 Winemaking Steps
Grapes require a great deal of processing in order to become wine. They must be harvested, sorted, removed from their stems, fermented, pressed, aged, processed for bottling, and finally bottled as finished wine. The harvest season is very labor intensive and requires coordination of each of these activities while managing the logistics of space, time, equipment, and supplies. The most demanding part of processing during harvest is the very beginning when the grapes are taken from the vineyard and fermented into young wine. Each of the processes performed is done to insure quality wine is produced. Each process also involves decisions as to how the task should be performed to achieve the desired style of wine.
White wines
Processing for white wines involves pressing before fermentation as little to no skin contact is preferred with white wine juices, since many bitter and astringent compounds are in the skins. Grapes are brought to the winery and sorted to remove any damaged fruit or extraneous material. The grapes can then either be destemmed and possibly crushed, or sent directly to the press for whole cluster pressing. Some varietals such as Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc can benefit from a short skin contacting with the juice to extract the strong aromatic characters in the grape skins and often are allowed to macerate after crushing for a short period. The juice is processed following pressing to remove gross grape solids that also contribute bitter and astringent flavors. Cold settling and racking is the common method used, but several options such as centrifuges are also available. Additions such as yeast nutrients and SO2 are made, then the yeast is selected and fermentation is initiated. Temperatures are usually kept very cool to promote fruity characters in the finished wine. Malolactic fermentations can either be initiated or prohibited, and the wines can either be aged in barrel or tank depending on the stylistic choices of the winemaker. Rosé and blush style wines are processed as white wines but using red wine grapes. The small amount of skin contacting allowed provides the pink color.
Red wines
Processing for red wines involves fermentation with the skins and seeds of the grape berries. This is done to extract color, tannin, and other flavor and aroma compounds that constitute the body and texture of red wine. Grapes are sorted, destemmed, and possibly crushed. Additions are made to the must, and then fermentation is initiated. Some form of cap management is employed for maintaining contact between the grape solids and the fermenting juice. Warmer temperatures are allowed to promote vigorous fermentation, enhance extraction, and volatilize any reductive characters that might form. The juice is drained from the skins and seeds following fermentation, and then the pomace is sent to the press to extract the remaining juice from the berries. The wine is then processed to remove any remaining grape solids, usually by a series of settling and racking operations during ageing. Malolactic fermentation is almost always allowed to occur, and some type of barrel ageing is often employed to add complexity and allow the wine to mature.
Other wine styles
The other wine styles such as sparkling wine or fortified wine are processed very similar to red or white wine. They differ in special processes or techniques though that are characteristic of each style, such as the addition of brandy spirit to Port. Some require special equipment and can take much longer to process and age than standard table wine.
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