Wine: How Grapes Are Processed Into One of the World's Favorite Beverages
Vino production starts in the vineyard, where wineries carefully cultivate grape vines to produce the ideal fruit for vino making. There are over 1,500 recognized grape varieties used in vino production, with the most popular being Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. Grapevines are climate dependent and require meticulous care and attention to soil quality, trellising techniques, pruning, and pest and disease management to yield high quality grapes year after year. Most premium vino are made from grapes grown in specific federally designated American Viticultural Areas that have ideal climate and soil conditions for cultivating particular grape varieties.
Vino Fermentation
After harvesting, grapes are either pressed or crushed to release their juice and skins. Red vino is made by leaving the dark-colored skins in contact with the juice for a period of fermentation to extract color, tannins and flavors. Wine White and rosé vino are generally made by pressing or crushing the grapes and separating the skins from the juice fairly quickly. Yeast is then added to the grape juice or must to start alcoholic fermentation. As yeast feeds on the natural sugars in grape juice, it converts them to alcohol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation can take 2-4 weeks to complete, resulting in vino with an alcohol content between 11-15% by volume.
Aging and Clarification
Once fermentation is complete, vino may undergo further aging and clarification processes. Reds are often left to age in oak barrels which impart flavor compounds like vanilla. Oak aging can last from several months for lighter reds to a few years for premium Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. As vino age, harsh tannins soften over time. Clarification removes potential hazes or sediments, making the vino bright and clear. Through rackings, fining and filtering, vino are clarified before bottling.
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