When it comes to late harvest techniques for sparkling versus still late harvest wines, there are some key differences to consider. Let’s explore how these techniques vary for each type of wine.
Sparkling Late Harvest Wines
Sparkling late harvest wines are typically made from grapes that have been left on the vine longer than usual to increase sugar concentration. The grapes are often affected by botrytis, also known as noble rot, which further concentrates the sugars and flavors in the grapes. Here are some techniques commonly used for producing sparkling late harvest wines:
- Extended hang time: Grapes are left on the vine past the usual harvest time to allow for higher sugar levels.
- Botrytis influence: Noble rot can affect the grapes, concentrating sugars and flavors.
- Selective picking: Grapes are hand-picked to ensure only the ripest and healthiest bunches are used.
- Gentle pressing: Grapes are pressed gently to extract the juice without extracting unwanted bitter tannins.
- Cool fermentation: Fermentation at lower temperatures helps preserve the delicate flavors and aromas of the grapes.
- Secondary fermentation: Sparkling wines undergo a second fermentation to create bubbles.
Still Late Harvest Wines
Still late harvest wines also benefit from extended hang time and the concentration of flavors and sugars in the grapes. However, the techniques used for still late harvest wines may differ slightly from those used for sparkling wines. Here are some techniques commonly employed for producing still late harvest wines:
- Extended hang time: Grapes are left on the vine longer to increase sugar levels and flavor intensity.
- Botrytis influence: Noble rot can impact the grapes, enhancing the complexity of flavors in the wine.
- Selective harvesting: Grapes are hand-picked to ensure only the best fruit is used in the wine.
- Extended maceration: Grape skins are left in contact with the juice for an extended period to extract color, tannins, and flavor compounds.
- Barrel aging: Still late harvest wines may be aged in oak barrels to add complexity and structure to the wine.
Key Differences
While both sparkling and still late harvest wines benefit from extended hang time and the concentration of flavors, there are some key differences in the techniques used for each type of wine:
- Sparkling wines undergo a second fermentation to create bubbles, while still wines do not.
- Still wines may undergo extended maceration and barrel aging to add structure and complexity, which is less common in sparkling wines.
- Sparkling wines are typically fermented at cooler temperatures to preserve delicate flavors, while still wines may be fermented at higher temperatures for extraction of color and tannins.