20.3. Producing Inexpensive, High-Volume Dry Red Wine Flashcards
How would this wine be harvested? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
How would the grapes be transported to the winery? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
How would the grapes be received at the winery? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- Limited sorting (MOG only)
- Sorting costs in terms of time, labour, equipment and lowering yield.
- Keep costs and therefore price of wine low.
How would the grapes be fermented in a crushed-fruit fermentation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
What adjustments might be made? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
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What yeast would be used for fermentation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
What vessel would be used for fermentation? At what temperature? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
What choices would be made in regards to malolactic conversion? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
What choices would be made in regards to blending? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
What choices would be made in regards to maturation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
What choices would be made in regards to finishing the wine before packaging? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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
What choices would be made in regards to packaging? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- 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.
How would the grapes be fermented in a carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration fermentation? Why? What is the influence on style quality and price?
- Promoting initial intracellular fermentation
- Make fruity wines with a low tannin profile
- Distinctive kirsch and banana fruitiness, wines for early release and consumption.
