1. What is wine & how is it made?

Question 1

What is wine?

Answer 1

Wine is a fermented grape juice.
The grapes are crushed to release their sweet juice.
Alcoholic fermentation is needed to change the grape juice into wine.

Question 2

What are the two principal types of grapes?

Answer 2

White Grapes and Black Grapes

Question 3

What is the key difference between White Grapes and Black Grapes?

Answer 3

On the inside, the grapes look very similar.

The key difference is that black grapes have deeply coloured skins that also contain tannins.

Question 4

What are the 2 parts of the grape?

Answer 4

1. Grape Skins
   - Black grapes have a deeply coloured skin. The skin contains tannins, which can make your mouth feel dry.
   - The skin of white grapes has a golden colour.
2. Pulp
   - Soft and fleshy
   - The colour of the pulp is the same, regardless of the colour of the grape skins.
   - The pulp contains grape juice, which is mostly made up of water, sugar and acid.

Question 5

What is the equation for Alcoholic Fermentation?

Answer 5

Sugar + Yeast -> Alcohol + Carbon Dioxide

Question 6

What are yeast, and why are they required in wine making?

Answer 6

• Yeast are required for alcoholic fermentation
• Yeast are microscopic organisms that eat sugar and convert it into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.
• In most cases, the process continues until the yeast have eaten all of the sugar.
• The alcohol stays in the newly made wine and in most cases the Carbon Dioxide escapes into the atmosphere.

Question 7

What is the level of alcohol in a wine usually measured as? What does this mean?

Answer 7

Measured as ‘Alcohol by Volume’ (ABV).

eg. 10% abv means that 10% of the liquid is alcohol.

Question 8

Describe how grapes grow.

Answer 8

• Grapes are the fruit produced by grape vines
• Grape vines can live for several decades
• Once they reach maturity, a couple of years after they are planted, they produce a crop of grapes every year.

Question 9

What are the 3 stages of growing grapes?

Answer 9

1. Flowering: every year, a grape vine flowers in the spring.
2. Flowers become grapes: After flowering, each individual flower is transformed into a small grape. All grapes at this stage are hard and green.
3. Grapes ripen:
   - The grapes swell with water
   - Sugar levels in the grapes rise
   - Acid levels in the grapes fall
   - Flavours become riper
   - White grapes change in colour from green to golden; black grapes change in colour from green to purple.

Question 10

Describe the conditions required for grapes to grow.

Answer 10

Grapes need the right levels of sunlight and heat in order to produce good quality fruit.
If it is too hot or cold, they cannot do this.
Grape vines grow best in areas where the winter is cold enough for them to rest.
As a result, most grape vines grow at lattitudes on the globe that provide the grapes with the correct amount of sunlight, heat and water.

Question 11

Describe a ‘Cool Climate Region’ and give examples of countries in cool climate regions.

Answer 11

• Regions with cool climates are closer to the poles. eg. Germany, Northern France
• Average temperatures are low
• Sunlight can be weaker than in regions nearer the equator.
• In some years, grapes can struggle to ripen at all
• White grapes are commonly grown in cool climate regions.

Question 12

Describe a ‘Warm Climate Region’ and give examples of countries in warm climate regions.

Answer 12

• Regions are closer to the equator eg. parts of Australia and parts of California
• Average temperatures are high
• Sunlight is more intense than in cool climate regions
• Grapes ripen consistently.
• Black grapes are commonly grown in cool climate regions.

Question 13

What effect does a ‘Cool Climate’ have on the grape being grown?

Answer 13

The colder it is:

• Low sugar
• High acidity

Question 14

What effect does a ‘Warm Climate’ have on the grape being grown?

Answer 14

The warmer it is:
- High sugar
- Low acidity
The grapes’ flavours also taste riper in warmer climates.

Question 15

What is the order of events for making White Wine?

Answer 15

1. Crushing: After picking, white grapes are crushed. This releases some of the grape juice.
2. Pressing: The crushed grapes are pressed to release the remaining juice.
3. Fermentation: Yeast are added to the grape juice and fermentation starts. This can take place in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels.
4. Maturation: Once fermentation has finished, the wines can be stored in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels.
5. Bottling

Question 16

What is the order of events for making Rosé wine?

Answer 16

1. Crushing: After picking, black grapes are crushed. The grape juice and skins are put into the fermentation vessel.
2. Fermentation: Yeasts are added to the mixture of grape juice and skins, and fermentation starts. Colour and tannin is extracted from the skins by mixing them thoroughly with the juice.
3. Draining: After only a few hours, the juice is drained from the skins. At this point, it is only pink in colour. It finishes fermentation without the skins.
4. Maturation: The wine is usually stored in stainless steel tanks.
5. Bottling

Question 17

What is the order of events for making Red wine?

Answer 17

1. Crushing: After picking, black grapes are crushed. The grape juice and skins are put into the fermentation vessel.
2. Fermentation: Yeasts are added to the mixture of grape juice and skins, and fermentation starts. Colour and tannin is extracted from the skins by mixing them thoroughly with the juice.
3. Draining: Once the fermentation is finished, the newly made red wine is drained off the skins.
4. Pressing: The grape skins are pressed to release any remaining wine.
5. Maturation: The wines can be stored in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels.
6. Bottling