How to make wine?
Olivier - 13/08/2020
Most of us enjoy a glass of wine after a long, tiring day, during vacations, or at gatherings. But have you ever wondered how wine is actually produced? We know it's made from grapes, but what are the steps involved in the process?
From wine production to understanding the different types of wine, this article will cover it all. So, be sure to read it all the way through and familiarize yourself with the wine-making process. wine.
• Harvesting • Crushing and pressing • Fermentation • Clarification • Aging and bottling.
Undoubtedly, there are infinite variations and differences in this process. It is actually these variations and small fluctuations at each stage of the process that make each wine unique and ultimately contribute to the greatness or ignominy of a particular wine.
The stages of manufacturing the white wine and of the red wine are basically the same, with one exception. The manufacture of rosé wines Fortified and sparkling wines are another matter altogether: both require additional human intervention to be successful.
Most winegrowers recognize that wine is produced in the vineyard, at least figuratively speaking, for this reason and many others. The winemaking process requires that grapes be harvested at a specific time, preferably when they are physiologically ripe. A combination of science and traditional tasting is usually used to determine the timing of the harvest—consultants, winemakers, vineyard managers, and owners all have a say.
Harvesting is done mechanically or manually. However, most vineyards prefer manual harvesting, as harvesting machines are often too harsh on the grapes and the vineyard. When the grapes arrive at the winery, experienced winemakers sort the bunches and remove any rotten or underripe fruit before crushing them.
For thousands of years, men and women performed harvest dances in barrels and wine presses, thereby bringing about the magical transformation of grape juice, which went from the concentrated light of the sun and water retained in the fruit clusters to the healthiest and most mystical drink—wine.
Change, like everything else in life, involves loss and gain. With the use of mechanical presses, the romance and ritual have largely disappeared from this stage of winemaking. However, the immense health benefits that mechanical pressing brings to winemaking should not be overlooked. Thanks to mechanical pressing, the quality and longevity of wine have been improved, while reducing the winemaker's need for preservation.
However, not all wines begin their life in a press. Sometimes winemakers decide to start fermentation with whole, unpressed grapes. This allows the natural weight of the grapes and the fermentation process to burst the grape skins before pressing. The steps for making white wine and red wine are essentially the same up to the crushing and pressing stages.However, if a winemaker wants to make white wine, they will quickly press the must after crushing to separate the juice from the skins, seeds, and solids. By doing so, the unwanted color (which comes from the grape skins and not the juice) and tannins cannot seep into the white wine.
Basically, white wine is separated from the grape skins, while red wine is kept in contact with its skins in order to obtain color, flavor, and additional tannins during fermentation.
It is also possible to filter and refine the wine at this stage. Filters can be used in different ways: a coarse filter that only retains large solids, or a sterile filter pad that removes all vital characteristics from the wine.
Clarification occurs when substances are added to wine to clarify it. Winemakers typically add egg whites, clay, or other compounds to wine to remove dead yeast cells and other solids. These substances attach themselves to unwanted solids and force them to sink to the bottom of the tank.
After clarification, the wine is racked into another container. It is then ready to be bottled or undergo further aging.
There are endless choices and techniques for this final stage of the process, as well as for the end result. However, the result common to all processes is wine.
How to make wine: the steps
Wine production has existed for thousands of years. Fundamentally, making wine is a natural process that requires very little human intervention. Nature provides everything needed to make wine, and it is up to humans to embellish, improve, or completely erase what nature has provided, as anyone with extensive experience in wine tasting can attest. The winemaking process involves five fundamental steps:• Harvesting • Crushing and pressing • Fermentation • Clarification • Aging and bottling.
Undoubtedly, there are infinite variations and differences in this process. It is actually these variations and small fluctuations at each stage of the process that make each wine unique and ultimately contribute to the greatness or ignominy of a particular wine.
The stages of manufacturing the white wine and of the red wine are basically the same, with one exception. The manufacture of rosé wines Fortified and sparkling wines are another matter altogether: both require additional human intervention to be successful.
The harvest
The first step in the wine-making process is undoubtedly harvesting or picking. There would be no wine without fruit, and no fruit other than grapes can produce a reliable annual amount of sugar to produce enough alcohol to preserve the resulting drink. Other fruits also lack the acids, esters, and tannins necessary to make a consistently natural and stable wine.Most winegrowers recognize that wine is produced in the vineyard, at least figuratively speaking, for this reason and many others. The winemaking process requires that grapes be harvested at a specific time, preferably when they are physiologically ripe. A combination of science and traditional tasting is usually used to determine the timing of the harvest—consultants, winemakers, vineyard managers, and owners all have a say.
Harvesting is done mechanically or manually. However, most vineyards prefer manual harvesting, as harvesting machines are often too harsh on the grapes and the vineyard. When the grapes arrive at the winery, experienced winemakers sort the bunches and remove any rotten or underripe fruit before crushing them.
Grinding and pressing
Traditionally, crushing whole clusters of fresh, ripe grapes is the next step in the winemaking process. Today's mechanical crushers follow the old tradition of treading grapes to obtain what is commonly known as must.For thousands of years, men and women performed harvest dances in barrels and wine presses, thereby bringing about the magical transformation of grape juice, which went from the concentrated light of the sun and water retained in the fruit clusters to the healthiest and most mystical drink—wine.
Change, like everything else in life, involves loss and gain. With the use of mechanical presses, the romance and ritual have largely disappeared from this stage of winemaking. However, the immense health benefits that mechanical pressing brings to winemaking should not be overlooked. Thanks to mechanical pressing, the quality and longevity of wine have been improved, while reducing the winemaker's need for preservation.
However, not all wines begin their life in a press. Sometimes winemakers decide to start fermentation with whole, unpressed grapes. This allows the natural weight of the grapes and the fermentation process to burst the grape skins before pressing. The steps for making white wine and red wine are essentially the same up to the crushing and pressing stages.However, if a winemaker wants to make white wine, they will quickly press the must after crushing to separate the juice from the skins, seeds, and solids. By doing so, the unwanted color (which comes from the grape skins and not the juice) and tannins cannot seep into the white wine.
Basically, white wine is separated from the grape skins, while red wine is kept in contact with its skins in order to obtain color, flavor, and additional tannins during fermentation.
Fermentation
The fermentation process is truly the magic factor involved in the wine-making process. If stored, the must or juice naturally begins to ferment after a period of 6 to 12 hours, thanks to the natural yeasts present in the air. This natural fermentation phenomenon is particularly appreciated in very clean and well-maintained vineyards and cellars. That said, winemakers often prefer, for various reasons, to intervene at this stage by inoculating the natural must. In other words, they will eliminate the natural yeasts and then use a yeast strain of their choice in order to better control the final result. Regardless of the method chosen, fermentation begins and continues normally until all the sugar is converted into alcohol and a dry wine is produced. The fermentation process can take anywhere from ten days to a month, or even longer. The resulting alcohol content in a wine varies depending on the total sugar content of the must. An alcohol content of 10% is considered normal in cold climates, while in warmer regions, this content reaches 15%. A sweet wine is obtained when the fermentation process is stopped before the sugar is completely converted into alcohol. This decision is usually a conscious and intentional one on the part of the winemaker.Clarification
After fermentation, the clarification process begins. Producers can choose to rack or siphon their wines from one tank or barrel to another to allow the sediment and solids to settle at the bottom of the fermentation tank.It is also possible to filter and refine the wine at this stage. Filters can be used in different ways: a coarse filter that only retains large solids, or a sterile filter pad that removes all vital characteristics from the wine.
Clarification occurs when substances are added to wine to clarify it. Winemakers typically add egg whites, clay, or other compounds to wine to remove dead yeast cells and other solids. These substances attach themselves to unwanted solids and force them to sink to the bottom of the tank.
After clarification, the wine is racked into another container. It is then ready to be bottled or undergo further aging.
Aging and bottling
Aging and bottling are the final stages in the wine-making process. After clarification, the producer can choose to bottle the wine immediately or allow it to age for a longer period, as is the case with Grand Cru Bordeaux and Grand Cabernet Sauvignon. This additional aging can take place in bottles, in ceramic or stainless steel vats, in large wooden ovals, or in small barrels, commonly known as barriques.There are endless choices and techniques for this final stage of the process, as well as for the end result. However, the result common to all processes is wine.
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