Winemaking Flashcards
Winemakers 1st and most important decision
When to pick
Winemaking consist of
Grapes and their condition
Style of wine to be produced
These can conflict
Harvest variables
Weather - rain
Time if day - pick at night or in am in hotter climates
Hand/machine
After grapes arrive at winery
Can be chilled in cold rooms
Sorted on tables
Head to crusher destemmer
Preparing white wine grapes for fermentation
Most de stemmed - too astringent
Sparkling/sweet may keep stems on in crusher
Protect juice - prevents oxidation, spontaneous fermentation or
allow oxygen contact- secondary, more complex flavored
Examples of varieties vinified protectively
Riesling
Sav blanc
Aromatic varieties
Example of variety vinified oxidatively
Chardonnay top quality
Inc white burgundy
Oxidative handling
Can include periods of deliberate skin contact, too much = astringency
Flavor leaches into must
Pressing whites
Gently
removes juice without pressing pips
Some pneumatic presses are insulated from oxygen
Separates cuts of juice = earliest cut the least astringent
Clarification of white juice
Settling and racking
Keep low temp and add sulphur to stop spontaneous fermentation
White wine making step 1
Grapes picked
Delivered to winery
Hopper filled
WW making 2
Grapes go to crusher destemmer
Crushed by roller
Allow whole grapes to pass through but not stems, leaves etc
WW making 3
Grapes and pulp can pass through a heat exchanger to cool
Slows oxidation process helps prevent loss of flavor and spontaneous fermentation
WW making 4
Pulp pumped into press
Grapes pressed
Juice collected and pumped to temp controlled ss tanks to settle
WW making 5
In tanks juice can be covered by co2 gas to prevent oxidation
Enzymes can be added to aid settling
