Winemaking Process
Grapes
Ripe grape clusters are the most important raw material for making wine. They have different compositions and play different roles in the winemaking process. Generally speaking, grapes take about 100 days to ripen after flowering and fruiting in June. During this process, the grapes become larger, their sugar content increases, their acidity decreases, and phenolic substances such as red pigments and tannins increase to deepen their color. In addition, potential aromas develop and are released after fermentation. The size, shape and color of ripe grapes will vary from variety to variety. In addition, the characteristics and quality of the grapes will be influenced by the yield, the natural environment, the presence of bacterial contamination and the vintage.
1. Paper pulp
It accounts for approximately 80% of the weight of the grapes. Generally speaking, table grapes are rich in flesh, while wine grapes have more juice. Its main components are water, sugar, organic acids and minerals. Sugar is the main component of alcohol fermentation, including glucose and fructose, while organic acids are mainly tartaric, lactic and citric acids. Potassium is the most important mineral in wine, often containing more than 50% of the total amount of various minerals.
2. Grape seeds
The tannins are astringent and not delicate enough, and the oils will damage the quality of the wine.
3. Grape skins
Although grape skins make up only one tenth of the total, they have a great impact on quality. In addition to being rich in fiber and pectin, they also contain tannins and aromatic substances. In addition, the skins of black grapes also contain red pigments, which are the main source of color in red wines. The tannins in the skins are relatively delicate and are the main component of the wine’s structure. The aromatic substances are stored under the skin and are divided into volatile aromas and non-volatile aromas, the latter of which are formed slowly after fermentation.
4、Grape stem
The stems of the grapes, which are joined in clusters, are rich in tannins, but the tannins they contain are astringent and coarse, often with a pungent, grassy smell. Usually, they are blocked before winemaking. However, in order to increase the tannin content of the wine, some wineries sometimes add new stems for fermentation, but the stems must be very ripe to avoid these drawbacks. In addition to water and tannins, grape stems also contain high levels of potassium, which has a de-acidifying function.
Wine
Wine making techniques originated in Anatolia, Turkey, 6,000 years ago. According to the Bible, after the Great Flood swept Noah’s ark towards Mount El in eastern Anatolia, a goat on the ark led a man to a slope covered with wild grapes. The wild grapes that had fallen to the ground combined with the rain to ferment and give off aromas of wine, and he was inspired to become the world’s first winemaker.
Winemaking Steps
Clogging
In other words, the seeds are removed from the comb-like branches of the tree. Because the twigs contain a lot of tannins, the wine has an unpleasant taste.
Pressing the fruit grains
In red wine making, the grape skins are pressed at the same time as the grape flesh. The red pigment contained in red wine is released during the pressing of the grape skins. As a result, all red wines have a red color.
Fermentation
After pressing, you get the juice, the raw material for making wine. Good quality grape juice is a prerequisite for making good wine, and wine is the product of fermentation. After fermentation, the sugar contained in the grapes is gradually converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide. Therefore, during the fermentation process, the sugar content becomes less and less and the precision of the wine becomes higher. Through the slow fermentation process, wine is produced with aromatic and delicate red wines.
