15 posts
Winemakers control the duration of fermentation by managing several key factors that influence how long the yeast remains active in converting the sugar in the grape juice to alcohol. Here’s are some ways a wine maker can control the length of ferm...
A large stainless steel tank used for fermentation Photo by Meg von Haartman on Unsplash Another aspect of the art of wine making involves choosing the type of vessel used for fermentation. Fermentation vessels are available in several materials wit...
Last time we began looking at the wine making process, starting with the grapes. While the grapes certainly are the most important ingredient in wine making, there is another very important ingredient - yeast. So, let’s take a look at the fermentati...
Wine making, on the surface, might seem pretty simple. You take grape juice, add yeast and presto, you have wine. And, indeed, a wine maker did tell me that it’s that easy. But, he went on to add, making good wine is not easy! Wine does begin wit...
In a recent blog, I listed some of the many factors that can affect a wine’s flavors. One of the factors is the type of vessel chosen by the winemaker to ferment the wine. So, let’s take a closer look. The three most common fermentation vessels are ...
There’s a lot of chemistry that goes into making wine. And we learn from basic chemistry that heat is a catalyst. When heat is applied to a chemical reaction, it speeds things up. So, temperature plays a role in the fermentation of wine. The higher...
When I first became interested in wines, I remember asking if other fruits were used in the production of wines. After all, so many wines smell and taste like a lot of fruits other than grapes. So, if grapes are the only fruits used in wine making, h...
So far, we’ve learned that wine gets it flavor from three things - the grapes, fermentation and aging. Last time we looked at the fermentation process and how the yeast can affect flavor. But before we move on to flavors associated with aging, let’s ...
Wine’s flavors come from the grapes, the fermentation process, and through aging. Last time we looked at the grapes that are the primary player in a wine’s flavor. So, let’s now explore how the fermentation process adds flavors to wine. The only oth...
A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. The tech sheet that came with it described how the wine was made including the terms ‘maceration,’ ‘lees,’ and ‘battonage.’ We took a brief look at ‘maceration’ last time where, simply ...
The words ‘maceration,’ ‘lees,’ and ‘battonage’ are somewhat technical wine words. My recent review of a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile included these terms that were included on the spec sheet. While the words themselves may be unfamiliar, their meaning...
One of the terms that gets thrown around in the wine world is ‘Residual Sugar.’ But it’s not something you are going to read about on a wine’s label. So, what is it and why should you care? Let’s take a quick step back and review the basics of the w...
Ever heard of Beaujolais Nouveau? Well, its name literally mean ‘new Beaujolais’ and it really is ‘new.’ On the third Thursday of each November, France releases Beaujolais Nouveau wine to the world. The ‘new’ part of this wine is due to the fact ...
Vineyards have been busy the last couple of months with harvest. Once the grapes have been determined to be at just the right ripeness, it’s a big rush to get them off the vines and out of the vineyard. And then the magic begins. Turning bunches of ...
It was recently brought to my attention that there is another type of wine out there. It’s called orange wine. But what exactly is this orange wine? We are all familiar with red wine, white wine and rosé. These are commonly produced throughout wor...