Edelfäule

BOTRYTIS CINEREA; Germany’s and Austria’s luscious DESSERT WINES BEERENAUSLESEN and TROCKENBEERENAUSLESEN are made with the help of edelfäule.

In Champagne bottles, the punt (the indentation in the bottom of the bottle) is intentionally larger than other bottle styles, so that it forms a handhold for pouring the Champagne into glassware.

Answer: False.

The punt in a Champagne bottle is usually larger than in regular bottles, but the reason is to prevent the Champagne bottle from exploding. During the second fermentation, which ultimately gives Champagne its bubbles, six atmospheres of pressure are built up inside the glass wall of the bottle. The Champagne bottle’s prominent punt allows for more even distribution of pressure inside the bottle, preventing an explosion. Originally, however, the punt was a way of preventing the jagged pontil mark—the point left over after a glass bottle was blown and shaped—from scratching the surface of a table. Later, when bottles were made using a mold, the punt was kept to add stability to the bottle when upright, and in the case of Champagne, to disperse the pressure inside the bottle over a larger surface of glass area.

Flor

Literally, “flower.” A layer of yeast cells that forms naturally on top of manzanilla and fino Sherries as they age in casks. Flor acts to prevent oxidation and also contributes a unique tanginess to the… Continue reading

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