Wednesday, August 3, 2011

A Taste of Wine

By Billy Edward


Red Wine

The first operation performed on grapes after they're removed from their storage is to de-stem them, which is the process of removing the grape from the shoots to which they're connected.

When all the grapes in the batch are de-stemmed, they're placed into the wine press where they are compressed into a paste which in turn releases the must (the juice of the fruit). The resulting paste (or pomace) and should combination then spend time together in a cask and it is the length of time that the mixture sits with the must in contact with the grape skin and pulp that determines the character of the finished wine.

Once the winemaker decides the proper amount of time has passed, the juice is drawn off and yeast added to begin the fermentation process with the remaining pomace, in many instances, being returned to the vineyard to be used as a fertilizer.

When the color and sugar content are correct the cask valve is opened and also the first juice, which is the best quality wine, is then transferred into other containers where the fermentation process is finalized.

'Pressed wines', which are full of tannin, are made from the leftover solids. They have a strong colour and are usually mixed with the first juice in lots of various ways to produce wines of different strengths and flavours.

Once the fermentation process is complete, the wine is either bottled right away, or left to age.

White Wine

When making white wine it is important not to harm the grapes, so they are poured into the receiving bins as quickly as possible. As soon as they are all in the receiving bin, the grapes are then transferred to the press where the should is separated from the skins and other solids.

At this stage the solids are disregarded and the remaining must is slightly refrigerated prior to being transferred right into a stainless steel vat where it's permitted to ferment. Care is taken to maintain the temperature during fermenting which preserves the delicate aromas with the completed wine.

When the fermentation process is complete, the resultant wine is decanted taking care to avoid the sediment which collects at the bottom of the vat. After decanting, the wine is bottled and ready to be sold, and is best drunk within 2 years.

Sweet Dessert Wines

Dessert wines are made in 1 of two ways. In the first method, Botrytis Cinera, a fungus which grows really quickly, is utilized. This transforms the fruit and changes the color and also alters the acid components and sugar levels. The second technique is to interrupt the fermentation process by adding alcohol. This method creates a strong, sweet wine where the grape is the major flavour.

Grapes used for sweet wines are of the white Moscatel and Garnacha varieties which, along with the production process, leave the wine with a mushroom type smell as the bottle is opened.






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