WINEMAKING PROCESS

Wine is produced by the alcoholic fermentation of freshly harvested grape juice. The
winemaking practices are implemented according to the local tradition and practices. The wine
obtained by the natural fermentation is termed as ‘table’ or ‘still’ wine and the alcohol content of this
wine mostly ranges from 10-14%.

The ingredients used for making wine are:

1. The Fruit: The grape is virtually the perfect home-

brew kit, containing all the necessary ingredients for
the fermentation and production of wine:
- The Stalk holds the grapes in a bunch. It weighs
around 3-7 % of the total weight of the harvest
depending on the vine. Contains tannins which
are soluble in alcohol. Tannins contributes :
Astringency; keeping quality; helps in
coagulation with fining agent containing protein
that is used during the clarification process
- The skin contains flavouring compounds and colouring pigments. The skin is covered with
a waxy substance called the “bloom” which contains nutrients that the yeasts
(saccharomyces ellipsodium) stick to and use during fermentation process which convert
the grape sugar into alcohol. It is a natural cover to protect the contents inside the grape.
The skin contains flavouring compounds and colouring pigments—in particular,
anthocyanins for making red wines (it is because the grape pulp is virtually colourless
that white wines can be made from red grapes).
- Pulp: Is a soft substance behind the skin. The pulp contains water, sugar (glucose and
fructose), and acids and flavouring compounds. The water content is 80% and sugar is
between 10-25%, rest is acids depending upon the variety of grapes and the climatic
condition. Pulp amounts to 80-85% of weight of the bunch. It produces ‘esters’ which
provide bouquet to the wine. Other than the acids, the pulp also has other minerals which
influence the taste and character of the wine.
- Pips are the small seeds of grapes. Contains both tannins and oils. They give an
unpleasantly bitter flavor to the wine and are discarded during winemaking.

2. The Yeast: Yeast is a single-celled plant, which lives off sugar and, as a by-product during
fermentation, produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process also makes small quantities
of other volatile compounds, such as esters (responsible for fruity aroma of the wine),
ketones, and aldehydes(commonly convey a nutty or bruised apple aroma), all of which add
to the aromas and flavours of a wine. Once the wine has reached about 15% alcohol by
volume, or all the sugar has been consumed, the yeasts will die and settle on the bottom of
the vessel as sediment or ‘lees’. A further by-product of the fermentation process is heat. This
has to be controlled, since too much heat will not only kill the yeasts in extreme cases but also
affect the flavor of the wine. White wines especially have to be fermented at relatively low
temperatures –somewhere between 12 & 19°C –in order to keep the main aromas intact.
 Different flavours develop in the wine at different temperatures and times of fermentation,
and this is where temperature control becomes vitally important to the winemaking process.
Red wines tend to be fermented at slightly higher temperatures, to aid the extraction of more
colour from the skins.

PROCESS OF WINEMAKING

Step 1: Grape Harvest

Grapes are picked at the desired stage of ripeness. They can be

collected by hand, which allows selection of the best grapes in the
field, with rotten or under-ripe bunches or berries being discarded
before they reach the winery. The bunches can either be placed in
small baskets, thus preventing any damage to the fruit before it is
pressed, or transferred into large truck for transportation to the
winery. Hand-picked method is costly and time consuming
therefore; it is often used in the preparation of costly wines or steep
vineyards.

Many vineyards now use the

mechanical harvesters to keep cost
down. These have the advantage of
being available for work 24 hours
a day if necessary and many hot
climate wineries deliberately pick
their fruit at night to keep it cooler.
Mechanical method is more
efficient, cost effective and is well
suited for large vineyards. The
machines work by ‘slapping’ the
wine with fiberglass rods to
remove the bunches, which are
then collected by conveyor belts,
transported to trucks and taken to the winery. The type of harvest employed depends on the
manufacturer’s choice.

Step 2: Crushing the grapes and de-stemming

Once at the winery, the grapes are crushed and de-stemmed

immediately. Treading grapes by foot is one of the best ways
to do this, although very rarely used today. Nowadays,
hydraulic, revolving, cylinders, and pneumatic bar press are
widely used methods of crushing grapes. The objective of
crushing is not necessarily to squeeze all the juice out of the
grapes, but to gently crack the skin and allow the juice to
start its run. It may be pressed many times but the first press yields the juice which is the richest in
sugar. The gently crushed grapes are known as must. The volume of juice pressed from the grapes
will depend on the variety, but on an average 2 ½ pounds of grapes will produce enough juice to
make an average bottle of wine 750ml. Red wines have to be pressed during or after fermentation,
so that the skins stay in contact with the juice and release their colour.

In white wine the skins of the grapes are removed from the juice so that the wine will not take the
colour. Then the juice is kept below freezing point to stabilize the coldness.

Step 3: Fermentation

The must (juice, skin, pulp and seeds) is transferred to the

fermentation tank which may be a wooden or stainless steel
vat. The must contains wild yeasts, wine yeasts, and the
acetobacter, a wine-spoiling mould (fungi). If the moulds and
wild yeasts are allowed to develop, the wine will be spoiled.
At this point, sulphur dioxide (SO2) is added to prevent any
bacterial contamination and to kill any ‘wild’ yeast that could Wooden vat
affect the flavor. The sulphur taste disappears during the Stainless steel
maturation. If the fruit does not contain enough natural Vat
sugars, chaptalisation may be carried. However,
chaptalization is subject to local regulations. Similarly, acid
can also be added to the must, if the acidity is low, this is
referred to as acidification.

A controlled fermentation will normally last for anywhere

between one and three weeks, depending on the grape
variety and the style of wine. The temperature to be controlled for red wines is typically 22°-25° C, to
extract more colour and tannin from the skin. The temperature controlled for white wines is 15°-
18°C.

During fermentation, the yeasts act on the sugars in the juice and produce carbon dioxide gas and
ethyl alcohol. Heat is given off, which affects the taste of the wine and also speeds up the
fermentation process. The skin of red grapes, for red wines, in the vat float to the surface of the
fermenting must and form a cap. Many wineries use rotary fermenters which use motors to mix the
contents in order to extract the maximum colour from the skins. If the skin of the grapes are kept for
a longer period in contact with the must, the better the colour of the wine will be. In white wines the
lees (dead yeast or residual yeast ) may be stirred in to yield more flavours.

Every gram of sugar in the must is converted to about half a gram of ethyl alcohol during
fermentation. To achieve 12% alcohol concentration, the must should contain about 24% sugar. The
sugar percentage of the must is measured with the help of a saccharometer.

Fermentation stops when all the sugar is converted to alcohol or when the yeasts are killed in red
wines.
 Step 4: Pressing:

By the end of fermentation in red wines, the new wine lies in the bottom
of the vat and the solid matter floats on the top. The new wine called vin
de goutte is racked into another vat. The solid matter is pressed to obtain
vin de presse. The first batch is rich in tannins and flavor and it may be
added to vin de goutte. The quality of vin de presse obtained from the
subsequent presses decline progressively in quality. It may be used for
local consumption, blending, or in making spirits. The wine (vin de goutte)
is then transferred to wooden vat for ageing. Some wineries use stainless
steel vat for ageing which produces light red wine.

Step 5: Maturing

The wine is racked off its solids and placed in a container to mature. The winemaker has the choice of
vessels—Stainless steel or Oak barrels. Stainless steel will impart nothing to the wine, but will allow
it to be efficiently stabilized. Products such as tartrates need to be removed from the wine at this
stage and any proteins that would make the wine hazy. Tartrates are a natural product, that form
sugar-like crystals and, although harmless, many winemakers remove them before bottling, to keep
their wines looking pristine. Oak barrels will add those desirable, smoky vanilla notes, depending on
the age of the barrel. Top quality red wines that are meant to age well in bottles will normally spend
18 months to 2 years in barrels before being bottled, because, in addition to the flavours, wood
tannins are also absorbed by the wine. These help preserve the wine during its long ‘sleep’ in the
cellared bottle.

During maturation, the wine is racked off, meaning the wine will be drawn off any sediment lying at
the bottom of the vessel and pumped into a new vat. In some cases, a second bacterial fermentation
will take place called malolactic fermentation where harsh malic acid converts to a softer lactic acid.
This imparts a softer mouth feel and overall a more inviting palate. Most red wines go through
malolactic fermentation to reduce their acidity unlike white wines where it is optional as it is a
typical characteristic oough f white wines.

Step 6: Filtration and fining

 Before bottling, the wine is ‘fined’ or filtered to remove
any last unwanted particles. Finer wines will receive
gentler treatments, because it is easy to filter out some of
their character at the same time. Filtration removes solid
matter from wines including dead yeast cells. Fining is
carried out to make the wine clear and star bright. This
can be achieved by adding substances, such as white of
an egg, gelatin, isinglass, bentonite, etc. Such methods
tend to use natural products, mixed with a little wine,
which are added to the vessel and allowed to fall through
the wine, collecting particles on the way down. The wine is then racked into another container to
remove sediments. A good fining agent will not pass on its smell or taste to the wine.

Wine can also be fined through the application of centrifugal force or passing it through a series of
cellular filters. However, the wine lovers object to the cellular filter method, as it removes most of the
flavours and pigments.

Step 7: Blending

Blending is the process of mixing wines of different years, age, grapes and regions to make either a
new wine with a unique flavor, or to maintain consistency in quality. It requires a lot of experience
and a very refined palate to blend wines successfully for today’s global market. A winemaker may
blend wines for a variety of reasons, such as to adjust acidity, alcohol levels, tannin content, or to
improve the colour, aroma, or flavor. Blended wines are then rested and fined again.

Step 8: Bottling

After blending, the wines are bottled in sterilized bottles.

The bottling process is extremely important, as it could
still all go wrong at this stage if the machinery and the
bottles are not kept scrupulously clean so that the wine is
uncontaminated and will not spoil before it is opened.
The wine bottle is slowly filed and topped with either
nitrogen or carbon dioxide to displace any oxygen. If the
wine is sweet, winemakers may add some extra SO2 to
prevent a second fermatation. The bottle is then capped with either a traditional, treated cork, or a
modern screw cap, depending on the winery’s tradition. Next, the bottles are labeled and they are
sent for either further bottle ageing or straight to the dealer for distribution.

White wines tend to be bottled earlier than reds, in some cases just
six months after the harvest.

Carbonic maceration

This is an alternative method of making red wine. In this method, a

bunch of grapes is placed in a clean container which is filled with
CO2 gas, and is sealed. The container is fitted with a valve to ease
out the pressure. The grapes at the bottom of the bunch get crushed by its own weight. The sugar is
converted into alcohol and CO2 is given off by the action of yeast present on the skin. The uncrushed
grapes in the bunch undergo their own fermentation. Since the grapes are deprived of oxygen, the
skin cells die and the pigments colour the pulp and the yeasts act on the sugar available in the pulp.
The alcohol dissolves the skin of the grapes which makes the wine to come out of the grapes. This
produces light-bodied fruity wine with low alcohol content. Gamay grapes are frequently subjected
to carbonic maceration. Beaujolais wines produced from Gamay grapes use this method.

PROCESS OF MAKING SPARKLING WINE

The secret of quality sparkling wine lies partly in the vineyard –in the selection of good quality but
under-ripe fruit to give those crisp, appley flavours – and partly in the method which is used to put
the sparkle into the wine and give the creamy mousse that smoothes out the acidic edge of the wine.
To make a wine sparkle, it has to be fermented for a second time in a sealed container, and it is the
size of that container which influences the quality of the wine.

There are four main methods of making sparkling wine. The objective of all the methods is to
produce a clear wine with stream of bubbles of carbon dioxide. The methods of making sparkling
wine are as follows:

 Méthode champenoise
 Curve close/charmat/tank
 Transfer
 Direct impregnation

MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISE

This is the most complicated process of making sparkling wines and is followed in the Champagne
region of France. It is the traditional method of making champagne which is made according to
Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC) regulations.

Dom Pérignon, a monk and cellarer, introduced the wine, champagne to the world.

The three classic grapes used in making champagne are:

 Pinot Noir (red grape)

 Pinot Meunier (red grape)
 Chardonnay (white grape)

The red grapes provide a fruity flavor and body to the wine. The white grape contributes fineness
and elegance to the wine. Although the final product is a crystal clear and sparkling white wine, it is
mostly made of red grapes.

Champagne involves two stages—primary and secondary fermentation.

Pressing

 Picked and sent to the hydraulic press – pressed four times.

 Only the first two pressings are used – rest for coteaux champenoise (still Champagne).

First fermentation

 Before the first alcoholic fermentation takes place impurities in the pressed grape juice are
removed by débourbage, a processing of settling that allows solid particles to sink to the
bottom of the vat, enabling clear juice to be drawn off at the top. This filtration process may be
encouraged by chilling the juice in the vat.

 The clear juice then goes through first fermentation

 A dry, still wine is produced. Temperature maintained at 18-20⁰ C.

 Left in cask for about 5 months – racked and fined during this period.

Assemblage

 Any no. of wines from around 250 villages.

 Highly paid wine-tasters/blenders ensure brand-continuity.

Coupage / Dosage de tirage

 the winemaker then adds the liqueur de tirage (a solution of wine, yeast and sugar)

 Added for secondary fermentation which is carried out in bottle. The bottles lain on their side
in a cool cellar.

Bottling & Secondary Fermentation

 Immediately after dosage, bottled & corked.

 Bottles placed mis sur latte in the natural chalky caverns – constant cold temperature ideal for
Secondary Fermentation.

 Temperature maintained at 10-12⁰ C.

 Secondary fermentation starts after about six weeks.

 Mis sur latte for about 2 to 5 years (minimum 15 months for non-vintage and 3 years for
vintage champagnes).


 Remuage

(removal of debris by the remneur)

 Bottles placed at 45º on the pupître.

 Everyday the remneur grasps and shakes each bottle → sediments dislodged.

 Remneur changes the angle slightly.

 In 3 to 5 months the bottles are brought to sur le pointe.

Dégorgement

(process of removing the sediments from the bottle which have collected on the cork)

 The neck is frozen.

 The muzzle is taken off and the debris go

out like a bullet.

 Some wine is lost.

Dosage

 Similar wine + sugar (as, and if, required) liqueur de

dosage

 Added to replace lost wine.

 

Final Dressing

 Corked finally and permanently and forced in and secured with agraffe.

 The bottles are given a final shake-up, either manually or mechanically to ensure even
distribution of dosage.

 Wine is rested for four to six months to allow it to settle.

 Wired and dressed in foil.

 Cleaned, labeled and dispatched.

CURVÉ CLOSÉ

• Also known as Charmat/Tank/Bulk process.

• Started in France by M. Charmat.

• Secondary fermentation in large sealed tanks.

• Only 10 days to complete.

• The wine is drawn off through filters under pressure, and is then bottled.

• Cheaper.

TRANSFER METHOD

• Similar to méthode champenoise except the process is shortened by using filtration and fining
instead of the lengthy remuage process.

IMPREGNATION METHOD

• Carbon-dioxide is added from a cylinder as making aerated waters.

 • Cheapest method.

GLOSSARY

Terms Definition
Acetobacter It is a microorganism that converts wine to vinegar by
prolonged exposure to oxygen
Acidification It is the process of addition of acid to adjust or improve the
balance and flavor during the production of wine
Agraffe It is a metal clasp to secure the cork of the champagne bottle
Carbonic It refers to intracellular fermentation that occurs in the
maceration process of CO2 and in the absence of oxygen in a closed
container
Chaptalization It is the process of addition of sugar to the must
Dégorgement It is the process of removing the sediments that are collected
at the cork of a champagne bottle by freezing the neck of the
bottle
Punt It is a deep curve at the bottom of the champagne/wine
bottle to withstand the pressure
Pupître It is a rack with oval holes to hold the champagne bottle at an
angel during the remuage process
Remuage It is the process of collecting the sediments at the cork of the
champagne bottle by periodical shaking of bottle
Liqueur de tirage A small amount of cane sugar and yeast added in old wine
Mis sur latte Stacking of bottles one on top of the other
Sur le pointe When bottles are placed at a vertical position with the neck
downwards
Liqueur The replacement of wine to the lost champagne, during
d’expedition degorgement, with the addition of cane sugar for sweetness
adjustment.
Malolactic It is a non-alcoholic fermentation converting harsh malic
fermentation acid to smooth and soft lactic acid.
Mousse It refers to froth, bubbles or foam