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How Wine is Made (white, red, and sparkling)

 In general, the winemaking process is comprised of the following processes: growing (vineyard management), harvesting, crushing, pressing, fermentation, aging and finishing. We include the growing phase since many winemakers are now intimately involved in the grape growing (viniculture) process, although this is not always the case.

Depending on the grape variety and the growing season, grapes usually ripen in late August to early October. After the winemaker determines that the fruit exhibits the appropriate characteristics (sugars, acids, etc.) and optimum flavors, little time is wasted in harvesting the grapes. The grapes are harvested and loaded into bins that are trucked to the winery in a short amount of time. Often the winemaker will separate the best grapes from the best vineyards to be used in the production of "vineyard specific" or premium wines.

Once the fruit is at the winery, the production of white, blush and red wines differ.

White Wine Production

At the winery, grapes are usually loaded into crusher/destemmers that remove the stems and gently break the skins of the grapes. The juice that emerges from this process is called free-run. Presses will gently extract the remaining juice, usually by way of large bladders that are filled with air. The juice is immediately removed from the skins and seeds, and is pumped into large fermentation tanks made of stainless steel or oak. .

The winemaker will normally add a cultured yeast to the juice within the fermentation tanks. The yeast initiates the fermentation process as it eventually turns the natural sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol. The fermentation process is normally halted in the production of white wines so that some sugar remains in the finished wine.

Some white wines undergo a second fermentation called malolactic fermentation, which converts the malic acid in the wine to lactic acid. This helps to soften the wine and generally provides buttery or toasty flavors to the wine.

Following fermentation, wines that are to be barrel-aged are poured into wooden barrels for aging. Most barrels contain 60 gallons of wine and are most often made of American, French or Hungarian oak. Depending on the amount of oaky influence desired, new or used barrels may be used and in some cases, oak chips may added to the barrels. Wines are periodically pumped from one barrel to another so that the solids may be removed from the bottoms of the barrels in a process called racking. While the wine is in the barrels, the winemaker monitors the pH (acidity) of the wine and keeps air out of the barrels by keeping them completely full in a process called topping. Wines that are not aged in oak barrels (generally lighter/sweeter white wines) are moved directly from the steel tanks to bottles.

After months of aging in barrels, the wine is bottled and stored so that the wine may continue to age. Prior to bottling, the winemaker may choose to blend one or more wines of different varietals or vineyards to achieve the desired characteristics and flavors. When the winemaker feels the wine has sufficiently aged, the bottles will be labeled, boxed and shipped to distributors and/or consumers. Contrary to popular belief, some white wines, such as full-bodied Chardonnays and dry rieslings, will mature in the bottle over time.

Red Wine Production

At the winery, grapes are loaded into crusher/destemmers that remove the stems and gently break the skins of the grapes. The fruit is then transferred into large fermentation tanks made of oak or stainless steel. Skins and seeds remain in contact with the juice during the first part of the fermenting process, as the skins are responsible for the deep red color and acidity (tannins) of red wines. Blush wines are allowed to remain in contact with the skins for a limited amount of time before being separated when the desired color is achieved.

The winemaker will normally add a cultured yeast to the juice within the fermentation tanks. The yeast initiates the fermentation process as it eventually turns the natural sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Red wines are allowed to ferment completely so that no residual sugar remains. When the desired characteristics due to skin contact are achieved, the winemaker will draw off wine from the solids, or must, and transfer the must to a press to remove the stems and seeds from the wine. Wine that is drawn off the solids is called free-run wine, while the wine that is extracted in a press is called press wine.

Following fermentation, wines that are to be barrel-aged are poured into wooden barrels for aging. Most barrels contain 60 gallons of wine and are most often made of American, French or Hungarian oak. Depending on the amount of oaky influence desired, new or used barrels may be used and in some cases, oak chips may added to the barrels. Wines are periodically pumped from one barrel to another so that the solids may be removed from the bottoms of the barrels in a process called racking. While the wine is in the barrels, the winemaker monitors the pH (acidity) of the wine and keeps air out of the barrels by keeping them completely full in a process called topping.

After months, and possibly years, of aging in barrels, the wine is bottled and stored so that the wine may continue to age. Prior to bottling, the winemaker may choose to blend one or more wines of different varietals or vineyards to achieve the desired characteristics and flavors. When the winemaker feels the wine has sufficiently aged, the bottles will be labeled, boxed and shipped to distributors and/or consumers. It should be noted that, when properly stored, some wines (such as Cabernet Sauvignon and other reds) can continue to age within the bottle for many years, largely due to the tannins in the wine.

Sparkling Wine Production

The production of sparkling wines and still wines are virtually identical through the fermentation and blending stages, as described above. The primary difference is that sparkling wines undergo a second fermentation. Depending on the quality of the product, this second fermentation may take place in the bottle or in large tanks. The highest quality sparkling wine method, known as methode champenoise, is the traditional method of making sparkling wine in France's Champagne region. In this process, a small amount of a syrupy mixture of sugar and wine, called dosage d'tirage, is added to the blended wines alond with special yeasts. This cuvee is then immediately bottled and corked, thus starting a second fermentation within the bottle. The fermentation results in additional alcohol and carbon dioxide, which is what gives the "sparkle" to sparkling wines.

This second fermentation often takes a year or more to complete. Because fermentation creates sediment, the bottles are eventually placed in a riddling rack, with the necks tilted downward. The bottles are regularly turned and the angle is increased, thus forcing the sediment to settle in the bottle necks, adjacent to the cork. When all the sediment is within the neck, the wine is ready for disgorgement, in which the neck of the bottle is quickly frozen and the cork is removed. The pressure in the bottle forces the frozen plug out of the bottle. Finally, a small amount of sugar is added to the wine, the bottle is topped off with some of the original cuvee, and the bottle is corked. The amount of sugar added in this step is what constitutes the various sweetnesses of the wine. From dryest to sweetest, the most common sparkling wines are classified as brut, extra dry, or sec.

It should be noted that the term "Champagne" is reserved, by law, for sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of France. What is often (mistakenly) referred to as Champagne is actually sparkling wine made in the methode champenoise method. The only grapes that can be used in Champagne production are Champagne, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. California sparkling wines consist primarily of the first two.


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