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105-566: Elbling ( German: [ˈɛlplɪŋ] ) is a variety of white grape (sp. Vitis vinifera ) which today is primarily grown in the upstream parts of the Mosel region in Germany and in Luxembourg , where the river is called Moselle . The variety has a long history, and used to cover much of Germany's vineyards from medieval times and was that country's most cultivated variety until

210-449: A laboratory to check the status of the wine. Common tests include Brix , pH , titratable acidity , residual sugar , free or available sulfur , total sulfur, volatile acidity (V.A.) and percent alcohol. Additional tests include those for the crystallization of cream of tartar ( potassium hydrogen tartrate ) and the precipitation of heat unstable protein ; this last test is limited to white wines. These tests may be performed throughout

315-754: A 12th-century document found in the Cairo Geniza . In Iran, a sour grape vinegar is used for making Shirazi salad . Winemaking from red and white grape flesh and skins produces substantial quantities of organic residues, collectively called pomace (also "marc"), which includes crushed skins, seeds, stems, and leaves generally used as compost . Grape pomace – some 10–30% of the total mass of grapes crushed – contains various phytochemicals , such as unfermented sugars, alcohol, polyphenols , tannins , anthocyanins , and numerous other compounds, some of which are harvested and extracted for commercial applications (a process sometimes called "valorization" of

420-468: A 2.5–5% error, which is sufficient to control the level of sulphur dioxide in wine. Different batches of wine can be mixed before bottling in order to achieve the desired taste. The winemaker can correct perceived inadequacies by mixing wines from different grapes and batches that were produced under different conditions. These adjustments can be as simple as adjusting acid or tannin levels, to as complex as blending different varieties or vintages to achieve

525-599: A cheaper alternative. In the French Baumé (Be° or Bé° for short) one Be° corresponds approximately to one percent alcohol. One Be° is equal to 1.8 °Bx, that is 1.8 grams of sugar per one hundred grams. Therefore, to achieve one percent alcohol the winemaker adds sugar at a rate of 1.8 grams per 100 ml (18 grams per liter) – a practice known as chaptalization , which is illegal in some countries and in California. Volatile acidity test verifies if there

630-413: A consistent taste. Fining agents are used during winemaking to remove tannins , reduce astringency and remove microscopic particles that could cloud the wines. The winemakers decide on which fining agents are used and these may vary from product to product and even batch to batch (usually depending on the grapes of that particular year). Gelatin [gelatine] has been used in winemaking for centuries and

735-404: A cylinder of wooden slats on top of a fixed plate, with a moveable plate that can be forced downward (usually by a central ratcheting threaded screw). The press operator would load the grapes or pomace into the wooden cylinder, put the top plate in place and lower it until juice flowed from the wooden slats. As the juice flow decreased, the plate was ratcheted down again. This process continued until

840-473: A day for women and two for men, may confer health benefits. Alcohol itself may have protective effects on the cardiovascular system. The consumption of grapes and raisins presents a potential health threat to dogs. Their toxicity to dogs can cause the animal to develop acute kidney failure (the sudden development of kidney failure) with anuria (a lack of urine production) and may be fatal. Christians have traditionally used wine during worship services as

945-683: A dominant position of wine-making in human culture dates from 8,000 years ago in Georgia . The oldest known winery, the Areni-1 winery , was found in Armenia and dated back to around 4000 BC. By the 9th century AD, the city of Shiraz was known to produce some of the finest wines in the Middle East. Thus it has been proposed that Syrah red wine is named after Shiraz , a city in Persia where

1050-435: A lot or tank of wine. Destemming is the process of separating stems from the grapes. Depending on the winemaking procedure, this process may be undertaken before crushing with the purpose of lowering the development of tannins and vegetal flavors in the resulting wine. Single berry harvesting, as is done with some German Trockenbeerenauslese , avoids this step altogether with the grapes being individually selected. Crushing

1155-512: A means of remembering the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed for the remission of sins . Christians who oppose the partaking of alcoholic beverages sometimes use grape juice as the "cup" or "wine" in the Lord's Supper . The Catholic Church continues to use wine in the celebration of the Eucharist because it is part of the tradition passed down through the ages starting with Jesus Christ at

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1260-585: A moderate amount of vitamin K (14% of the Daily Value ), with no other micronutrients in significant amounts. Most domesticated grapes come from cultivars of Vitis vinifera , a grapevine native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia. Minor amounts of fruit and wine come from American and Asian species such as: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 75,866 square kilometers of

1365-410: A movable surface and slowly decrease the volume between the two surfaces. Modern presses dictate the duration and pressure at each press cycle, usually ramping from 0 Bar to 2.0 Bar. Sometimes winemakers choose pressures which separate the streams of pressed juice, called making "press cuts." As the pressure increases the amount of tannin extracted from the skins into the juice increases, often rendering

1470-535: A multitude of products such as jams, juices, vinegars and oils. Commercially cultivated grapes are classified as either table or wine grapes. These categories are based on their intended method of consumption: grapes that are eaten raw (table grapes), or grapes that are used to make wine (wine grapes). Table grape cultivars normally have large, seedless fruit and thin skins. Wine grapes are smaller (in comparison to table grapes), usually contains seeds, and have thicker skins (a desirable characteristic in making wine). Most of

1575-425: A number of additives are included, such as acids, amino acids, sugars, and organic compounds. The quality of the grapes determines the quality of the wine more than any other factor. Grape quality is affected by variety as well as weather during the growing season, soil minerals and acidity, time of harvest, and pruning method. The combination of these effects is often referred to as the grape's terroir . Given

1680-406: A rate of 0.1 units per 1 gram/litre of tartaric acid addition. The use of lactic acid bacteria is the reason why some chardonnays can taste "buttery" due to the production of diacetyl by the bacteria. Most red wines go through complete malolactic fermentation, both to lessen the acid of the wine and to remove the possibility that malolactic fermentation will occur in the bottle. White wines vary in

1785-456: A relatively high phenolic content among dark grapes. In muscadine skins, ellagic acid , myricetin , quercetin , kaempferol , and trans-resveratrol are major phenolics. The flavonols syringetin , syringetin 3-O-galactoside, laricitrin and laricitrin 3-O-galactoside are also found in purple grape but absent in white grape. Muscadine grape seeds contain about twice the total polyphenol content of skins. Grape seed oil from crushed seeds

1890-631: A seeded variety as the female parent or rescue embryos early in development using tissue culture techniques. There are several sources of the seedlessness trait, and essentially all commercial cultivators get it from one of three sources: Thompson Seedless , Russian Seedless , and Black Monukka , all being cultivars of Vitis vinifera . There are currently more than a dozen varieties of seedless grapes. Several, such as Einset Seedless, Benjamin Gunnels's Prime seedless grapes, Reliance, and Venus, have been specifically cultivated for hardiness and quality in

1995-460: A team of archaeologists concluded that Chalcolithic wine jars discovered in Cyprus in the 1930s dated back to 3500 BC, making them the oldest of their kind in the world. Commandaria , a sweet dessert wine from Cyprus, is the oldest manufactured wine in the world with origins as far back as 2000 BC. In North America, native grapes belonging to various species of the genus Vitis proliferate in

2100-414: A type of fruit that grow in clusters of 15 to 300 and can be crimson, black, dark blue, yellow, green, orange, and pink. "White" grapes are actually green in color and are evolutionarily derived from the purple grape. Mutations in two regulatory genes of white grapes turn off production of anthocyanins , which are responsible for the color of purple grapes. Anthocyanins and other pigment chemicals of

2205-438: A wine is reverse osmosis. Blending may also help – a wine with high V.A. can be filtered (to remove the microbe responsible) and blended with a low V.A. wine, so that the acetic acid level is below the sensory threshold. Sulphur dioxide can be readily measured with relatively simple laboratory equipment. There are several methods available; a typical test involves acidification of a sample with phosphoric acid, distillation of

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2310-1615: A wine which has been compared to a lighter and more tart version of Silvaner . Varietal Elbling wine is most commonly found in Luxembourg. Elbling is known under the following synonyms: Albana, Albe, Alben, Albig, Albuelin, Albuelis, Allemand, Allemand Blanc, Alsacien, Alva, Argentin, Biela Zrebnina, Bielovacka, Bielovcka, Blesec, Blesez, Bourgeois, Burgauer, Burgeger, Burgegger, Burger, Burger Elbling, Burgundertraube Gruen, Burgyre, Dickelbling, Elbai Feher, Elbe, Elbele, Elben, Elben Feher, Elber, Elbling Weiss, Elbinger, Elmene, Facum, Facun, Facun Blanc, Farantbily, Faucun, Frankenthal Blanc, Gemeine Traube, Geschlachter Burger, Gonais Blanc, Gouais Blanc, Grobburger, Grobe, Grobriesling, Gros Blanc, Grossriesler, Grossriesling, Hartalbe, Haussard, Herblink, Heunisch Gruen, Isodora Brachybus, Klaemmer, Kleinbeer, Kleinbeere, Kleinberger, Klember, Klemmer, Klemplich, Kratkopeccelj, Kristaller, Kristeller, Kurzstingel, Kurzstingl, Kurzstingler, Le Gros, Luttenbershna, Marmont Vert, Marmot, Mehlweisse, Morawka, Mouillet, Naesslinger, Nuernberger Zaeh, Nuesslinger, Pecek, Pezhech, Pezhek, Plant Commun, Plant Madame, Raifrench, Rauhelbene, Reinfransch, Rheinalben, Rheinelbe, Seretonina, Silberweiss, Silvaner Weiss, Spizelbe, Srebonina, Suessgrober, Suessgrobes, Sussgrober, Tarant Bily, Tarant De Boheme, Verdin Blanc, Vert Blanc, Vert Doux, Weissalbe, Weisselben, Weisselbling, Weisser Dickelbling, Weisser Elbling, Weisser Sylvaner, Welsche, Welschel. Grape A grape

2415-433: Is Vitis vinifera , which includes nearly all varieties of European origin. Harvest is the picking of the grapes and in many ways the first step in wine production. Grapes are either harvested mechanically or by hand. The decision to harvest grapes is typically made by the winemaker and informed by the level of sugar (called °Brix ), acid (TA or Titratable Acidity as expressed by tartaric acid equivalents) and pH of

2520-410: Is a French term for the management of acidity and secondary pressing of grapes in fermentation tanks. To make certain types of wine, grapes are put through a crusher and then poured into open fermentation tanks. Once fermentation begins, the grape skins are floated to the surface by carbon dioxide gases released in the fermentation process. This layer of skins and other solids is known as the cap. As

2625-449: Is a fruit , botanically a berry , of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus Vitis . Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters . The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,000 years ago, and the fruit has been used as human food throughout its history. Eaten fresh or in dried form (as raisins , currants and sultanas ), grapes also hold cultural significance in many parts of

2730-490: Is a by-product of microbial metabolism. Because acetic acid bacteria require oxygen to grow, eliminating any air in wine containers as well as addition of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) will limit their growth. Rejecting moldy grapes also prevents possible problems associated with acetic acid bacteria. Use of sulfur dioxide and inoculation with a low-V.A. producing strain of Saccharomyces may deter acetic acid producing yeast. A relatively new method for removal of volatile acidity from

2835-648: Is an offspring of Gouais blanc (also known as Heunisch) and a cross between Traminer and some unidentified variety. This parentage is consistent with Elbling being an ancient grape variety, and incidentally, it is the same parentage as for Riesling . This parentage and history makes it likely that Elbling originated somewhere in the Rhine area. Elbling tends to give musts low in sugar, and wines high in acid and fairly neutral in character, which makes it primarily used for sparkling wine , such as non-varietally labelled Mosel Sekt . When made into varietal still wine, it gives

2940-419: Is any steam distillable acids in the wine. Mainly present is acetic acid (the dominant component of vinegar ), but lactic , butyric , propionic , and formic acid can also be found. Usually the test checks for these acids in a cash still, but there are other methods available such as HPLC, gas chromatography and enzymatic methods. The amount of volatile acidity found in sound grapes is negligible, because it

3045-704: Is believed that the most widely planted variety is Sultana , also known as Thompson Seedless, with at least 3,600 km (880,000 acres) dedicated to it. The second most common variety is Airén . Other popular varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon , Sauvignon blanc , Cabernet Franc , Merlot , Grenache , Tempranillo , Riesling , and Chardonnay . Commercially cultivated grapes can usually be classified as either table or wine grapes, based on their intended method of consumption: eaten raw (table grapes) or used to make wine (wine grapes). The sweetness of grapes depends on when they are harvested, as they do not continue to ripen once picked. While almost all of them belong to

3150-451: Is calculated from the measured density, the must weight , with the help of a specialized type of hydrometer called a saccharometer . If the sugar content of the grapes is too low to obtain the desired alcohol percentage, sugar can be added ( chaptalization ). In commercial winemaking, chaptalization is subject to local regulations. Similar to chaptalization is amelioration. While chaptalization aims to raise final alcohol percentage through

3255-442: Is carried out either as an intentional procedure in which specially cultivated strains of such bacteria are introduced into the maturing wine, or it can happen by chance if uncultivated lactic acid bacteria are present. Malolactic fermentation can improve the taste of wine that has high levels of malic acid, because malic acid, in higher concentration, generally causes an unpleasant harsh and bitter taste sensation, whereas lactic acid

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3360-440: Is done by extracting their juice with minimal contact with the grapes' skins. Rosé wines are either made from red grapes where the juice is allowed to stay in contact with the dark skins long enough to pick up a pinkish color (maceration or saignée), or (less commonly) by blending red wine with white wine. White and rosé wines extract little of the grape tannins contained in the skins. Orange wine (a.k.a. skin-contact white wine)

3465-404: Is known as the bulk Charmat method . Other sparkling wines, such as prosecco , are fermented using force-carbonation — a faster process that involves using machinery to manually add CO 2 and create bubbles. Sweet wines or off-dry wines are made by arresting fermentation before all sugar has been converted into ethanol and allowing some residual sugar to remain. This can be done by chilling

3570-518: Is mainly used in cheaper wine. Amateur winemakers often use glass carboys in the production of their wine; these vessels (sometimes called demijohns ) have a capacity of 4.5–54 litres (0.99–11.88 imp gal; 1.2–14.3 US gal). The kind of vessel used depends on the amount of wine that is being made, the grapes being used, and the intentions of the winemaker. Malolactic fermentation occurs when lactic acid bacteria metabolize malic acid and produce lactic acid and carbon dioxide. This

3675-402: Is measured in grams per hundred grams of solution, so 20 °Bx means that 100 grams of juice contains 20 g of dissolved compounds. There are other common measures of sugar content of grapes, specific gravity , Oechsle (Germany) and Baumé (France). °Bx is usually measured with a refractometer while the other methods use a hydrometer which measures specific gravity. Generally, hydrometers are

3780-616: Is milk protein), egg whites , egg albumin , bone char , bull 's blood, isinglass (Sturgeon bladder), PVPP (a synthetic compound), lysozyme , and skim milk powder . Although not common, finely ground eggshell is also sometimes used. Some aromatized wines contain honey or egg-yolk extract. Non- animal-based filtering agents are also often used, such as bentonite (a volcanic clay-based filter), diatomaceous earth , cellulose pads, paper filters and membrane filters (thin films of plastic polymer material having uniformly sized holes). The most common preservative used in winemaking

3885-414: Is more acceptable if the stems have 'ripened' and started to turn brown. If increased skin extraction is desired, a winemaker might choose to crush the grapes after destemming. Removal of stems first means no stem tannin can be extracted. In these cases the grapes pass between two rollers which squeeze the grapes enough to separate the skin and pulp, but not so much as to cause excessive shearing or tearing of

3990-410: Is more gentle and less sour. Lactic acid is an acid found in dairy products. Malolactic fermentation usually results in a reduction in the amount of total acidity of the wine. This is because malic acid has two acid radicals (-COOH) while lactic acid has only one. However, the pH should be monitored and not allowed to rise above a pH of 3.55 for whites or a pH of 3.80 for reds. pH can be reduced roughly at

4095-399: Is not always a necessary act in winemaking; if grapes are crushed there is a considerable amount of juice immediately liberated (called free-run juice) that can be used for vinification. Typically this free-run juice is of a higher quality than the press juice. Pressed juice is typically lesser in quality due to the release and increase of total phenolic compounds, as well as browning index and

4200-452: Is recognized as a traditional method for wine fining, or clarifying . It is also the most commonly used agent to reduce the tannin content. Generally no gelatin remains in the wine because it reacts with the wine components, as it clarifies, and forms a sediment which is removed by filtration prior to bottling. Besides gelatin, other fining agents for wine are often derived from animal products, such as micronized potassium caseinate ( casein

4305-418: Is separated from the must before fermentation . With rose, the skins may be kept in contact for a shorter period to give color to the wine, in that case the must may be pressed as well. After a period in which the wine stands or ages, the wine is separated from the dead yeast and any solids that remained (called lees ), and transferred to a new container where any additional fermentation may take place. Pigeage

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4410-428: Is the failure for the fermentation to go to completion, that is some sugar remains unfermented. This can make the wine sweet when a dry wine is desired. Frequently wild ferments lead to the production of unpleasant acetic acid (vinegar) production as a by product. During the primary fermentation, the yeast cells feed on the sugars in the must and multiply, producing carbon dioxide gas and alcohol . The temperature during

4515-525: Is the hand-picking of grape clusters from the grapevines . In the United States, some grapes are picked into one- or two-ton bins for transport back to the winery. Manual harvesting has the advantage of using knowledgeable labor to not only pick the ripe clusters but also to leave behind the clusters that are not ripe or contain bunch rot or other defects. This can be an effective first line of defense to prevent inferior quality fruit from contaminating

4620-413: Is the process when gently squeezing the berries and breaking the skins to start to liberate the contents of the berries. Destemming is the process of removing the grapes from the rachis (the stem which holds the grapes). In traditional and smaller-scale wine making, the harvested grapes are sometimes crushed by trampling them barefoot or by the use of inexpensive small scale crushers. These can also destem at

4725-692: Is used in cosmeceuticals and skincare products. Grape seed oil, including tocopherols ( vitamin E ) and high contents of phytosterols and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid , oleic acid , and alpha-linolenic acid . Resveratrol, a stilbene compound, is found in widely varying amounts among grape varieties, primarily in their skins and seeds. Muscadine grapes have about one hundred times higher concentration of stilbenes than pulp. Fresh grape skin contains about 50 to 100 micrograms of resveratrol per gram. Comparing diets among Western countries, researchers have discovered that, although French people tend to eat higher levels of animal fat,

4830-399: Is wine made with maceration in the manner of rosé or red wine production, but using white wine grape varieties instead of red. To start primary fermentation, yeast may be added to the must for red wine, or may occur naturally as ambient yeast on the grapes (or in the air). For white wine, yeast may be added to the juice. During this fermentation, which often takes between one and two weeks,

4935-549: The Last Supper , where Catholics believe the consecrated bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ, a dogma known as transubstantiation . Wine is used (not grape juice) both due to its strong Scriptural roots, and also to follow the tradition set by the early Christian Church. The Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church (1983), Canon 924 says that the wine used must be natural, made from grapes of

5040-411: The juice of apples , and perry ("pear cider"), made by fermenting the juice of pears , and kumis , made of fermented mare's milk. There are five basic stages to the wine making process which begins with harvesting or picking. After the harvest, the grapes are taken into a winery and prepared for primary ferment ; at this stage red wine making diverges from white wine making. Red wine is made from

5145-413: The must (pulp, including the juice) of red or black grapes and fermentation occurs together with the grape skins, which impart color, flavor and tannins to the wine through the process of maceration . White wine is made by fermenting juice which is made by pressing crushed grapes to extract a juice; the skins are removed and play no further role. Occasionally, white wine is made from red grapes. This

5250-465: The wine industry, grape juice that contains 7–23% of pulp, skins, stems and seeds is often referred to as " must ". In North America, the most common grape juice is purple and made from Concord grapes , while white grape juice is commonly made from Niagara grapes , both of which are varieties of native American grapes, a different species from European wine grapes. In California, Sultana (known there as Thompson Seedless) grapes are sometimes diverted from

5355-412: The yeast converts most of the sugars in the grape juice into ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide (which is lost to the atmosphere). After the primary fermentation of red grapes, the free run wine is pumped off into tanks and the skins are pressed to extract the remaining juice and wine. The press wine is blended with the free run wine at the winemaker's discretion. The wine is then kept warm and

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5460-458: The C6-alcohol levels. These compounds are responsible for the herb-like taste perceived in wine with pressed grapes. However, most wineries do use presses in order to increase their production (gallons) per ton, as pressed juice can represent between 15%-30% of the total juice volume from the grape. Presses act by positioning the grape skins or whole grape clusters between a rigid surface and

5565-559: The EU to use the term "dried vine fruit" in official documents. A raisin is any dried grape. While raisin is a French loanword , the word in French refers to the fresh fruit; grappe (from which the English grape is derived) refers to the bunch (as in une grappe de raisins ). A raisin in French is called raisin sec ("dry grape"). A currant is a dried Zante Black Corinth grape,

5670-538: The United States), but the word is now applied to raisins made from either white grapes or red grapes that are bleached to resemble the traditional sultana. Grape juice is obtained from crushing and blending grapes into a liquid. The juice is often sold in stores or fermented and made into wine , brandy , or vinegar . Grape juice that has been pasteurized, removing any naturally occurring yeast, will not ferment if kept sterile, and thus contains no alcohol. In

5775-591: The addition of sugar, amelioration aims to raise the alcohol percentage and dilute the acidity levels through the addition of water and sugar into the grape must. This wine adjustment was commonly used in New York State's cooler wine regions, such as the Finger Lakes AVA . Amelioration is also subject to federal regulations. Alcohol of more than 12% can be achieved by using yeast that can withstand high alcohol. Some yeasts can produce 18% alcohol in

5880-536: The advantage of being able to cover a large area of vineyard land in a relatively short period of time, and with a minimum investment of manpower per harvested ton. A disadvantage of mechanical harvesting is the indiscriminate inclusion of foreign non-grape material in the product, especially leaf stems and leaves, but also, depending on the trellis system and grapevine canopy management, may include moldy grapes, canes, metal debris, rocks and even small animals and bird nests. Some winemakers remove leaves and loose debris from

5985-407: The appearance of (harmless) tartrate crystals after bottling. The result of these processes is that the originally cloudy wine becomes clear. The wine can be racked during this process to remove the lees . The secondary fermentation usually takes place in large stainless steel vessels with a volume of several cubic meters, oak barrels or glass demijohns (also referred to as carboys), depending on

6090-495: The aroma in wine is from the skin. Wine grapes tend to have a high sugar content. They are harvested at peak sugar levels (approximately 24% sugar by weight.) In comparison, commercially produced "100% grape juice" made from table grapes are normally around 15% sugar by weight. In most of Europe and North America, dried grapes are referred to as "raisins" or the local equivalent. In the UK, three different varieties are recognized, forcing

6195-471: The dark Malvidin 3,5-diglucoside anthocyanin ) and therefore contact between the juice and skins is essential for color extraction. Red wines are produced by destemming and crushing the grapes into a tank and leaving the skins in contact with the juice throughout the fermentation ( maceration ). It is possible to produce white (colorless) wines from red grapes by the fastidious pressing of uncrushed fruit. This minimizes contact between grape juice and skins (as in

6300-509: The early 20th century, but has been in decline ever since. As of 2006, there were 583 hectares (1,440 acres) of Elbling vineyards in Germany, which made it the country's 23rd most grown variety of grape. Of that vineyard surface, 575 ha or 98.6% was found in the Mosel region In the same year, there were 122.9 hectares (304 acres) of Elbling grown in Luxembourg. It has been speculated that Elbling

6405-404: The fermentation affects both the taste of the end product, as well as the speed of the fermentation. For red wines, the temperature is typically 22 to 25 °C, and for white wines 15 to 18 °C. For every gram of sugar that is converted, about half a gram of alcohol is produced, so to achieve a 12% alcohol concentration, the must should contain about 24% sugars. The sugar percentage of the must

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6510-430: The goals of the winemakers. Unoaked wine is fermented in a barrel made of stainless steel or other material having no influence on the final taste of the wine. Depending on the desired taste, it could be fermented mainly in stainless steel to be briefly put in oak, or have the complete fermentation done in stainless steel. Oak could be added as chips used with a non-wooden barrel instead of a fully wooden barrel. This process

6615-521: The grape was used to make Shirazi wine . Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics record the cultivation of purple grapes, and history attests to the ancient Greeks , Cypriots , Phoenicians , and Romans growing purple grapes both for eating and wine production. The growing of grapes would later spread to other regions in Europe, as well as North Africa, and eventually in North America . In 2005,

6720-451: The grapes to raisin either on the vine or on racks or straw mats. Often in these high sugar wines, the fermentation stops naturally as the high concentration of sugar and rising concentration of ethanol retard the yeast activity. Similarly in fortified wines, such as port wine , high proof neutral grape spirit ( brandy ) is added to arrest the ferment and adjust the alcohol content when the desired sugar level has been reached. In other cases,

6825-433: The grapes. Other considerations include phenological ripeness, berry flavor, tannin development (seed color and taste). Overall disposition of the grapevine and weather forecasts are taken into account. Mechanical harvesters are large tractors that straddle grapevine trellises and, using firm plastic or rubber rods, strike the fruiting zone of the grapevine to dislodge the grapes from the rachis . Mechanical harvesters have

6930-440: The grapevine before mechanical harvesting to avoid such material being included in the harvested fruit. In the United States mechanical harvesting is seldom used for premium winemaking because of the indiscriminate picking and increased oxidation of the grape juice. In other countries (such as Australia and New Zealand), mechanical harvesting of premium winegrapes is more common because of general labor shortages. Manual harvesting

7035-616: The incidence of heart disease remains low in France. This phenomenon has been termed the French paradox and is thought to occur due to the protective benefits of regularly consuming red wine, among other dietary practices. Alcohol consumption in moderation may be cardioprotective by its minor anticoagulant effect and vasodilation . Although adoption of wine consumption is generally not recommended by health authorities, some research indicates moderate consumption, such as one glass of red wine

7140-407: The juice to travel before leaving the press. It is believed by advocates of basket presses that this relatively long pathway through the grape or pomace cake serves as a filter to solids that would otherwise affect the quality of the press juice. With red wines, the must is pressed after primary fermentation, which separates the skins and other solid matter from the liquid. With white wine, the liquid

7245-416: The juice, this method is sometimes referred to as pre-fermentation maceration as it extracts tannins and pigment from the skins. As a result this is applicable to red grape varieties that would otherwise undergo traditional maceration. Most white wines are processed without destemming or crushing and are transferred from picking bins directly to the press. This is to avoid any extraction of tannin from either

7350-421: The larger family of polyphenols in purple grapes are responsible for the varying shades of purple in red wines. Grapes are typically an ellipsoid shape resembling a prolate spheroid . Raw grapes are 81% water, 18% carbohydrates , 1% protein , and have negligible fat (table). A 100-gram ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 -ounce) reference amount of raw grapes supplies 288 kilojoules (69 kilocalories) of food energy and

7455-486: The liberated SO 2 , and capture by hydrogen peroxide solution. The SO 2 and peroxide react to form sulphuric acid, which is then titrated with NaOH to an end point with an indicator, and the volume of NaOH required is used to calculate the SO 2 level. This method has inaccuracies associated with red wine, inefficient condensers, and excessive aspiration rate, although the results are reproducible, having an accuracy with just

7560-419: The making of Blanc de noirs sparkling wine, which is derived from Pinot noir, a red vinifera grape). An alternative method to maceration is hot press or thermovinification. In this practice, winemakers heat up the grapes to extract the juice rather than pressing using a pressure method. The temperature and time ranges depending on the grape variety and preferences of the winemaker. In addition to extracting

7665-402: The making of the wine as well as prior to bottling. In response to the results of these tests, a winemaker can decide on appropriate remedial action, for example the addition of more sulfur dioxide. Sensory tests will also be performed and again in response to these a winemaker may take remedial action such as the addition of a protein to soften the taste of the wine. Brix (°Bx) is one measure of

7770-470: The name being a corruption of the French raisin de Corinthe ( Corinth grape). The names of the black and red currant, now more usually blackcurrant and redcurrant , two berries unrelated to grapes, are derived from this use. Some other fruits of similar appearance are also so named, for example, Australian currant, native currant, Indian currant. A sultana was originally a raisin made from Sultana grapes of Turkish origin (known as Thompson Seedless in

7875-441: The pH of the juice which may be desirable for overly acidic grapes. This was a practice more common in the 1970s than today, though still practiced by some Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay producers in California. In the case of rosé wines, the fruit is crushed and the dark skins are left in contact with the juice just long enough to extract the color that the winemaker desires. The must is then pressed, and fermentation continues as if

7980-574: The pomace). Anthocyanins tend to be the main polyphenolics in purple grapes, whereas flavan-3-ols (i.e. catechins ) are the more abundant class of polyphenols in white varieties. Total phenolic content is higher in purple varieties due almost entirely to anthocyanin density in purple grape skin compared to absence of anthocyanins in white grape skin. Phenolic content of grape skin varies with cultivar , soil composition, climate, geographic origin, and cultivation practices or exposure to diseases, such as fungal infections. Muscadine grapes contain

8085-417: The press operator determined that the quality of the pressed juice or wine was below standard, or all liquids had been pressed. Since the early 1990s, modern mechanical basket presses have been revived through higher-end producers seeking to replicate the gentle pressing of the historical basket presses. Because basket presses have a relatively compact design, the press cake offers a relatively longer pathway for

8190-440: The press. For red winemaking, stems of the grapes are usually removed before fermentation since the stems have a relatively high tannin content; in addition to tannin they can also give the wine a vegetal aroma (due to extraction of 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine which has an aroma reminiscent of green bell peppers ). On occasion, the winemaker may decide to leave them in if the grapes themselves contain less tannin than desired. This

8295-490: The pressed juice excessively tannic or harsh. Because of the location of grape juice constituents in the berry (water and acid are found primarily in the mesocarp or pulp, whereas tannins are found primarily in the exocarp , or skin , and seeds ), pressed juice or wine tends to be lower in acidity with a higher pH than the free-run juice. Before the advent of modern winemaking, most presses were basket presses made of wood and operated manually. Basket presses are composed of

8400-410: The quality of grape and the target wine style, some of these steps may be combined or omitted to achieve the particular goals of the winemaker. Many wines of comparable quality are produced using similar but distinctly different approaches to their production. Variations on the above procedure exist. With sparkling wines such as Champagne and Methodé Champenoise (sparkling wine that is fermented in

8505-498: The raisin or table market to produce white juice. Husrum , also known as verjuice , is a type of vinegar made from sour grapes in the Middle East. It is produced by crushing unripened grapes, collecting and salting the juice, simmering it to remove foam, and then storing it with a layer of olive oil to prevent contamination and oxidation. It is then used as an acidic ingredient in salads and stuffed vegetables. Unripened husrum grapes sent from Ashkelon to Egypt are mentioned in

8610-452: The relatively cold climates of northeastern United States and southern Ontario . An offset to the improved eating quality of seedlessness is the loss of potential health benefits provided by the enriched phytochemical content of grape seeds (see Health claims , below). Grapes are eaten raw, dried (as raisins, currants and sultanas), or cooked. Also, depending on grape cultivar, grapes are used in winemaking. Grapes can be processed into

8715-447: The remaining sugars are converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The next process in the making of red wine is malolactic conversion , a bacterial process which converts "crisp, green apple" malic acid to "soft, creamy" lactic acid , softening the taste of the wine. Red wine is characteristically transferred to white oak barrels to mature for a period of weeks or months; this practice imparts oak aromas and some oak tannins to

8820-461: The same species, Vitis vinifera , table and wine grapes have significant differences, brought about through selective breeding . Table grape cultivars tend to have large, seedless fruit (see below) with relatively thin skin. Wine grapes are smaller, usually seeded, and have relatively thick skins (a desirable characteristic in winemaking, since much of the aroma in wine comes from the skin). Wine grapes also tend to be very sweet: they are harvested at

8925-408: The same time. However, in larger wineries, a mechanical crusher/destemmer is used. The decision about destemming is different for red and white wine making. Generally when making white wine the fruit is only crushed, the stems are then placed in the press with the berries. The presence of stems in the mix facilitates pressing by allowing juice to flow past flattened skins. These accumulate at the edge of

9030-441: The secondary fermentation and aging process , which takes three to six months, the fermentation continues very slowly. The wine is kept under an airlock to protect the wine from oxidation. Proteins from the grape are broken down and the remaining yeast cells and other fine particles from the grapes are allowed to settle. Potassium bitartrate will also precipitate, a process which can be enhanced by cold stabilization to prevent

9135-471: The sensitivity of grapes to weather patterns, winemaking is affected by climate change . Grapes are usually harvested from the vineyard from early September until early November in the northern hemisphere, and mid February until early March in the southern hemisphere. In some cool areas in the southern hemisphere (such as in Tasmania), harvesting extends into May. The most common species of wine grape

9240-411: The skin tissues. In some cases, notably with "delicate" red varietals such as Pinot noir or Syrah , all or part of the grapes might be left uncrushed (called "whole berry") to encourage the retention of fruity aromas through partial carbonic maceration . Most red wines derive their color from grape skins (the exception being varieties or hybrids of non-vinifera vines which contain juice pigmented with

9345-430: The skins are the source of the tannins , the cap needs to be mixed through the liquid each day, or "punched", which traditionally is done by stomping through the vat. Cold stabilization is a process used in winemaking to reduce tartrate crystals (generally potassium bitartrate ) in wine. These tartrate crystals look like grains of clear sand, and are also known as "wine crystals" or "wine diamonds". They are formed by

9450-545: The skins or grapeseeds, as well as maintaining proper juice flow through a matrix of grape clusters rather than loose berries. In some circumstances winemakers choose to crush white grapes for a short period of skin contact, usually for three to 24 hours. This serves to extract flavor and tannin from the skins (the tannin being extracted to encourage protein precipitation without excessive Bentonite addition) as well as potassium ions, which participate in bitartrate precipitation ( cream of tartar ). It also results in an increase in

9555-443: The soluble solids in the grape juice and represents not only the sugars but also includes many other soluble substances such as salts, acids and tannins, sometimes called total dissolved solids (TDS). Because sugar is the dominant compound in grape juice, these units are effectively a measure of sugar level. The level of sugar in the grapes determines the final alcohol content of the wine as well as indirect index of grape maturity. °Bx

9660-467: The style of champagne but is not from the Champagne region of France), an additional, "secondary" fermentation takes place inside the bottle, dissolving trapped carbon dioxide in the wine and creating the characteristic bubbles. Bottles then spend 6 months on a riddling rack before being disgorged to remove any sediment that has accrued. An expedited technique using sealed tanks to contain carbon dioxide

9765-443: The time when their juice is approximately 24% sugar by weight. By comparison, commercially produced "100% grape juice", made from table grapes, is usually around 15% sugar by weight. Seedless cultivars now make up the overwhelming majority of table grape plantings. Because grapevines are vegetatively propagated by cuttings, the lack of seeds does not present a problem for reproduction. It is an issue for breeders, who must either use

9870-507: The union of tartaric acid and potassium, and may appear to be [sediment] in the wine, though they are not. During the cold stabilizing process after fermentation, the temperature of the wine is dropped to close to freezing for 1–2 weeks. This will cause the crystals to separate from the wine and stick to the sides of the holding vessel. When the wine is drained from the vessels, the tartrates are left behind. They may also form in wine bottles that have been stored under very cold conditions. During

9975-434: The use of malolactic fermentation during their making. Lighter aromatic wines such as Riesling, generally do not go through malolactic fermentation. The fuller white wines, such as barrel-fermented chardonnay, are more commonly put through malolactic fermentation. Sometimes a partial fermentation, for example, somewhere less than 50% might be employed. Whether the wine is aging in tanks or barrels, tests are run periodically in

10080-567: The vine, and not corrupt. Winemaking Winemaking can be divided into two general categories: still wine production (without carbonation) and sparkling wine production (with carbonation – natural or injected). Red wine , white wine , and rosé are the other main categories. Although most wine is made from grapes , it may also be made from other plants. (See fruit wine .) Other similar light alcoholic drinks (as opposed to beer or spirits ) include mead , made by fermenting honey and water, cider ("apple cider"), made by fermenting

10185-453: The wild across the continent and were a part of the diet of many Native Americans , but they were considered by early European colonists to be unsuitable for wine. In the 19th century, Ephraim Bull of Concord, Massachusetts , cultivated seeds from wild Vitis labrusca vines to create the Concord grape , which would become an important agricultural crop in the United States. Grapes are

10290-408: The wine and adding sulphur and other allowable additives to inhibit yeast activity, or sterile filtering the wine to remove all yeast and bacteria. In the case of sweet wines, initial sugar concentrations are increased by harvesting late ( late harvest wine ), freezing the grapes to concentrate the sugar ( ice wine ), allowing or encouraging Botrytis cinerea fungus to dehydrate the grapes or allowing

10395-502: The wine however extra sugar is added to produce a high alcohol content. During or after the alcoholic fermentation, a secondary, or malolactic fermentation can also take place, during which specific strains of bacteria (lactobacter) convert malic acid into the milder lactic acid . This fermentation is often initiated by inoculation with desired bacteria. Pressing is the act of applying pressure to grapes or pomace in order to separate juice or wine from grapes and grape skins. Pressing

10500-443: The wine. The wine must be settled or clarified and adjustments made prior to bottling. The time from harvest to drinking can vary from a few months for Beaujolais nouveau wines (made by carbonic maceration ) to over twenty years for wine of good structure with high levels of acid, tannin or sugar. However, only about 10% of all red and 5% of white wine will taste better after five years than it will after just one year. Depending on

10605-440: The winemaker may choose to hold back some of the sweet grape juice and add it to the wine after the fermentation is done, a technique known in Germany as süssreserve . The process produces wastewater , pomace , and lees that require collection, treatment, and disposal or beneficial use. Synthetic wines (also known as engineered wines or fake wines ) are a product that do not use grapes at all. Starting with water and ethanol,

10710-420: The winemaker was making a white wine. Yeast is normally already present on the grapes, often visible as a powdery appearance of the grapes. The primary, or alcoholic fermentation can be done with this natural yeast, but since this can give unpredictable results depending on the exact types of yeast that are present, cultured yeast is often added to the must. One of the main problems with the use of wild ferments

10815-434: The world are dedicated to grapes. Approximately 71% of world grape production is used for wine, 27% as fresh fruit, and 2% as dried fruit . A portion of grape production goes to producing grape juice to be reconstituted for fruits canned "with no added sugar " and "100% natural". The area dedicated to vineyards is increasing by about 2% per year. There are no reliable statistics that break down grape production by variety. It

10920-482: The world, particularly for their role in winemaking . Other grape-derived products include various types of jam , juice , vinegar and oil. The Middle East is generally described as the homeland of grapes and the cultivation of this plant began there 6,000–8,000 years ago. Yeast , one of the earliest domesticated microorganisms , occurs naturally on the skins of grapes, leading to the discovery of alcoholic drinks such as wine. The earliest archeological evidence for

11025-563: Was grown along Mosel already in Roman times, and that it could even be identical to the Vitis albuelis described by Lucius Columella in his De re rustica and the Vitis alba described by Pliny the Elder , although this has by no means been proven. Both Latin names mean "the white grape" and would then have been corrupted to Elbling at some later stage. DNA profiling has indicated that Elbling

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