From Rootstock to Barrel
Every bottle of wine begins in the vineyard, on the vine, within the rootstock of each plant. As roots dig deep into the land, grapevines simultaneously search for water below and sunlight above.
We like to think that when they find both sunshine and water, they rejoice by making little berries of happy juice we call grapes.
{Maybe we like to think this because we grew up in Florida and can relate to the joy we feel around water and sunshine....ahhhhhhh!}
It usually takes vines at least 8 years to fully mature, but they'll start producing grapes much younger - the berries are much more tart and 'green' tasting when they're immature.
The land where the grapevines are grown is called terroir. Terroir is influenced by where on the earth's parallels it lays geographically and how its soils came to be over hundreds of thousands of millions of years.
We like to think that when they find both sunshine and water, they rejoice by making little berries of happy juice we call grapes.
{Maybe we like to think this because we grew up in Florida and can relate to the joy we feel around water and sunshine....ahhhhhhh!}
It usually takes vines at least 8 years to fully mature, but they'll start producing grapes much younger - the berries are much more tart and 'green' tasting when they're immature.
The land where the grapevines are grown is called terroir. Terroir is influenced by where on the earth's parallels it lays geographically and how its soils came to be over hundreds of thousands of millions of years.
Soils range from rich, red-brown clay-loam soils found in Carneros, California {above} - where Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir expresses its fruit by celebrating their sunshiny days fully - to limestone-gravel like this vineyard in Sancerre, France {below} - where Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir dig so deep into the limestone you can't help but taste its chalky influence.
GEEK SPEAK: The designated origin, or place, where a vineyard is planted is called an appellation. Carneros and Sancerre are both designated appellations, and wines and cheeses {and other specialty foods} produced in these appellations must adhere to specific appellation-designated requirements in order to print 'Carneros' or 'Sancerre' on their label, or they risk a lawsuit and fines.
The year that grapes are harvested is called the wine vintage. Some wines - like Champagne - are blended together, vintage to vintage, to maintain a specific flavor profile, and these are called non-vintage (or 'NV' for short).
GEEK SPEAK: The designated origin, or place, where a vineyard is planted is called an appellation. Carneros and Sancerre are both designated appellations, and wines and cheeses {and other specialty foods} produced in these appellations must adhere to specific appellation-designated requirements in order to print 'Carneros' or 'Sancerre' on their label, or they risk a lawsuit and fines.
The year that grapes are harvested is called the wine vintage. Some wines - like Champagne - are blended together, vintage to vintage, to maintain a specific flavor profile, and these are called non-vintage (or 'NV' for short).
Every vineyard's terroir is different, every vintage is different due to the weather of that appellation each year, and every winemaker has their own influence and style. There is no one rule for winemaking, and no perfect wine for all occasions!
{Although some argue that bubbles are the solution to every occasion, we can think of a few pairings where still wines would be better}.
The typical grape growing season for the northern hemisphere begins in March and lasts through the summer into fall, aka harvest season, which can take place in August in warmer climates all the way through to October in cooler climates.
The southern hemisphere is the opposite, which allows for some winemakers to travel the world making wine year-round.
{Many winemakers consider themselves farmers first, and winemakers second - so imagine running around the world chasing the weather to mitigate its effects on your vines before you can make wine...mind blown! We consider them guardians of the grapes.}
During harvest season, workers tend the vines and pick whole clusters of grapes usually, clipping the cluster at its armpit and throwing them into baskets, to be taken back to the winery for sorting.
Today, some wineries are having more difficulty with manual labor due to climate change and a lack of available workers, and have turned to mechanical harvesting, while other vineyards are like steep staircases of grapevines in which workers sometimes attach themselves to a wire guide as a safety precaution and mechanical harvesting is not an option.
{Although some argue that bubbles are the solution to every occasion, we can think of a few pairings where still wines would be better}.
The typical grape growing season for the northern hemisphere begins in March and lasts through the summer into fall, aka harvest season, which can take place in August in warmer climates all the way through to October in cooler climates.
The southern hemisphere is the opposite, which allows for some winemakers to travel the world making wine year-round.
{Many winemakers consider themselves farmers first, and winemakers second - so imagine running around the world chasing the weather to mitigate its effects on your vines before you can make wine...mind blown! We consider them guardians of the grapes.}
During harvest season, workers tend the vines and pick whole clusters of grapes usually, clipping the cluster at its armpit and throwing them into baskets, to be taken back to the winery for sorting.
Today, some wineries are having more difficulty with manual labor due to climate change and a lack of available workers, and have turned to mechanical harvesting, while other vineyards are like steep staircases of grapevines in which workers sometimes attach themselves to a wire guide as a safety precaution and mechanical harvesting is not an option.
However the grape clusters are harvested, they are taken back to the winery and then picked through on sorting tables, usually by hand to remove any bad clusters, then de-stemmed.
Here's where white and red wines diverge first:
White wines are almost immediately stripped naked of their skins by being put directly into the Press and gently pressed, extracting the juice from the skins and pulp.
The skins of the grapes hold the tannins, which are not desirable in white wines. They are, however, quite desirable in red wines. So, naturally then, red wine gets extra attention with an extra step to its winemaking process.
With red wine, winemakers want tannins because they impart structure, color, and character. They also soften acidity and round out fruit. To get tannins, winemakers leave the skins in tact longer before pressing or crushing them.
Here's where white and red wines diverge first:
White wines are almost immediately stripped naked of their skins by being put directly into the Press and gently pressed, extracting the juice from the skins and pulp.
The skins of the grapes hold the tannins, which are not desirable in white wines. They are, however, quite desirable in red wines. So, naturally then, red wine gets extra attention with an extra step to its winemaking process.
With red wine, winemakers want tannins because they impart structure, color, and character. They also soften acidity and round out fruit. To get tannins, winemakers leave the skins in tact longer before pressing or crushing them.
The Press squeezes everything together slowly, gently releasing the juice from the pulp and skins, blending with the seeds and stems, creating Must, aka "wine juice", that will then go into fermenters or barrels.
The first press of must, usually made from special rows or plots in a vineyard, is called the First Press.
The First Press is usually the most expressive of the vineyard and terroir, and is usually the gem of the winery (and most expensive on its shelf) - however, the Second Press, Third Press, and so on are also usually expressive of their terroir, and can be significantly less expensive.
GEEK SPEAK: The very first bit of juice that's captured before the wine is pressed is called free run juice, and is rare in most wineries. If captured, this juice is usually fermented separately, bottled & labeled as 'Free Run', and sold at a premium - usually only at the winery.
The First Press is usually the most expressive of the vineyard and terroir, and is usually the gem of the winery (and most expensive on its shelf) - however, the Second Press, Third Press, and so on are also usually expressive of their terroir, and can be significantly less expensive.
GEEK SPEAK: The very first bit of juice that's captured before the wine is pressed is called free run juice, and is rare in most wineries. If captured, this juice is usually fermented separately, bottled & labeled as 'Free Run', and sold at a premium - usually only at the winery.
GOOD TO KNOW: There are no rules requiring winemakers and wineries to include any additives or additional ingredients they may have put into the wine beyond sulfites. Sulfites are added as a preservative to wines, and has been used as a preservative for wines since the Roman era. The only two countries that require sulfites be labeled is the United States and Australia; however, dried fruit has 3700 sulfite parts per million compared to a dry red wine, which has less than 10 sulfite parts per million - so if you have a sulfite sensitivity, be aware of preservatives in all foods!
Must Becomes Wine
As the grapes sit in the fermentation tanks, after being pressed and pumped to their new home in a method called racking, their skins {which are called lees}, pulp, and seeds form a cap on top of the must, which also creates a natural "native" yeast that begins the fermentation process of turning sugar into alcohol, which turns must into wine.
Some winemakers add more native yeast to speed up the fermentation process, and some use various winemaking techniques to keep the must active. Typically, with red wines, winemakers will try to keep the must below the cap in contact with the lees to extract tannins, and some will literally punch the cap back down into the tank of must with large paddle-like punches, referred to as a 'punch-down', to disrupt the cap and push the particulates back into the must.
There are other methods that we won't dive too deeply into yet - just remember that for the most part white wines don't necessarily stay in contact with lees and reds generally do. Along with skins and juice, some winemakers will add oak chips or other mysterious flavoring additives that will all eventually need to be filtered from the must in order to be put into bottle and make it into your glass - we don't particularly agree with or support these additional mystery ingredients, but they exist and are most common among high-volume producers who are trying to produce as much wine as fast as possible.
Natural wines are wines made with a minimal approach to winemaking. There are no additives - no yeasts, no sulfites, no mystery additives - and the grapes are hand-harvested from organic or bio-dynamic vineyards, usually by small, independent producers or cooperatives, and are unfined and unfiltered. Natural wines are gaining interest due to their funky, usually cloudy appearance, tart nose, and surprising palate, as much as the stories behind the wines intrigue wine drinkers who are looking for something unique and interesting. And of course there are no official rules or regulations to calling a wine a 'Natural Wine'...however, in the Natural wine producer community, less is more is inherently understood.
Some winemakers add more native yeast to speed up the fermentation process, and some use various winemaking techniques to keep the must active. Typically, with red wines, winemakers will try to keep the must below the cap in contact with the lees to extract tannins, and some will literally punch the cap back down into the tank of must with large paddle-like punches, referred to as a 'punch-down', to disrupt the cap and push the particulates back into the must.
There are other methods that we won't dive too deeply into yet - just remember that for the most part white wines don't necessarily stay in contact with lees and reds generally do. Along with skins and juice, some winemakers will add oak chips or other mysterious flavoring additives that will all eventually need to be filtered from the must in order to be put into bottle and make it into your glass - we don't particularly agree with or support these additional mystery ingredients, but they exist and are most common among high-volume producers who are trying to produce as much wine as fast as possible.
Natural wines are wines made with a minimal approach to winemaking. There are no additives - no yeasts, no sulfites, no mystery additives - and the grapes are hand-harvested from organic or bio-dynamic vineyards, usually by small, independent producers or cooperatives, and are unfined and unfiltered. Natural wines are gaining interest due to their funky, usually cloudy appearance, tart nose, and surprising palate, as much as the stories behind the wines intrigue wine drinkers who are looking for something unique and interesting. And of course there are no official rules or regulations to calling a wine a 'Natural Wine'...however, in the Natural wine producer community, less is more is inherently understood.
The fermentation process can take 3 - 5 days typically for the primary fermentation, and then up to two weeks for secondary fermentation. Up to 70% of the total amount of alcohol in wine production takes place during primary fermentation, which is by far the most active time for must, as the yeast monsters feed on the sugar, nutrients, and oxygen and turns must into wine. Typically the primary fermentation takes place in stainless steel fermentation tanks, and then secondary fermentation takes place in the tank, barrel, or bottle, depending on the winemaker and the style of wine. For instance, sparkling wines {and many natural wines too} undergo secondary fermentation in the bottle, which is what gives it its bubbles of fizz, or frizzante.
In between the primary and secondary fermentation stages, most winemakers will want to begin racking the new wines to new, clean homes, in an effort to rid the new wine from old, dead yeast cells that have settled down to the bottom of the barrel. Racking is process of removing the liquid must from the solid lees by pumping from one full barrel or tank of wine to an empty, sanitized barrel or tank, as shown below. The wine can be held in any vessel while the tank or barrel is being cleaned, but the point is to take the hazy wine away, clean the tank or barrel in which it will continue to ferment while the solid lees are getting separated, and then put the clean wine back into the newly-cleaned tank or barrel to continue fermenting.
In between the primary and secondary fermentation stages, most winemakers will want to begin racking the new wines to new, clean homes, in an effort to rid the new wine from old, dead yeast cells that have settled down to the bottom of the barrel. Racking is process of removing the liquid must from the solid lees by pumping from one full barrel or tank of wine to an empty, sanitized barrel or tank, as shown below. The wine can be held in any vessel while the tank or barrel is being cleaned, but the point is to take the hazy wine away, clean the tank or barrel in which it will continue to ferment while the solid lees are getting separated, and then put the clean wine back into the newly-cleaned tank or barrel to continue fermenting.
Once the wines have been racked, they're usually fined and/or filtered. This is the un-sexy part of winemaking that puts most people to sleep. It was the most confusing for me, or elusive, as a wine student - probably because this is a subject that winemakers try to evade since it's so technical and personal to your style and signature.
Fining and Filtering have been longstanding practices in winemaking and continue to be used in most wineries today. They're used mainly to do two things - clarify the wine and make it clearer, and to stabilize it and prevent it from undergoing further fermentation.
Fining uses an agent such as bentonite, gelatin, egg whites, or isinglass (fish bladder) to attract suspended particles in the wine and drag the particles down to the bottom with it, making it easier to remove later. There are vegan-friendly options for fining wines now, of course, and winemakers that use these tend to market them as 'Vegan-friendly' on their labels.
Filtering is considered to be much more intrusive, since it pushes the wine through microscopic openings of a paper membrane filter in order to remove solids like yeast particles and bacteria that would otherwise be suspended in the wine. Many large production wineries use paper filtration systems and skip fining, as filtering wine is quite common as modern winemaking practice. There is, of course, minimalists who do neither as part of the Natural wine movement, as well. Unfiltered wines are usually cloudy and have sediment at the bottom of the bottle, so you usually want to be careful when getting close to the last sip.
Fining and Filtering have been longstanding practices in winemaking and continue to be used in most wineries today. They're used mainly to do two things - clarify the wine and make it clearer, and to stabilize it and prevent it from undergoing further fermentation.
Fining uses an agent such as bentonite, gelatin, egg whites, or isinglass (fish bladder) to attract suspended particles in the wine and drag the particles down to the bottom with it, making it easier to remove later. There are vegan-friendly options for fining wines now, of course, and winemakers that use these tend to market them as 'Vegan-friendly' on their labels.
Filtering is considered to be much more intrusive, since it pushes the wine through microscopic openings of a paper membrane filter in order to remove solids like yeast particles and bacteria that would otherwise be suspended in the wine. Many large production wineries use paper filtration systems and skip fining, as filtering wine is quite common as modern winemaking practice. There is, of course, minimalists who do neither as part of the Natural wine movement, as well. Unfiltered wines are usually cloudy and have sediment at the bottom of the bottle, so you usually want to be careful when getting close to the last sip.