The Process of Winemaking:

The winemaking process may seens as a complicated one due to the several options available to the winemaker to bring the different aromas, levels of alcohol, acidity, tannins, etc. Depending on the type of wine and the winemaker’s decisions is that we as “the consumers” are able to have different options and test different wines. In today’s market there are thousands of wines from reds, whites, roses, dessert, sparkling, etc to enjoy.

Harvesting:

Harvesting is the art of pick up the fruit once the owner’s decide depending on ripeness, time of the year, sugar in the grape and type of wine to be developed.In some instances the grapes will have early harvesting time, but all depending on the climate where the grape grows and the elevation of the vineyards. For example Cabernet Sauvignon is a late harvest to climate that grows in and the amount of sugar needed for the winemaking process, while Chardonnay may be harvested earlier to maintain acidity. Read more in our grapes of the world page. There are two types of harvest: manual and mechanical.

Pressing and Crushing:

Some grapes are picked up during night hours to maintain the freshness of the fruit and avoid warming temperatures to affect the fermentation. Then the winemaker has the option of selecting some grapes for the best wines or the process of fermentation to conduct, some grapes are gently pressed to avoid the skin and seed to be crushed and some others are crushed all together to obtain the desired tannins and color. And again all these decisions are taken by the winemaker depending on the wine to be made.

Fermentation:

There are three types of vessels used for fermentation: Concrete, Barrels and Stainless Steel tanks. The type of fermentation and vessel will affect the end results of the wines: aromas and taste. How old the barrels are and how big will affect the flavors. The fermentation process will convert the ripe grape juice into yeast (bacteria) that could be natural or inoculated and will convert the sugar into alcohol and CO2 will come out of the fermentation along with flavors, aromas and heat. The definition of Fermentation is: A chemical reaction whereby sugar from ripe grape juice plus yeast will produce alcohol.

Aging and Bottling:

After the fermentation occurs, the winemaker has options that will alter the style, the flavors and the final product. Some of the options include barrels that can be new or used and how long the wine will be in maturation or aging. white wines change from pale yellow to gold with aging in oak, while red wine will tend to be lighten in color. Also some flavor changes and vanilla, toast, spice and coconut may be added to the wine. Financial consideration is another issue during age, as new barrels are very expensive and the winemaker has to make a decision if the end product will be profitable for the use of new barrels. Small barrels will impart more flavor to the wine because more of the wine is in contact with the barrel, while big barrels will impart less flavors due to the opposite. Most of the wines are ready to drink when you buy it, some other wines are good for an extended period of time in the bottle that may be years.