The Art & Science of Winemaking in 6 Steps

The perfect wine is like dancing. Six steps are used by winemakers to create a popular beverage using a simple fruit.

Growing, harvesting and crushing are the six steps. Pressing, fermentation, clarification and aging/bottling follow. Take a look at the impact of each step on the final product.

Growing Grapes

The grapes are the only fruit that contains enough sugar to produce alcohol and the perfect amount of acids, esters and tannins for a stable wine.

Winemakers have a wide variety of grape varieties to choose from, but they must select the one that is best suited for their climate and soil. Winemakers choose heat-resistant varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah in warmer climates like the summers. In cooler climates they choose varietals such as Riesling and Pinot Noir.

To thrive, grapes need a lot of water. But their roots will rot easily if soil is too moist. Winemakers avoid this by planting grapes on soils that are well-drained and high in organic material. Planting on a raised bed or slope improves drainage.

Grapes also love the sun and require at least six hours per day of direct sunlight to produce fruit that is high in quality.

Winemakers prune grapevines every year to get the best crop possible. The best time to prune is in winter when the vines are dormant.

Harvesting

To harvest grapes, you must first determine when they are ready for picking. The sugar content is used to make this decision.

To determine whether the grapes are ready to be harvested, winemakers taste them. The grapes can be harvested once the sugar content reaches the desired level.

You can harvest grapes either by hand or machine.

Vine boxes are used to collect grapes harvested by hand. Two people can fill 2-3 boxes an hour by fitting in each row.

When harvesting grapes by machine, the harvester shakes them onto a belt and then carries them on to a truck or bin.

The winemaker begins sorting the grapes after harvesting to remove those that aren’t ripe enough or are rotten. This process ensures that the wine and grapes are of high quality.

Pressing (Crushing).

After harvest, pressing or crushing the grapes is done. This was traditionally done in a harvest celebration by the people. The dancers would press the grapes down in the barrels as the must separated from the skins and became delicious wine.

Pressing is now done by a machine that crushes the grapes to liquid. The press increases the life and quality of wine, while reducing the need for preservatives.

Some winemakers wait until fermentation has begun in clusters of whole grapes before pressing the grapes. They wait until fermentation has bursts the grape skins to use the machine.

When making white wine, winemakers follow a different process than when they are making red wine. The winemaker presses must to separate the different parts of the grapes and extract the juice.

Fermentation

During fermentation, science and art come together to create wine. The juice fermentation would begin naturally within hours if the winemaker did nothing. Most winemakers prefer to inoculate themselves with bacteria to start the fermentation process.

They remove the wild, natural yeasts from the air and introduce a carefully selected yeast. The fermentation process continues until all sugars have been converted into alcohol. It can take anything from ten days up to a whole month.

The amount of sugar and climate in the must will determine the alcohol content. Some winemakers make sweeter wines by stopping the fermentation process before the sugar is completely converted. This stage is incredibly complex, and the outcome depends on the winemaker’s artistic ability.

Clarification

Clarification is the next step following fermentation. The winemakers will decide whether they want to rack their wine or siphon it from one barrel into another. They hope that this will leave pomace and precipitates at the bottom or barrel.

Filtering and fining is another part of the process. Filters can range from coarse to sterile. For clarification, clay, eggwhites and other substances are added to the finished wine. They remove all solids, dead yeast cells and other substances from the wine. Clarified wine is now ready for further aging or bottling.

Aging/Bottling

The winemaker will then proceed with the ageing and bottling. After clarification, the wine may be bottled immediately or undergo further aging. The winemaker’s preferences, the type and quality of the wine, as well as their artistic ability, will determine the final outcome.

The wine can be aged longer to produce stronger flavors. Winemakers must select various specifications such as whether the wine is aged in oak or stainless steel, or new or used barrels. They also need to decide on the duration of the aging (months or even years). The wine is bottled once the winemaker has determined that the aging process is complete.

Conclusion

Some wine lovers spend their time making the beverage, while others simply enjoy it. Making wine is like a dance involving science, magic, and art. It takes time, dedication, and effort to learn how to make wine.

Winemakers have years of experience, and they bring a unique perspective to the centuries-old tradition.