Factors influencing the

production of red wines

Session 2
Pinot Noir, Zinfandel/Primitivo

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Parts of a grape

Skin
• colour Seeds and
tannins
•
• flavours
Stems
• tannins

Pulp
• water
• sugar
• acids
• flavours

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 What a vine needs
Carbon dioxide

Sunlight Warmth

Water Nutrients
Photosynthesis
water + carbon dioxide + sunlight sugar
Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019
 Grape formation and
ripening

flowering

fruit set – flowers

become grapes

véraison

ripe grapes

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 The growing environment
climate

Cool climate • less alcohol • less tannin

• lighter body • more acidity
16.5°C (62°F) or below

Moderate climate
16.5°C (62°F) to 18.5°C (65°F)

Warm climate • more alcohol • more tannin

• fuller body • less acidity
18.5°C (65°F) to 21°C (70°F)

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 The growing environment
influences on climate
Latitude Altitude Seas

cool currents warm currents

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019
The growing environment
rivers, slopes and aspect

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

The growing environment
cloud, fog and mist

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

The growing environment
mountains, soils and air

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 The growing environment
weather

Weather influences

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Growing grapes
vineyard activities

training and pruning yield

harvesting

spraying irrigation
Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019
 Labelling terms related to
origin and regulation

Geographical indications (GIs)

• outside the European Union

• inside the European Union

• Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
• Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Wine regions of France
BELGIUM GERMANY
FRANCE

FRANCE
Paris
CHAMPAGNE

LOIRE VALLEY
ALSACE

BURGUNDY

BEAUJOLAIS

NORTHERN
Bordeaux RHÔNE
SOUTHERN
BORDEAUX RHÔNE

Marseille
SOUTH OF
FRANCE
SPAIN
Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019
 Labelling in France

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

Country PDO Labelling Term
France Appellation d’origine protégée (AOP)
Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC)

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

Country PGI Labelling Term
France Indication géographique protégée (IGP)
Vin de pays (VdP)

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir
• thin skin Cool
• high acidity
Moderate
• low to medium tannin
• red fruit:
strawberry
raspberry
red cherry

• typically single varietal • very good or

• careful use of oak outstanding
examples can age:
• used to make sparkling mushroom
wines forest floor
Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019
 Pinot Noir
BELGIUM GERMANY
FRANCE

FRANCE

Paris

BURGUNDY

Bordeaux

Marseille

SPAIN
Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019
 Pinot Noir
Dijon
CÔTE D’OR

Gevrey-Chambertin

Grands Crus
CÔTE DE NUITS
CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Nuits-Saint-
Georges

Beaune

Beaune
Pommard

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir
Dijon
CÔTE D’OR

Gevrey-Chambertin

Grands Crus
CÔTE DE NUITS
CÔTE DE BEAUNE

Nuits-Saint-
Georges

Beaune

Beaune
Pommard

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir

USA FRANCE

CHILE
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
AFRICA
WORLD WINE NEW
REGIONS ZEALAND

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir

CANADA

OREGON

San
Francisco
CALIFORNIA USA

Los Angeles

MEXICO NORTH AMERICA

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir

NEVADA

SONOMA

LOS CARNEROS
San Francisco

CALIFORNIA

SANTA
BARBARA
COUNTY

CALIFORNIA Los Angeles

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir

SONOMA

Sonoma Napa

LOS
CARNEROS
San
Pablo
Bay

SONOMA San Francisco

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir
CHILE

CASABLANCA VALLEY
Santiago

CHILE

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir

WESTERN CAPE

WESTERN CAPE

WALKER BAY

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir
VICTORIA AND NEW
SOUTH WALES

NEW SOUTH
WALES
Sydney

Canberra

VICTORIA

Melbourne
YARRA
VALLEY

MORNINGTON
PENINSULA

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Pinot Noir

Auckland

MARTINBOROUGH

MARLBOROUGH

CENTRAL Christchurch
OTAGO

NEW ZEALAND

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Tasting

APPEARANCE
Intensity pale – medium – deep
Colour white lemon – gold – amber
rosé pink – pink-orange – orange
red purple – ruby – garnet – tawny

NOSE
Intensity light – medium – pronounced
Aroma characteristics e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Tasting
PALATE
Sweetness dry – off-dry – medium – sweet
Acidity low – medium – high
Tannin low – medium – high
Alcohol low – medium – high
Body light – medium – full
Flavour intensity light – medium – pronounced
Flavour characteristics e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary
Finish short – medium – long

CONCLUSIONS
Quality poor – acceptable – good – very good – outstanding

Issue 1 © WSET 2019

 Winemaking
alcoholic fermentation

heat

sugars in carbon
yeast alcohol
grapes dioxide

flavour

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Winemaking
red wine
crushing

alcoholic pressing storage or packaging

fermentation maturation

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Winery vessels
inert vessels
Material
• stainless steel
• concrete

Features
• fermentation and storage
• no flavour added
• can be airtight

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Winery vessels
oak vessels
Contributions
• flavour
• oxygen
• softer tannins

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Blending

Blending
• style
• consistency
• complexity

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Maturation in bottle

What a wine
needs to age
• flavour concentration
• flavours that can
develop in a positive
way
• high acid, tannin or
sugar

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Zinfandel/Primitivo

• ripens unevenly Warm

• high sugar levels
• medium to high acidity
• medium to high tannin

• rosé and red wines

• red wines often oaked

• very good or outstanding

examples of red wines
can age:
earth
meat
Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019
 Zinfandel/Primitivo

CANADA

San CALIFORNIA
Francisco USA

Los Angeles

NORTH
MEXICO AMERICA
Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019
 Zinfandel/Primitivo
ITALY

Milan
Venice
ITALY

Florence

PUGLIA
Rome

Naples

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Tasting

APPEARANCE
Intensity pale – medium – deep
Colour white lemon – gold – amber
rosé pink – pink-orange – orange
red purple – ruby – garnet – tawny

NOSE
Intensity light – medium – pronounced
Aroma characteristics e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019

 Tasting
PALATE
Sweetness dry – off-dry – medium – sweet
Acidity low – medium – high
Tannin low – medium – high
Alcohol low – medium – high
Body light – medium – full
Flavour intensity light – medium – pronounced
Flavour characteristics e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary
Finish short – medium – long

CONCLUSIONS
Quality poor – acceptable – good – very good – outstanding

Issue 1.1 © WSET 2019