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How does fermentation takes place?
In alcoholic fermentation, yeast cells split the glucose and fructose in the
grapes into half alcohol and half carbon dioxide; the process also releases heat. Wine yeasts are
tiny micro-organisms that belong to the mould family. They are deposited on the grapes and therefore
pass into the must with the grapes. These yeast cells are often so damaged by the effects of the
environment that they could cause problems in the fermentation process. For this reason, pure
cultivated yeasts with clearly defined characteristics are added to ensure pure fermentation.
As soon as the sugar contained in the grapes has fermented completely to alcohol, the yeasts cease
to be active and die.
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How does red wine get its colour?
The color of the red wine grapes is stored in the skin of the grapes.
If these grapes are pressed immediately after mashing, the must for making rose is produced.
To produce red wine, a mash fermentation must therefore traditionally be carried out. With this,
the color is leached out of the grape skins by the alcohol created during fermentation and by pushing
the mash through continuously. Once the alcoholic fermentation in the mash is more or less completed,
the mash is pressed. |
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What does oxidation do?
Oxidation is a chemical reaction between oxygen and must or ingredients of wine
which generally produces undesirable changes. It affects primarily the colorants, which produces a
corresponding browning reaction in the wine. Similarly, tannins can also be oxidized, which gives the
wine a bitter taste. During the alcoholic fermentation process, the fermentation carbon dioxide
provides sufficient protection against oxidation. After fermentation, the addition of sulphur can
prevent oxidation.
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What effect do the climate, soil and location have on the wine?
Grape varieties, vintage, number of hours of sunshine, volume and time of precipitation, the skills of the
vintner, of course, and also the climatic conditions (microclimate), soil characteristics and location of the vineyard
(steep slopes, hills or plains) determine the quality of the wine. In general, it can be said: the poorer and thinner the soil,
the higher the quality of the wine. Very fertile soils lead to an excessive growth in the vine shoots which causes delays in the
ripening of the grapes; poor soils, on the other hand, let the water through, and the vines have to dig deep to find water.
This means that they then absorb the precious minerals and nutrients that are to be found in the deeper layers of soil.
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