Wine Production Basics

Wine Basics

• Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grape juice
• Fermentation is the transformation of sugar into alcohol through the action of yeast
• Vintage refers to the year of the harvest, but it's not a compulsory information to be included on the label

Grape Species

• There are many different species of vine, but grape growers are only concerned with a handful of species
• Vitis Vinifera is the main Eurasian species, producing nearly all the grapes used in winemaking
• American Vines are native to North America, rarely used to produce grapes for winemaking due to unattractive flavors
• However, American Vines are resistant to Phylloxera, a insect that attacks Vitis Vinifera

Grape Varieties

• There are thousands of grape varieties belonging to Vitis Vinifera
• The principal differences between grape varieties are variations in color and flavor
• Clones are genetically identical vines that can still show variations due to mutations, sometimes leading to positive results
• Crossings are the creation of new varieties by crossing two different grape varieties
• Hybrids are vines coming from two different parents, often used for crossings

Rootstocks

• Rootstocks are used to graft American Vines onto Vitis Vinifera to prevent Phylloxera attacks

Growing Environment

• Vines need five things to grow: heat, sunlight, water, nutrients, and carbon dioxide
• Heat is essential, with temperatures below 10°C being detrimental to growth

Wine Varietals

• Sauvignon Blanc is a highly aromatic varietal with high acidity, well-suited for cool climates
• Chardonnay is a versatile varietal that can grow in a wide range of climates

Sherry

• Sherry is a fortified wine from Spain, made from three white varietals: Palomino, Pedro Ximénez, and Muscat of Alexandria
• Sherry undergoes biological ageing, where Flor develops and adds complexity to the wine
• Oxidative ageing occurs when the wine is fortified to above 17% ABV, preventing Flor development

Fortified Muscat

• Beaumes-de-Venise is a youthful, unaged Muscat from the Rhone Valley, producing a white, sweet, and floral wine
• RutherGlen is a fully developed, aged Muscat from Australia, producing a luscious, sweet wine

Port

• Port is a fortified wine from Portugal, made from five white varietals: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barocca, Tinta Cao, and Touriga Franca
• Ruby Port is a blend of wines aged for 2-3 years, with a ruby color and sweet flavor
• Tawny Port is aged for a similar period, with a more brown color
• Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) is a vintage wine aged for 4-6 years, usually unfiltered
• Vintage Port must come from a single Quinta (single estate)

Ice Wine

• Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have frozen on the vine
• The sugars and other dissolved solids don't freeze, allowing for a more concentrated grape juice to develop
• The grape must be pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of sweet juice
• Ice wine is mainly produced in Canada and Germany, with Vidal being a popular varietal

Winemaking of Sweet Wine

• Stopping fermentation through fortification or adding SO2
• Adding a sweet component (Rectified Concentrated Grape Must)
• Costly and time-consuming process

Sparkling Wines

• Riddling and disgorgement are processes used in sparkling wine production to remove excess yeast
• There are different methods of producing sparkling wines, including Carbonation, Asti Method, Ancestral method, and Traditional method