“Wine is the alcoholic beverage produced from the fermentation of freshly gathered grapes”
Viticulture & Viniculture
The making of wine falls into two categories -
1)The growing of the grapes – VITICULTURE
2)Turning those grapes into wine – VINIFICATION
1.VITICULTURE
The main factors affecting wine production are:
Location – Vines flourish in poor soil, and wines of prominence are only grown in the temperate zones of the world i.e.. 30°- 50° North and South, The more northerly and southerly parts of this area e.g.. Germany and New Zealand produce more acid wines than the other regions, which due to the warmer climate allows the grapes to ripen more fully (more of the natural grape acids are converted into grape sugars)
Climate – Sunshine – too little will produce unripe grapes with a light acid wine of low alcohol content, poor in colour in the case of red wines. The ideal is 1300 to 1350 hours per year.
Rainfall – too much will produce wines as above. The ideal is 27”-28” per year.
Soil – The best wines are often those that come from stressed vines, those which have to fight for their existence. If the soil is poor the vine will send its roots deep down into the subsoil to find water and nutrients, thereby accessing trace elements and minerals, improving the quality of the fruit. On rich soils the roots tend to grow laterally, finding fewer minerals rising to the tendency for the vine to over crop, diluting the quality of the grape. Vineyards are often planted on soil that would not support other crops. Rich soil gives quantity not necessarily quality. The finest grapes are normally produced in quartz, calcareous or even slate soils. For example: Chalk Champagne; Gravel – Bordeaux; Clay – Burgundy; Slate – Mosel; Rock – Port; Volcanic – Madeira
Grape – The variety is normally determined by the soil. Different mineral contents of the soil will produce different flavours even in the same grape variety. Some examples of grape varieties are:
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Shiraz
2. VINIFICATION
Literally-the making of the wine
Methods vary area to area, therefore making a variety of wines which are distinctly different.
THE PROCESS
1. Pick the grapes (Harvesting) Late August/September for Upper Hemisphere. Late February/March for Lower Hemisphere
2. The Pressing. Used to be done by foot but now large machinery usually involved to press the juice (must) from the grapes.
3. Fermentation. Takes place in barrels or stainless steel tanks.
Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol & Carbon Dioxide
Fermentation ceases when:
-Sugars have been consumed
-An alcoholic strength of 15-16% by volume has been reached-yeast cannot live
-Temperature is outside the range of 40°-90°F (4½° – 32°C)
4. Fining
Clears wine of any suspended particles and stabilises the wine.
Agents used are Gelatine, Egg White or Bentonite (Fullers Earth) which coagulate the particles causing them to settle at the bottom of the cask.
5. Racking
After fining, the wine is carefully run off from the sediment (lees) into clean sterile casks.
6. Bottling and Labeling. Usually done at the winery for fine wines
7. Drinking. This we leave to you!
Just remember what Louis Pasteur said:
”If you drink – you die
If you don’t drink – you die anyway
So drink!”
Enjoy…….
The Vinisus Team
Find vital advice about the topic of quick and easy recipes – make sure to go through the site. The times have come when concise info is really at your fingertips, use this chance.
The Skill Of Wine Making – The Simple Guide
The Art of Wine Making – A Simple Guide
What is Wine?
“Wine is the alcoholic beverage produced from the fermentation of freshly gathered grapes”
Viticulture & Viniculture
The making of wine falls into two categories -
1)The growing of the grapes – VITICULTURE
2)Turning those grapes into wine – VINIFICATION
1.VITICULTURE
The main factors affecting wine production are:
Location – Vines flourish in poor soil, and wines of prominence are only grown in the temperate zones of the world i.e.. 30°- 50° North and South, The more northerly and southerly parts of this area e.g.. Germany and New Zealand produce more acid wines than the other regions, which due to the warmer climate allows the grapes to ripen more fully (more of the natural grape acids are converted into grape sugars)
Climate – Sunshine – too little will produce unripe grapes with a light acid wine of low alcohol content, poor in colour in the case of red wines. The ideal is 1300 to 1350 hours per year.
Rainfall – too much will produce wines as above. The ideal is 27”-28” per year.
Soil – The best wines are often those that come from stressed vines, those which have to fight for their existence. If the soil is poor the vine will send its roots deep down into the subsoil to find water and nutrients, thereby accessing trace elements and minerals, improving the quality of the fruit. On rich soils the roots tend to grow laterally, finding fewer minerals rising to the tendency for the vine to over crop, diluting the quality of the grape. Vineyards are often planted on soil that would not support other crops. Rich soil gives quantity not necessarily quality. The finest grapes are normally produced in quartz, calcareous or even slate soils. For example: Chalk Champagne; Gravel – Bordeaux; Clay – Burgundy; Slate – Mosel; Rock – Port; Volcanic – Madeira
Grape – The variety is normally determined by the soil. Different mineral contents of the soil will produce different flavours even in the same grape variety. Some examples of grape varieties are:
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Shiraz
2. VINIFICATION
Literally-the making of the wine
Methods vary area to area, therefore making a variety of wines which are distinctly different.
THE PROCESS
1. Pick the grapes (Harvesting) Late August/September for Upper Hemisphere. Late February/March for Lower Hemisphere
2. The Pressing. Used to be done by foot but now large machinery usually involved to press the juice (must) from the grapes.
3. Fermentation. Takes place in barrels or stainless steel tanks.
Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol & Carbon Dioxide
Fermentation ceases when:
-Sugars have been consumed
-An alcoholic strength of 15-16% by volume has been reached-yeast cannot live
-Temperature is outside the range of 40°-90°F (4½° – 32°C)
4. Fining
Clears wine of any suspended particles and stabilises the wine.
Agents used are Gelatine, Egg White or Bentonite (Fullers Earth) which coagulate the particles causing them to settle at the bottom of the cask.
5. Racking
After fining, the wine is carefully run off from the sediment (lees) into clean sterile casks.
6. Bottling and Labeling. Usually done at the winery for fine wines
7. Drinking. This we leave to you!
Just remember what Louis Pasteur said:
”If you drink – you die
If you don’t drink – you die anyway
So drink!”
Enjoy…….
The Vinisus Team
Find vital advice about the topic of quick and easy recipes – make sure to go through the site. The times have come when concise info is really at your fingertips, use this chance.