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WINEMAKING Attaining balance with Viognier requires an understanding of the grape, impact of vineyard management and how winemaking variables influence the integration of aromas and flavors. Newly fermented Viognier is frequently settled for 24 hours to remove gross lees. Subsequent racking may remove a large percentage of these macromolecules, countering the optimal integration of the structural and textural components.12 This may be very important in Viognier produced with skin contact and, therefore, with an enhanced phenolic load. Additionally, if Viognier is fined prior to aging, some macromolecules are removed. This can exert a negative influence on structure and texture integration. Correlations with Acidity - Sugar + Tannins - Polysaccharides and mannoproteins +/-Body/volume + Tannin intensity + Dry tannins + Bitterness + Carbon dioxide Phenolic elements The qualitative and quantitative nature of phenols impacts their sensory characteristics and wine balance. Winemakers frequently attribute Viognier coarseness to phenolic elements. Causes of structure and texture coarseness have been reviewed by Richard Gawel14 and include: • henols including hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols and tyrosol, P • Oxidation products, • Glycosides, • Alcohol and • Acidity. COLD AIR DRAIN® Frost Protection COST EFFECTIVE! Most systems have a 100% payback in the first year. Minimal site prep. Fuel efficient. No maintenance contracts. POWERFUL! State-of-the-art propeller sends cold air up approximately 300 ft. VERSATILE! Size & power options available to meet your needs. Targeted protection for frost pockets, swales, slopes, valleys, etc. Use alone or with wind machines, water, or heaters. FREE COMPUTERIZED FROST ANALYSIS & PRICE QUOTE! info@shurfarms.com SHuR FARMS www.shurfarms.com Frost Protection ® Toll Free 877-842-9688 th 1890 N. 8 Street, Colton, CA 92324 Celebrating 11 years of innovation and cold air drainage technology! 68 W in e s & V i ne s F E B R UARY 20 13 Increasing the perception of acidity usually increases the perception of the phenolic components as a result of lowering the perception of sweet elements. Viognier fruit is generally fairly low in acidity. Wine pH may be relatively high—particularly if the vine was over-cropped, moisture stressed, and if skin contact is used that may impact mouthfeel components.13 On occasion winemakers bottle with elevated levels of carbon dioxide to both increase the perception of acidity or freshness and to increase the aromatic intensity. Viognier fruit-processing methods (whole-cluster press, destemming, crush with or without skin contact, contact time and temperature) impact phenol extraction from this relatively high-phenol grape. Modification of the phenol concentration may be achieved through oxygen management, including limiting pre-fermentation sulfur dioxide (which will enhance phenol polymerization and precipitations) and by cold settling and/or pre- or post-fermentation fining. The lower the nephelometer turbidity units level of the juice pre-fermentation, the lower the soluble tannin load in the juice. As such, juice clarity can be an important stylistic tool. Protein-fining agents generally remove higher molecular weight tannins. However, the difference in the phenol concentration before and after fining is not often large. This suggests that the sensory impact may be due, in part, to changes in the colloidal complexes, not simply a change in phenol concentration. This may explain why different wines react differently to the same type and concentration of the same fining agent. Mouthfeel may also be impacted by filtration, which can remove colloidal macromolecules.