The wine-making process, step by step  

In the European Union, wine is defined as an alcoholic beverage made exclusively from grapes. Any alcoholic beverage made from other fruits is called fruit wine and is often named after the specific fruit used. In this guide, we will focus on the traditional process of winemaking from fermented grapes.

Introduction to Wine-making

Wine-making, or vinification, encompasses the entire process, from grape selection to bottling. The cultivation and harvesting of grapes for wine is known as viticulture, while a vineyard is the area where these grapes are grown. A winery is the place where wine is produced, and oenology is the science that deals with wine and wine-making.

preparation and Wine-making

There are five basic steps in the wine-making process: harvesting, crushing and pressing, fermentation, clarification, aging, and bottling. Although there are many variations, these core steps remain the same.

Step-by-Step Guide to Harvesting Grapes for Wine Making

The first step in the wine-making process is harvesting, which can be done manually or with machinery. To maintain the quality of the grapes, many winemakers prefer to have the grapes harvested by hand. The moment at which grapes are picked determines the sweetness of the wine, acidic nature and its flavour.

Once we pick the grapes, they are taken to the winery, where they are sorted in bunches and underripe or rotten grapes are removed. After sorting of grapes in bunches, now it’s time for crushing and pressing. Traditionally, feet were used for crushing. Peoples used to stomp the grapes flat in large bins or barrels. Even man and women performed the harvest dance in these barrels as a part of their tradition.

Key Points:

• Timing: Determines the sweetness, acidity, and flavor of the wine.
• Method: Hand-picking or mechanical harvesting.
• Sorting: Grapes are sorted to remove underripe or rotten grapes.

The Essential Process of Crushing and Pressing in Winemaking

After harvesting, we get must. What is a must? Must is fresh juice of grapes containing seeds, solids and skins of the grapes. Up until crushing, the steps for making white wine and red wines are the same. We can use a red or white variety of grapes for making white wine,, but only a red variety of grapes can be used to make red wine. If red wine is being made, then the must is allowed to sit to get additional tannins, flavor, and colour. The time period for which one is allowed to sit is called maceration.

After maceration, the juice portion is separated from the the must. And the process that separates the grape juice from the fibre and other solids (must) is called Pressing. The juice portion separated from the must is called ‘free run’ and the rest of the remains of the must are now called pomace.

While making white wine, the grape juice portion is quickly separated from the must without giving any maceration time to prevent the tannin and color from leaching in the wine. After crushing, we go directly to pressing. Nowadays, the majority of winemakers crush and press mechanically.

Mechanical presses have made the process more sanitary and have also improved the quality and longevity of the wine. Sometimes crushing and pressing are done at the same time (mostly in the case of white wine, as we do not provide maceration time), and also crushing and pressing can be separated by a few hours to days (like in the case of red wine, as we provide maceration time). It all depends on the style of wine being made. After crushing and pressing,

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For Red Wine:

• Crushing: Releases juice while keeping skins intact for maceration.
• Maceration: Must is left to sit, extracting tannins, color, and flavor.

For White Wine:

• Pressing: Quickly separates juice from the must to prevent tannin and color extraction.

Modern Techniques:

• Mechanical Presses: Improve sanitation and quality.
• Simultaneous Crushing and Pressing: It is common for white wines to avoid maceration.

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Understanding Fermentation: How Grapes Turn into Wine

we go for fermentation. In fermentation, the action of yeast on the sugar solution breaks down the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide escapes into the air and we are left with the fermented beverage. The sugar is obtained from the grape juice in wine. If we leave the must/grape juice on its own, the fermentation process starts naturally in 6–12 hours with the aid of wild yeast present in the air.

Most of the well-established wineries and vineyards prefer natural fermentation. But many also use cultured yeast to control the final outcome and ensure the consistency of the wine. The most commonly used cultured yeast in wine-making is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The process of fermentation continues until all of the sugar is converted into alcohol, which results in a dry wine. If sweet wine is to be prepared, winemakers stop the fermentation process in between before all the sugar has been converted into alcohol. At what point the process needs to stop is usually a conscious, intentional decision of the winemaker.

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 After fermentation, the resulting level of alcohol in wine depends on the total sugar content of the must. It may also vary from one locale to another. Generally, the alcohol level is 10% in cool climates and goes as high as 15% in warm areas. If we use Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it can go up to 20%. The complete fermentation process may take about a week to a month or even more to convert the sugar into alcohol. Once the fermentation process is completed,.

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Key Points:

• Natural Fermentation: Utilizes wild yeast present in the air.
• Cultured Yeast: Commonly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for controlled fermentation.
• Duration: Takes from a week to a month, depending on the desired wine style.

Clarification in Wine-making: Techniques and Tips

 The clarification process begins. In this process, we remove any tannins, proteins and dead yeast from the wine. For clarification, we can either go for filtration or fining treatments. In filtration, we pass the wine through coffee filter-like material, which consists of a series of very small holes or pores.

These holes work as filters and only allow liquid and particles small enough to fit through. Large particles are held back and removed from the liquid. Another method of clarification is fining. Fining is done by introducing an agent to wine that physically binds with unwanted molecules, usually called colloids. Colloids include tannins, phenolics and polysaccharides.

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 Common fining agents include gelatine, isinglass, egg whites, casein, bentonite and carbon. Once the binding is complete, the agglomeration precipitates out to the bottom of the vessel. Then the wine is racked to remove any unwanted sediments. Racking is the process of moving wine or beer from one container to another using gravity rather than a pump. A pump can be disruptive to the beverage.

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Methods:

• Filtration: Uses filters to remove large particles.
• Fining: Adds agents like gelatin or bentonite to bind and remove unwanted molecules.
• Racking: Transfers wine to separate it from sediments.

The Final Stages: Aging and Bottling Your Wine

After clarification, winemakers can either bottle the wine directly or they can give the wine additional aging. Now comes the last step: the aging and bottling of the wine. Aging refers to group of reactions that tend to improve the flavor and taste of a wine. The term maturation” is used for any changes that are made in wine after fermentation and before bottling.

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Nowadays, aging and maturation are used interchangeably. Aging can be done in the bottle, stainless steel or ceramic tanks or oak barrels. Many of the winemakers prefer oak barrels, as it helps increase their oxygen exposure and enables the wine to reach its full flavor.

Many winemakers use stainless steel tanks for white wine aging. The time period of wine aging in the barrel depends on the grape variety or style of wine being made. It’s also depending on the winemaker for how long he wants to age the wine. The storage room where wines are kept for aging is called wine cellar.

Winemakers run several tests periodically to check whether wine is aging in barrels or not. Some of the common tests run in laboratories are on your screen. If the results are not as per expectations, the winemaker can take action. Once aging is finished, the wine is bottled with a screw cap or cork.

Aging:

• Methods: in bottles, stainless steel tanks, or oak barrels.
• Duration: Depends on the grape variety, wine style, and winemaker’s preference.
• Testing: Periodic tests are necessary to ensure proper aging.

Bottling:

• Closure: Sealed with corks or screw caps.

Summary

Wine-making is a blend of art and science, involving various steps and techniques to create the desired wine profile. While the basic steps are consistent, variations allow winemakers to produce a wide range of wine styles and flavors.

Key Terms:

• Viticulture: Grape cultivation.
• Vinification: the production of wine (starting from grape selection, its fermentation, to the bottling of wine) is known as vinification.
• Oenology: The branch of science which deals with wine and winemaking process is called Oenology.
• Vineyard: Vineyard is an area of land where grapes are grown for making wines
• Winery: The place or building where wine is produced is called a winery.