Level 3 wine exam practice ยท Learning outcome 1

Human factors in the winery: practice questions

36 original multiple-choice questions on this chapter, each with an explanation. Five are below; the rest, plus timed mocks and written-answer drills with mark schemes, are in the app.

Sample questions

Why are white wines usually fermented at cooler temperatures than reds?
  1. Cool fermentation preserves fresh, fruity aromas and avoids losing volatile compounds; reds are fermented warmer to extract colour, tannin and flavour from the skins
  2. Cool temperatures make the wine sweeter
  3. White grapes cannot ferment at warm temperatures
  4. Warm fermentation is illegal for white wine
Answer: Cool fermentation preserves fresh, fruity aromas and avoids losing volatile compounds; reds are fermented warmer to extract colour, tannin and flavour from the skins. Temperature control, usually via jacketed stainless-steel tanks, is one of the most important modern tools. Too cold and fermentation stalls; too warm and aromatics are lost or the yeast dies. Reds need warmth for extraction, whites need cool for aroma.
Why might a winemaker leave a white wine on its fine lees for several months and stir them regularly?
  1. To add body, a creamy texture and savoury, bready flavours
  2. To increase the wine's acidity
  3. To extract more tannin into the wine
  4. To clarify the wine more quickly before bottling
Answer: To add body, a creamy texture and savoury, bready flavours. Dead yeast cells break down over time and release compounds that give weight, creaminess and biscuit or bread notes; stirring keeps the lees in contact with the wine and spreads the effect. Lees do not raise acidity or tannin, and keeping them suspended delays clarification rather than speeding it up.
What is the difference between carbonic maceration, semi-carbonic maceration and whole bunches fermented with crushed fruit?
  1. Carbonic fills a vat with whole bunches under added carbon dioxide; semi-carbonic relies on the carbon dioxide from crushed grapes at the bottom of the vat; whole bunches with crushed fruit mixes stems and intact berries into a normal fermentation for added tannin and complexity
  2. They are three names for the same process
  3. Only carbonic maceration uses whole bunches
  4. Semi-carbonic maceration uses dried grapes
Answer: Carbonic fills a vat with whole bunches under added carbon dioxide; semi-carbonic relies on the carbon dioxide from crushed grapes at the bottom of the vat; whole bunches with crushed fruit mixes stems and intact berries into a normal fermentation for added tannin and complexity. All three exploit intracellular fermentation inside intact berries, but the degree differs: full carbonic gives the lightest, fruitiest style, semi-carbonic is the Beaujolais norm, and partial whole-bunch is a tool of Pinot Noir and Syrah makers seeking stem character.
What happens during alcoholic fermentation?
  1. Yeast converts the sugar in grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat and producing flavour compounds
  2. Bacteria convert malic acid into lactic acid
  3. Tartaric acid crystallises out of the wine
  4. Oxygen is absorbed into the wine
Answer: Yeast converts the sugar in grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat and producing flavour compounds. Fermentation is the step that makes wine; it stops when the sugar runs out, the alcohol becomes too high for the yeast, or the winemaker halts it by chilling, filtration or fortification. The malic-to-lactic change is malolactic conversion, a separate process.
What does malolactic conversion do to a wine?
  1. Bacteria convert sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid, lowering the perceived acidity and adding buttery, creamy notes
  2. Yeast convert sugar into alcohol
  3. It makes the wine sparkling
  4. It removes the colour from red wine
Answer: Bacteria convert sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid, lowering the perceived acidity and adding buttery, creamy notes. Almost all red wines go through it, since softer acidity suits them; for whites it is a choice: encouraged for rich Chardonnay, blocked for aromatic Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc by cool temperatures and sulfur dioxide. It is bacterial, not yeast-driven.
Drill all 36 in the app