The place for all things wine, focused on serious wine discussions.

Reason for certain texture in wine

Moderators: Jenise, Robin Garr, David M. Bueker

no avatar
User

Jashue

Rank

Cellar rat

Posts

6

Joined

Sat Apr 08, 2006 11:38 am

Reason for certain texture in wine

by Jashue » Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:14 am

I was talking the other day with another wine enthusiast and he described a textural sensation in a riesling that I too have experienced. That texture is somewhat akin to CO2-- but not just quite. It's very mild prickly sensation that I've experienced in young German rieslings. I've also seen this in Gruners. It might not be a gaseous component in the wine as I've suggested, but rather, a preponderance of some sort of acidity that isn't typically a dominant player in wine.

For YEARS, I've wondered what this was! If anyone here can tell me what is the cause of this (assuming you know what I'm talking about) I'd be HUGELY appreciative. Is it widely considered a defect?
no avatar
User

Bob Parsons Alberta

Rank

aka Doris

Posts

10773

Joined

Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:09 pm

Re: Reason for certain texture in wine

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:36 am

Used to notice with Washington white wines, think it is CO2 added?
no avatar
User

Howie Hart

Rank

The Hart of Buffalo

Posts

6389

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:13 pm

Location

Niagara Falls, NY

Re: Reason for certain texture in wine

by Howie Hart » Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:52 am

Spritz. It is caused by slight traces of CO2 that remains in the wine through the bottling process. It is common in wines bottled very young and maintained in a cool environment. CO2 dissolved in water (or wine) is carbonic acid, which adds to the tartness.
Chico - Hey! This Bottle is empty!
Groucho - That's because it's dry Champagne.
no avatar
User

Jashue

Rank

Cellar rat

Posts

6

Joined

Sat Apr 08, 2006 11:38 am

Re: Reason for certain texture in wine

by Jashue » Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:55 am

Howie Hart wrote:Spritz. It is caused by slight traces of CO2 that remains in the wine through the bottling process. It is common in wines bottled very young and maintained in a cool environment. CO2 dissolved in water (or wine) is carbonic acid, which adds to the tartness.


That explains the fuzzy line between the acidic tartness and the textural sensation of bubbles.

So if the intent of the wine maker is to create a still wine, then is the presence of spritz a fault? I remember experiencing spitz in a young bottle of JJ Prum Kabinett that was pretty much universally well regarded by the critics. What to make of this? The wine was amazing in most respects, as I recall, but the texture was distracting-- to me, at least. Is spritz something that will go away if a wine is set down for a year of two?
no avatar
User

David M. Bueker

Rank

Riesling Guru

Posts

34254

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:52 am

Location

Connecticut

Re: Reason for certain texture in wine

by David M. Bueker » Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:55 am

It's not a fault. It's just the trapped CO2. It will dissipate with bottle age or time in the glass.

If you get a faulty wine with refermentation you will know it - lots of fizz, not just spritz.
Decisions are made by those who show up
no avatar
User

Mark Lipton

Rank

Oenochemist

Posts

4285

Joined

Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:18 pm

Location

Indiana

Re: Reason for certain texture in wine

by Mark Lipton » Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:47 pm

Jashue wrote:
Howie Hart wrote:Spritz. It is caused by slight traces of CO2 that remains in the wine through the bottling process. It is common in wines bottled very young and maintained in a cool environment. CO2 dissolved in water (or wine) is carbonic acid, which adds to the tartness.


That explains the fuzzy line between the acidic tartness and the textural sensation of bubbles.

So if the intent of the wine maker is to create a still wine, then is the presence of spritz a fault? I remember experiencing spitz in a young bottle of JJ Prum Kabinett that was pretty much universally well regarded by the critics. What to make of this? The wine was amazing in most respects, as I recall, but the texture was distracting-- to me, at least. Is spritz something that will go away if a wine is set down for a year of two?


Dissolved CO2 in wine is a natural consequence of fermentation. It takes a vigorous filtration or agitation to remove it, which many winemakers are loathe to do. Beyond that, many people like the "lift" that a bit of spritz provides, and it also helps protect against oxidation of the wine.

Mark Lipton
no avatar
User

Brian Gilp

Rank

Wine guru

Posts

1440

Joined

Tue May 23, 2006 5:50 pm

Re: Reason for certain texture in wine

by Brian Gilp » Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:24 am

Just a guess but I would say that 90% of the wines that I open that exhibit this are German. I have assumed that this was not coincidence but instead intentional as a way to make the acid more prominent and to better balance the RS.
no avatar
User

Oliver McCrum

Rank

Wine guru

Posts

1075

Joined

Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:08 am

Location

Oakland, CA; Cigliè, Piedmont

Re: Reason for certain texture in wine

by Oliver McCrum » Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:06 pm

Many Italian whites have some CO2 when released, it's quite normal. Sparging with nitrogen is one way of getting rid of it, apparently, but it's not a defect.
Oliver
Oliver McCrum Wines
no avatar
User

Craig Winchell

Rank

Just got here

Posts

0

Joined

Tue Jan 19, 2010 1:09 pm

Re: Reason for certain texture in wine

by Craig Winchell » Mon Feb 11, 2013 6:22 pm

Soluble gases such as CO2, dissolve to a greater extent in cold solvent than warm, exhibiting exactly the opposite effect of solid solutes (sugar, salt and the like, which dissolve to a greater extent with increasing temperature). Thus, the way to rid a wine of dissolved gas is to warm it, often coupled with sparging. Fruity white wines rarely see elevated temperatures, and are often bottled cold. This accounts for a greater or lesser amount of petillance. Sometimes, they are filled into bottles purged with CO2, increasing the spritz, sometimes to the point of fizz. In the absence of turbidity, this fizz is harmless, and often acts as a preservative as well as a textural component. I used to do this with my Cabernets, which were known for their ageability (it also decreases headspace pressure because the gas in the headspace ultimately dissolves). Unfortunately, there were a few complaints about the spritz, prompting me to go back to nitrogen purging. The CO2 just acted so much better in excluding air. All of my Gewurzes were bottled under CO2. I like petillance as a textural component of whites. Care must be taken to balance the wine in the absence of the spritz, however, or else the wine will taste flat after the CO2 dissipates.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests

Powered by phpBB ® | phpBB3 Style by KomiDesign