Session1:WineandRisk

TheWinemakingProcess
ByJanetDorozynski,Ph.D.AIWS
GlobalPracticeLead,CanadianWine,Beer+Spirits
ForeignAffairsandInternationalTradeCanada
November5,2012

Wineisthemosthealthfulandmosthygienicof
beverages.
LouisPasteur(18221895)

PresentationOverview
Leavingthediscussionofthehealthbenefits
ofwineaside,focuswillbeonthehygienic
aspectsofwinemaking,i.e.thealchemyof
fermentationortheconversionofgrapesto
wine
Overviewofthewhitewinemakingprocess
Overviewoftheredwinemakingprocess

WineismadeintheVineyard
Priortoharvestandwinemaking,grapesare
tendedandtreatedaccordingtothestyle+
qualityofwinedesired
Fertilizers,herbicidesorpesticidesprays
stoppedseveralweekspriortoharvest
Winemakingpracticesalsoinfluencethestyle
+qualityofthefinalproductandcanbehands
onoroff

WineismadeintheCellar
Majorelementofwinemakingisthefermentationprocess:
yeasttransformsthesugarinthegrapesintoalcohol,
carbondioxideandwater
Yeast+sugar(inthegrapes)=Alcohol+carbondioxide
Toeliminatespoilageorbacterialcontamination,grapes
shouldbefreeofrot+winemakingequipment(tanks,
hoses,pumps,filters)mustbeclean+sterilized
AlcoholandnaturallyoccurringS02actsasanantioxidant
andmicrobicide,topreventunwantedmicrobialgrowth,
oxidation,offflavoursandaroma
SO2isalsoaddedandoneofthemostimportantadditions
inwinemaking

RegulationandtrendsinWinemaking
Winelawsexistinmostwineproducingcountriesto
outline+regulatethetypeofinterventionthatis
permittedandtoensurehumanhealthandsafety
Currenttrendistoaddaslittleaspossible(SO2,acid,
oak,herbicides+pesticides)andtobetransparent,so
consumersknowhowthewineismade
Itcanbearguedthatsomeintervention/additionsare
necessary,suchasS02(whichalsooccursnaturally
duringfermentation)

SulphurDioxide(SO2)inWinemaking
WhitewinesgenerallyneedmoreSO2added
duringwinemakingasopposedtoredwines,
whichhavemorepolyphenoliccompounds,a
naturaldefenseagainstoxidation
Sweetwines(especiallywinesfromboytrized
grapes)needhigherlevelsofSO2toprotect
againstoxidation(regulationsnormallypermit
higherresiduallevelsforsweet/dessertwinesas
opposedtotablewines)

OxygeninWinemaking
Oxygen,eithertheabsenceorpresence,iscriticalinthe
winemakingprocess
Reduction:relativeabsenceofoxygen
Oxidation:relativepresenceofoxygen
Mostwinemakingavoidsexcessiveexposuretooxygen,
whichcausesoxidationorspoilage
Thoughsomeoxygenexposureisbeneficial+adds
complexitytowine
Reduction,ortotallackofoxygen,canresultinthe
developmentofreducedsulphurcompoundsorsulphur
flavours(burntmatch,onion,rotteneggsmells)

WhiteWineProduction
1. Destemming/crushing ofgrapes.
Stemsremovedtoeliminatebitterness/tannins
SO2added,grapesarecrushedfortransfertopress
2.Pressing ofmust(skins+pulp=must)
Afterpressing,separationofjuicefromtheskins,pulp
+seeds
Juiceispumpedintosettlingtanks,stems+pits
composted,returnedtovineyardasfertilizer

3.Clarification
Theunfermentedjuicerestsinsettlingtanks
for48hourstoseveralweeks,toallowheavy
particlestoseparateandsettle
Thejuiceisthenrackedoff(separatedfrom)
thesedimentandpumpedintostainlesssteel,
oakorconcretetanksforfermentation

WHITEWINEMAKINGPROCESS:CourtesyoftheWineCouncilofOntario,TheWineAppellationsofOntariocoursebook,
3rd Edition

WHITEWINEMAKINGPROCESS:CourtesyoftheWineCouncilofOntario,TheWineAppellationsofOntario
coursebook,3rd Edition

4.PrimaryAlcoholicFermentation
Canoccurnaturally(wildyeasts)orthrough
inoculation(culturedyeasts)
Lastsfor7to30days
Heatisabyproductoffermentation,though
whitewinetanksarekeptcool(1218C)toretain
fresh,fruitcharacteristics
Secondaryfermentation(malolactic:conversion
ofmalictolacticacid)maytakeplacetosoften
acidityandsmooththepalate

5.Aging
Whenfermentationiscomplete,thewineisagedinin
stainlesssteel,oakorconcrete,dependingonthedesired
result
Oakbarrelsimpartflavoursandtexturetowine,stainless
steelandconcreteareinert
Agingfrom3monthsto2years
6.Fining
Removalofsolidsandremainingyeastcells(sore
fermentationdoesnotoccur) throughuseofnatural
substances(eggwhites,isinglass,bentonite)

7.Filtering
Winesarefilteredpriortobottlingthroughcellulose
fiberpadstoremoveremainingfineparticles
8.Bottling
Wineisbottledinsterilebottles,bagsortetrapaks
Sealedwithscrewcap,corkorsyntheticclosureand
labeled
Somewinesmayreceivefurtheraginginbottlebefore
release

RedWineProduction
Processissimilartowhitewine,exceptfermentation
takesplacesbeforethegrapesarepressed
Redwineobtainsitscolourfromtheskinsofthegrape
+mustremainincontactduringfermentation
1. Destemming/crushing ofgrapes
Themust(skins+pulp=must)istransferredto
fermentationtanks
Stemsarecomposted+returnedtovineyardas
fertilizer

2.PrimaryAlcoholicFermentation
Canoccurnaturally(wildyeasts)orthrough
inoculation(withculturedyeasts)
Lastsfor7to14daysorlonger
Fermentationofjuiceandgrapeskinstoallow
formaximumextractionofcolour,flavour+
tannins
Fermentationtemperatureiswarmerthanfor
whitewine,25to35C

REDWINEMAKINGPROCESS:CourtesyoftheWineCouncilofOntario,TheWineAppellationsofOntario
coursebook,3rd Edition

3.Pressing
Oncedesiredcolour+flavoursachieved+fermentationis
complete,thewine,skins,seedsandpulptransferredto
thepress
Theskins,seeds+pulpareseparatedfromthejuice,which
isthenpumpedintotanksorbarrelsforaging
4.Secondary(MaloLactic)Fermentation
Redwinesusuallyundergomalolacticfermentation
(cconversionofmalictolacticacidthroughinoculation)at
thisstagetosoftentheacidity,providemouthfeel

REDWINEMAKINGPROCESS:CourtesyoftheWineCouncilofOntario,TheWineAppellationsofOntariocourse
book,3rd Edition

5.Aging
Redwinecanbeagedinstainlesssteeltanksoroak
barrels,dependingontheresultsdesired
Aftermanymonthsoryears,thewineswouldbe
blended(differentbarrels,differentvineyardblocks,
differentgrapevarieties)
6.Bottling
Thewinesmaybefinedorfiltered,thenarebottled
Someredwineswouldreceivefurtheraginginbottle
priortoreleaseandsale

TheArtofWinemaking
Winemakersmakedecisionsateverystepoftheprocessto
alter+affecttheflavour+qualityofthewine
Thevintage(growingseason)alsoaltersawine
Somechoices+challengesforwinemakers:
Whentoharvest?
Whatyeasttouse?
Howlongtoferment,atwhattemperature
Shouldthewinesberackedoffthelees?
Shouldthewinebeoakaged?
Shouldthewinebeblended?

 Winemakingisconstantlyevolvingaswine
growersandwinemakerslearnmoreabout
theirvineyards,climaticconditionsandthe
techniquesthateffectthewinemaking
process
Intheend,thefruitoftheirlabouriswhatwe
seeandtasteintheglass
SANT