually blank and blank before the yeast is added Crushed to break the skins before they are pressed to separate the juice What temperature are white wines fermented at? 12-22 degrees Celsius to preserve fruit aromas How long are white wines fermented for? 2 to 4 weeks Sweetness in wine is caused by what? Unfermented sugar True or false: black grapes are crushed to release juice, the the juice and skins are put into the fermenting vat together? True Fermentation for red wine takes place at what temperature? 20-32 degrees Celsius In red wine, in order to keep the juice in contact with the skins, the juice may be... Pumped over the floating skins or the skins may be punched down into the juice The amount of color and tannin in a red wine depends on what? How long the wine was kept in contact with the skins Red wine skins may be kept in coming contact with the juice for what time? As little as five days or longer than two weeks Hot climates encourage what color and tannin in black grapes? Higher color and higher tannin In red wine, when enough color and tannin have been extracted, and the free wine is run off, the skins are then pressed, resulting in what? Press Wine, which has higher levels of tannin, and may be blended with free run wine Rose wines must be made from what kind of grapes? Black grapes What temperature are rose wines fermented at? 12 to 22 degrees Celsius How long are rose wines fermented for? 12 to 36 hours Wines can receive oak contact from what? Oak staves or chips added to a vat, oak essence (cheapest), or aged in oak barrels (finest wines) Which is more expensive, French/European oak or American oak? French/European American oak imparts what on the wine? Sweet coconut and vanilla, but harsher tannins French/European oak imparts what on wine? Subtle toast, nutty flavors with smoother tannins New oak adds what flavors to the wine? Oaky flavors True or false: old oak adds flavors to wine False. Old oak does not impart flavors to the wine Oak vats allow what to happen with Wine? The vessel is pourus and allows oxygen to dissolve in the wine, softening tannins, making the wine smoother, and can cause flavors like toffee, fig, nut and coffee Bottles, cement, and stainless steal are airtight, so the do not do what? Impart any flavors on the wine In bottles, because of the absence of oxygen, what can happen to fresh fruit aromas of Wine? Can change into cooked fruit, vegetal notes, animal notes (wet leaves, mushroom, leather What four factors affect the cost of wine in the vineyard? Cost of vineyard land, degree to which it is mechanized, cost of labor/equipment, yield size and degree of selection of grape material (discarding bad grapes) Factors affecting cost at the winery: Winery equipment, cost of barrels or other oak flavoring, ageing Factors affecting cost of packaging, distribution, and sale: Exchange rates, packaging, transport costs, efficiency of distributor and retailer What is the ultimate factor that determines the selling price of a bottle of wine? How much is a consumer willing to pay Vintage The year in which the grapes were harvested T or F: Seasons in the northern and Southern Hemispheres are inverted True What three months are grapes harvested in the summer hemisphere? February, March, April What three months are grapes harvested in the northern hemisphere? August, September, October What is a GI? A GI is a geographical indication; a designated vineyard within a country EU wines with a GI are divided into what two quality categories? Wines with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and wines with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). T or F: PDOs are generally smaller areas with tighter regulations than PGI True Do PDO wines generally state the variety on the label? No. PDOs do not have this in the label generally. Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) French traditional term for PDO. Vin de Pays Traditional labeling term for PGI. IGP French, for those who don't use Vin de Pays Indication Geographique Protégée. Labeled Vin de France. DOCG Italian term used instead of PDO. Denominazione di Origine Controlla e Garantita (DOCG). DOC Italian labeling; Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) Indications Geografica Tipica (IGT). Italian labeling term for PGI.