Wine is formed when grapes are crushed and the juice ferments. It ferments due to the naturally occurring yeast on the skins of the grapes. Of course there is a great deal more involved in the making of a good wine. It starts really with the planting of the vineyard – or even before that with all the planning and preparation that goes into it first. Some grapes are more suited to making wine than others, so this has to be taken into consideration as well.
Once the grapes are successfully growing on the vine, it’s important to choose the correct time for harvest. Sugar levels of the ripe grapes must be at a maximum. An expert in the field, chewing on the seeds and skins and sampling the sweetness of the grape juice, discerns this. Once it is decided that the grapes are at the perfect stage for harvesting, workers commence cutting the bunches as quickly as possible. Every delay means that the grapes will be over-ripe and thus unfit for making wine. The bunches of grapes are dropped into bins and transported to the winery.
In the old days, harvested grapes were crushed by means of people treading on them with their bare feet. These days they are crushed by machine– a rather more hygienic way – and the fermenting process is carried out in stainless steel vats. Although yeast occurs naturally on the skins of the grapes, the wine-maker will add more yeast of a special culture for winemaking. During fermentation, the yeast that is present in the mixture will begin to digest the sugars that are present. When all the sugar has been digested, the yeast then gradually drops to the bottom of the liquid. This is then poured off into barrels to complete the aging process. These barrels are traditionally made of oak and play an important part in the process of wine making. During the aging process, the wine is moved from full to empty barrels several times, with the solids in the bottom of the barrel removed, and the barrel used again. This process is called racking.
After several months in barrels, the wine is poured into bottles where the aging process is continued. Eventually the wine will reach the consumer in top condition, ready to help him celebrate life – or mourn death. Most wines are made from grapes, however wine can also be made from other fruits and even from the flower of the dandelion.
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