The art of winemaking has centuries of history behind it. It has evolved from simple homebrews from grapes harvested from backyard vineyards of old, to big modern wineries producing thousands of bottles each year. From harvesting to bottling, the wine has to undergo a process not dissimilar to diamonds in order to come out with the best aroma and flavor to delight wine drinkers. It is now time for you to learn it the easy way. But first, let us discuss some preliminary information about winemaking.
Alcoholic Fermentation – In winemaking, alcoholic fermentation, also known as primary fermentation, refers to the conversion of sugar into carbon dioxide gas and ethyl alcohol. It reveals the hidden quality of the grape – especially the aroma. It starts as soon as the sugary grape juice is exposed to the yeast
Fermentation requires two things: sugars and yeasts.
Sugar. The level of sugar in the grapes from which the wine is made determines the level of alcohol in the finished wine. The presence of more sugar means more for the yeast to work on and convert it to alcohol.
Yeast. There are many varieties of yeast strains coming from different places. The type of yeast used contributes significantly to the aroma of the finished wine.
The most common type used is Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. This type is also used for beer fermentation and for bread leavening.
Malolactic Fermentation – Also known as MLF—- malolactic fermentation is a very natural process. It is done by certain types of bacteria capable of metabolizing malic acid leading to the production of lactic acid and carbon dioxide.
Effects of malolactic fermentation in wine – Thousands of malolactic bacteria exist, some of them having better effects on wine than others. While some wineries will choose to use one strain over the other, the desired result for all types is a wine that is softer in taste and has greater complexity. Red wines usually undergo this process, while it is discretionary for white wines.
Winemakers will usually elect to have this process applied to a particular wine for the following reasons:
To add stability to a wine.
To lower the acidity of a wine.
To alter the character and flavor of a wine.
Malolactic fermentation is usually applied to the big, heavy red wines such as Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet. White wines, on the other hand, are considered to be inappropriate for an MLF. Racking – Racking simply refers to the process of siphoning the wine must from one container to another clean secondary container (usually a carboy). Doing so leaves all the sediments, also called lees, behind in the original container. This is the sole purpose of racking, although it also helps clarify the wine and enhance flavor
This information, although basic, actually is what you need to understand the winemaking process as a whole. But it will only make sense in the presence of grapes and vats and the smell of fermenting grape juice. Click on the link for detailed information on making wine and my ebook “Growing Grapes, Making Wine, A Complete Guide” .
Wine Making Basics
The art of winemaking has centuries of history behind it. It has evolved from simple homebrews from grapes harvested from backyard vineyards of old, to big modern wineries producing thousands of bottles each year. From harvesting to bottling, the wine has to undergo a process not dissimilar to diamonds in order to come out with the best aroma and flavor to delight wine drinkers. It is now time for you to learn it the easy way. But first, let us discuss some preliminary information about winemaking.
Alcoholic Fermentation – In winemaking, alcoholic fermentation, also known as primary fermentation, refers to the conversion of sugar into carbon dioxide gas and ethyl alcohol. It reveals the hidden quality of the grape – especially the aroma. It starts as soon as the sugary grape juice is exposed to the yeast
Fermentation requires two things: sugars and yeasts.
The most common type used is Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. This type is also used for beer fermentation and for bread leavening.
Malolactic Fermentation – Also known as MLF—- malolactic fermentation is a very natural process. It is done by certain types of bacteria capable of metabolizing malic acid leading to the production of lactic acid and carbon dioxide.
Effects of malolactic fermentation in wine – Thousands of malolactic bacteria exist, some of them having better effects on wine than others. While some wineries will choose to use one strain over the other, the desired result for all types is a wine that is softer in taste and has greater complexity. Red wines usually undergo this process, while it is discretionary for white wines.
Winemakers will usually elect to have this process applied to a particular wine for the following reasons:
Malolactic fermentation is usually applied to the big, heavy red wines such as Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet. White wines, on the other hand, are considered to be inappropriate for an MLF.
Racking – Racking simply refers to the process of siphoning the wine must from one container to another clean secondary container (usually a carboy). Doing so leaves all the sediments, also called lees, behind in the original container. This is the sole purpose of racking, although it also helps clarify the wine and enhance flavor
This information, although basic, actually is what you need to understand the winemaking process as a whole. But it will only make sense in the presence of grapes and vats and the smell of fermenting grape juice. Click on the link for detailed information on making wine and my ebook “Growing Grapes, Making Wine, A Complete Guide” .
Now on to making wines——–