20.3. Producing Inexpensive, High-Volume Dry Red Wine

Question 1

How would this wine be harvested? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 1

• Machine harvest
• Quicker than hand harvest. Usually significantly cheaper than hand harvest. Allows night harvesting. Fruit is already removed from the stems and so does not need destemming.
• Cheaper than hand harvesting for large vineyards, helping to keep price of wine low.

Question 2

How would the grapes be transported to the winery? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 2

• Transport during the night or early morning if viable. Otherwise transport during day.
• Addition of SO2
• Chance to transport cool grapes. Grapes transported during the afternoon likely to be warm.
• Protection from microbial spoilage and oxidation.
• Cool grapes less affected by oxidation and microbial spoilage, better for quality, retains primary fruit. Warm grapes more at risk of oxidation and microbial spoilage.
• Retains quality.

Question 3

How would the grapes be received at the winery? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 3

• Limited sorting (MOG only)
• Sorting costs in terms of time, labour, equipment and lowering yield.
• Keep costs and therefore price of wine low.

Question 4

How would the grapes be fermented in a crushed-fruit fermentation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 4

• Grapes are crushed to release the juice and begin the process of fermentation. Cold maceration unlikely.
• Facilitate the beginning of fermentation and of the extraction of colour, aroma compounds and tannins from the skins. Cold maceration not practiced as it would slow down processing.
• Adequate depth of colour, flavour and level of tannins.

Question 5

What adjustments might be made? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 5

• Made as necessary - acidification or deacidification chaptalisation
• Depends on the ripeness of the grapes.
• Can help enhance the balance of the wine, which improves quality. Moderate cost.

Question 6

What choices might be made in regards to must clarification? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 6

• Sedimentation
• Option: retain a relatively high proportion of solids
• Sedimentation is typically chosen as the method of clarification as it is traditional and involves the least manipulation. Additionally, there is often less pressure to speed up the winemaking process, compared to high-volume production.
• A small proportion of solids may be retained to increase complexity of aromas.
• Clarifying must can lead to less clarification post-fermentation with the aim of retaining delicate aromas and flavours.
• Increase in complexity of aromas, with possibly low levels of reductive sulfur compounds. Less fruity aromas and flavours.

Question 7

What choices might be made in regards to hyperoxidation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 7

• Option: hyperoxidation may be carried out in some cases.
• Oxidize at this point the compounds which are most prone to oxidation. Remove bitter compounds.
• Smoother final wine and one less prone to later oxidation. This adds cost as this is a further procedure to be carried out.

Question 8

What yeast would be used for fermentation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 8

• Cultured yeast
• Reliable, potential to increase aroma and flavour release and creation.
• Less risk of off-flavours that could reduce quality. Create and retain fruity style.

Question 9

What vessel would be used for fermentation? At what temperature? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 9

• Relatively cool temperatures (for red wine, 17–25°C / 63–77°F) in stainless steel tank
• Sufficiently high temperature to extract flavour and tannins but cool enough to retain fruity aromas. Stainless steel tank used for ability to control temperature and ease of cleaning.
• Create and retain fruity style. After initial investment in computerized, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, costs can be recovered through high volume working and fast throughput.

Question 10

What choices would be made in regards to malolactic conversion? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 10

• Malolactic conversion will happen routinely but can be carried out during alcoholic fermentation by adding lactic acid bacteria and ensuring the right conditions.
• Malolactic conversion during alcoholic fermentation means that the wine can be processed more quickly, freeing up tank space and enabling the wine to be sold sooner.
• Smoother, softer style. Greater microbial stability.

Question 11

What choices would be made in regards to blending? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 11

• Free run from the press blended with most or all the pressed wine. In addition, wines may be blended with other wines to maximise volume or to achieve continuity of style.
• Maximize volume of wine produced at acceptable quality level.
• Acceptable quality. Maximize the amount of wine to sell.

Question 12

What choices would be made in regards to maturation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 12

• Wine may be stored according to market demand
• Option: oak alternatives
• If wine is not required immediately it may be stored for 3-4 months.
• Inexpensive addition of oak flavours
• Fruity style preserved. By releasing the wine as quickly as possible, costs and therefore the price of wine are kept low.
• Adds additional flavours. Significantly cheaper than using oak barrels.

Question 13

What choices would be made in regards to finishing the wine before packaging? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 13

• Tartrate stabilisation – contact process or metatartaric acid.
• Fining
• Sterile filtration
• Consumers will not accept tartrate crystals. Metatartaric acid is quicker and less expensive in terms of energy than cold stabilisation.
• Ensure wine stays clear and bright.
• Avoid risk of any faults developing in bottle.
• By releasing the wine as quickly as possible costs and therefore the price of wine are kept low.
• Maintain style and quality.
• Maintain style and quality

Question 14

What choices would be made in regards to packaging? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 14

• Glass bottle, PET, bag-in-box, can
• Screwcap, agglomerate cork or moulded closure
• This wine is for immediate consumption and therefore all formats of packaging are suitable.
• All these options are inexpensive and have a lower risk of cork taint (compared to natural cork)
• Providing wine is drunk within a year of release from winery, no negative impact on quality.
• Suitable for retaining fruity style for wines for early consumption. Keeps costs and therefore price of wine low.

Question 15

How would the grapes be fermented in a carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration fermentation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 15

• Promoting initial intracellular fermentation
• Make fruity wines with a low tannin profile
• Distinctive kirsch and banana fruitiness, wines for early release and consumption.

Question 16

What choices may be made in regards to extraction using heat? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 16

• Options of either flash détente or thermovinification
• Rapid extraction of colour and low level of tannins. Wine then can be vinified quickly like white wine (no need for extended period of maceration on the skins).
• Wines produced are fruity and low in tannins, suitable for early sale and consumption. Thermovinification has additional costs (heat source) but these can be offset by the time and tank space saved. Flash détente requires substantial initial investment which can be recovered by large volume production. These costs can be offset by the time and tank space saved.

Question 17

What choices may be made in regards to cap management? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 17

• Cap management (in standard tank): mechanised pump over and/or punch down.
• Option: rotary fermenter
• Extraction of desired amount of colour, aroma compounds and tannins. Rack and return would require the availability of additional empty vessels.
• The whole tank rotates and internal blades break up the cap and ensure efficient extraction.
• Fruity wine with desired colour intensity and a medium level of tannins.
• Best suited to high coloured, tannin and flavour intense varieties (e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah). High initial investment, costs can be recovered through high volume working and fast throughput.

Question 18

What choices may be made in regards to post-fermentation maceration? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 18

• Usually not carried out. At most, post-fermentation will be short (3-5 days)
• Takes time and ties up valuable tank space. Where done, additional extraction from the skins
• Fruity wine with desired colour intensity and a medium level of tannins. Additional cost of monitoring the wine and use of fermentation tank space that may be required for another wine.

Question 19

What choices may be made in regards to pressing? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?

Answer 19

• Pneumatic press either during alcoholic fermentation, at the end of alcoholic fermentation or a few days later.
• Pneumatic press can take large press loads. Pressing during the fermentation reduce tannin extraction towards the end of fermentation.
• Keeps costs and therefore price of wine low. Pressing during fermentation helps create a wine with relatively little tannin.