Some people are so serious about wine that the pleasure’s gone. Others say things about wine which isn’t true. Here are the basics of wine simply explained. Click here to find out the best wine course in Canada.
Making wine
The making of wine is not easy to explain. Each winemaker gives his personal touch before, during and after the verification process.
Each of the below aspects has its influence on the taste and quality of the wine:
* The selection of the land plot
* The climate (and the date of harvest)
* The selection of the grape variety
* The type of fermentation tanks or casks
* The temperature during fermentation
* The duration of fermentation
* The type of casks in which the wine ripens
Nobody can pretend there is only one single way of making wine. This fact contributes to the charm of wine and is also the cause of the enormous diversity in wines. Winemaking demands “savoir-faire” and experience.
A winemaker is not only a craftsman but also an artist. The following aspects give an idea of what winemaking involves:
1. Planting (or grafting) the grapevine
2. Developing the racemes
3. Harvesting the grapes
4. Destemming* and crushing the grapes in a stainless steel container
5. Alcoholic fermentation of the must
6. “Maceration”: the building of taste and color*
7. Raking
8. “Malolactic” fermentation
9. Riping
10. Bottling
11. Tasting