Another Great Wine Caddy Article

Making White Wine: A Labor Of Love

Wine is made in winery and wineries exist all over the world and come in a variety of sizes. The grapes are grown at the wineries and then turned into wine and there are many varieties of grapes; each one either used either alone or combined to make different wines. But how exactly is white wine made?

To make a white wine, once grapes are brought to the winery they are de-stemmed and crushed before anything else is done. A machine is used to split the grapes to remove stems and stalks from each bunch because they contain astringent tannins, which might be acceptable for red wines, but are rare in whites. To stop the fermentation process from starting and turning the grapes brown and oxidizing (causing a vinegar type taste) a chemical called Sulphur Dioxide is added to the grapes. For those with allergies to Sulphur Dioxide, ?sulphur-free? wine is produced as well, however the lifespan on this wine is much shorter and needs to be consumed quickly.

After the grapes are split and the stems have been removed, they are sent to be pressed. Pressing the grapes releases their juices. The press is a large machine that has a canvas like material that separates the juice from the skins and seeds by allowing the juice to escape. The separated juice is then pumped gently to another steel tank where the sediment is allowed to settle to the bottom before being transferred again. The now sediment free juice is either pumped into another steel tank (unwooded wines) or to wooden barrels (wooded wines) where the preferred yeast type is added and fermentation can begin. Fermentation of white wine can take 3 days or 30 days depending on the type of wine being produced.

For unwooded whites, once the fermentation process is over, the wine is removed from the steel tanks and separated from the dead yeast cells. Whites such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are typically unwooded wines, however there are small exceptions. Rieslings in Europe can be made in wooden barrels, though the barrels usually have a crust of tartaric crystals (found in grapes and solidifies in their juices), which acts as a barrier preventing the oak flavor from being infused in the wine. Examples of oaked Sauvignon Blanc can be found in France, however the aging of unwooded Sauvignon Blanc in bottles produces a nutty toasted flavour as if it was stored in wood therefore it really is not necessary.

Why would someone want to produce an unwooded wine? The answer is simple, money. It is much cheaper to produce wine in large steel tanks, and the work required after fermentation is minimal allowing bottling and release to be quicker. This does not, however, mean unwooded wine is in any way inferior to wooded wine. It is simply a different process.

Wooded wines can often begin their fermentation in steel tanks before being transferred to oak barrels to finish fermenting, or they can have a second fermentation known as malolactic fermentation. A third option, barrel fermentation, is to simply ferment the wine once from start to finish in an oak barrel. Malolactic fermentation is the process in wine where malic acid begins to turn into lactic acid. This happens with the addition of bacteria, which in turn gives the wine buttery creamy characteristics. Wooded white wines are in barrels from six to twelve months before being filtered.

The next step in making white wine is filtration. The most common way commercial wineries filter their wine is with a membrane filter, which catches all the particles floating in the liquid. Some winemakers prefer not to filter at all thinking it will remove characters from the wine that were created in the winemaking process. After the wine has been filtered it is bottled and sealed and ready for marketing.

It all seems too easy, but it takes great skill. Climates need to be controlled, ingredients need to be accurately measured and timing needs to be perfect. Sometimes it is easy to forget that a bottle of wine can take so long to make and that patience is key. However, it is this patience and attention to detail that brings out the best in a bottle of wine.

About the Author:

Ken Finnigan is the CEO of Finest Wine Racks a website specializing in quality decorative wine racks and durable wine storage systems.

A Short Wine Caddy Summary

Making White Wine: A Labor Of Love


Wine is made in winery and wineries exist all over the world and come in a variety of sizes. The grapes are grown at the wineries and then turned into...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Featured Wine Caddy Items

The FTD Abundance of Beauty Bouquet - Standard


This sweet basket is a nice way to let someone know you are thinking of them. The arrangement features carnations, daisies, monte casino and more. C11-3435S


Price: 36.99 USD



News about Wine Caddy

Investing in Winemaking Supplies Can Make Your Hobby Profitable

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 11:05:31 -0800
Making your own wine or brewing your own beer at home is a very interesting hobby and it can be even a profitable hobby if you are a smart investor in the right winemaking supplies. In this article we will point you in the right direction. Free fruit If you grow your own fruits, wine making is not an expensive hobby at all, its true you need some proper winemaking supplies but when you do some research you can get your supplies very cheap. Producing your own fruits is a good step in the right

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.”

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:17:23 -0800
credit:The Restoration House “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.” Psalm 106:1 St. Athanasius, 4th C. Bishop of Alexandria, is said to have prayed: We give Thee thanks, our Father, for the holy Resurrection which Thou has manifested to us through Jesus, Thy Son, and even as this bread which is here upon this table was formerly scattered abroad and has been made compact, so may Thy Church be reunited from the ends of the earth for Thy Kingdom, for Thine is the power and the glory

Gifts For Under $20

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:38:00 -0800
Merona Cashmere Hat for $19.99 Keep him both warm and fashionable in this 100% cashmere hat from Target. Gifts For Him Oster Electric Wine Opener for $19.98 Whether they're drinking for the health benefits (or drowning their sorrows), this Oster 4207 Electric Wine Opener is a sleek gadget sure to get much useage this holiday season. Love Letter Purse Mirror for $13.99 When words escape you, allow this Love Letter Purse Mirror to express your thoughts. A silver-plated compact mirror is fashi


Wine Bottle
Tasting Notes
Bronco Wine | Burgandy Wine

Labels: Wine Cooler

Posted by Steven Ramsey | 0 comments