Level 1

This a simplified description of how to make a white wine.

A more complete description is found in Level 2.

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Harvesting

The first step to produce a white wine, is to harvest white grapes.

Common white grapes are: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.

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Sorting

After harvesting, grape clusters are sorted for quality.

Unripe, diseased, and damaged grapes, bugs and leaves are removed.

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Crushing

After sorting, the grapes are crushed to crack the skins and release the must.

Must is the crushed grape juice that contains flesh, skins, seeds, and stems.

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Pressing

Pressing separates the liquid from the solids (skins, seeds, stems).

White wines are pressed before fermentation to avoid contact with the solids.

Red wines are fermented with the solids and pressed after fermentation.

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Alcoholic Fermentation

Alcoholic Fermentation is the transformation of grape juice into wine (sugar into alcohol).

In this process, yeast transforms fructose and glucose in the juice to ethanol, CO², and heat:

Juice + Yeast = Alcohol + CO² + Heat

White wines are most often fermented in stainless steel tanks. This does not add ekstra aromatic compounds to the wine.

Malolactic frementation converts citrus and herb tones into butter, hazelnut, and bread.

Fermentation in oak barrels adds secondary flavors (vanilla, cedar, smoke).

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Maturation

Maturation refers to a period of time after Fermentation and before Bottling. During this time the wine goes through changes: blending, MLF, clarification, stabilization etc.

The wine color progressively changes to darker tones: from green to yellow straw to gold and the grape-derived aromas fade.

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Aging

Aging refers to the changes in wine after bottling.

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