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Vineyard & Vintage

Final Exam

June 17, 2002

Myriam Maytorena, M.Ed.

Myriam@manifestreality.com

http://manifestreality.com

My Wine Journal
http://www.oocities.org/myriammaytorena/

1. What is the difference between viticulture and enology?

Viticulture is the growing and propagation of grapes

Enology is the science and art of wine making

2. What is the difference between cultivar and varietal grape.

Cultivar is an organism of a kind originating and persistent under cultivation.

Varietal refers to classification system of grapes (or other organic materials)

The Cultivar is often the indigenous root that is used to graft the varietal upon.

The cultivar allowed to grow grapes can produce what is called gout de renard.

The term "fox" has traditionally been a pejorative name given by grapegrowers to the fruit of a feral, i.e. Reverted to the wild species, cultivar grapevine.

3. Why are European grapes grafted in Europe as well as in US.

European rootstock is prone to disease and rot due to an American hands across the ocean sharing the wealth of our viticulture and thus blighted the European vines. American root stock s more resistant to rot and so forth.

4. Are there any reasons to grow European stocks and not graft them?

Well I suppose that if one were doing research as to the improvement of the rootstock I would do it.

Other than that I haven't a clue.

5. To make a grapevine bushier instead of taller you would top it and I would think that some pruning on the bottom would help direct the bush growth.

6. A spur is a growth that detracts from growth of other parts of a plant.... nip it.

7. A trellis system is one type of training methods in vineyards.

Trellis in Texas
Mechanical harvesting is the key to the future in Texas. A high wire Single Curtain is a low cost system, can give high yields, and is adapted to mechanical pruning and harvesting. Bilateral Cordon has been used well for 20 years. Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) on either wide or close spacing is used for top quality fruit, but it is expensive to establish and manage with no increase in yield. Quadrilateral Lyre for vigorous soil is a large VSP system, which can give both yield and quality. High density Guyot VSP used in Europe must be limited to low vigor soil in Texas.

The Borgogno winery Training System

The training system used is a trellis method of "girapoggio," with wood poles used at the start of rows followed by 4x4cm. Cement poles every 1.5 meters, with five zinc-coated iron wires running across. When the vines are very young a cane is also used (to avoid deformation), though later removed to facilitate working of the soil.

Scott Henry training system developed by Scott Henry, an Oregon grapegrower and winemaker. The Scott Henry training system is used in Oregon, USA, and New Zealand, some of the newer Australian vineyards and here in Southwestern Ontario.

This training system uses two fruiting wires instead of one. The shoots on the higher fruiting wire are trained upward between foliage catch wires, and the shoots on the lower fruiting wire are trained downward. The system can be either spur or cane pruned.

The Scott Henry training system is noted for its improved yield and decreased disease incidence vs. standard non-divided trellis. The system is most effective on fertile soils, where vine growth can be vigorous. The system is known and used for its improved winegrape quality and yield.

8. Primary bud destruction means that one has a chance for secondary and tertiary bud development.

Lower than normal winter temperatures during the first two years after establishment provided the opportunity to rate the grape cultivars for susceptibility to winter injury. Researchers considered both the initial damage and the rate of recovery from winter injury. The research indicated that table grape cultivars vary considerably in susceptibility to winter injury (UK) The issue of the late frost is whether the cultivar chosen will be able to genetically rebound and create new buds after freeze or frost.

9. Parameters before harvest:

Grape harvest parameters (brix levels, pH, natural acid levels and varietal intensity) -- level of ripeness and sugar content as determined required by eonologist in consult with viticulturist.

10. The tongue and the taste associated with each section.

11. Legs. The very thought of legs in the context of wine conjures up the image of swirling glasses in a sea of wine gourmets. Oohs and ahs fill the air as each examines the legs of the wine, those streaks on the glass that the French so poetically dub "Tears". A whirlwind of terms like "Body" and "Glycerine" circles the august body, and all agree, on the prophecy of these rivulets of wine alone, that this is indeed a fine wine.

12. Aroma, color, sensory issues that delight the palate and the nose

13. Regions

The Bordeaux region is one of the most important wine producing region in the world, it produces a third of the good quality French production. Bordeaux is 57 appellations, more than 9,000 wine-producing châteaux, and 13,000 wine growers.

Bordeaux is near the Atlantic coast, in the south west of France.

Wine has been grown in Bordeaux for two thousand years. Most probably vines grew there before the arrival of the Roman in 56 before J.C.. The poet Ausonius wrote about it, a château still bare his name, the "Château Ausone".

At the beginning of the second millennium the region was under English domination. Hundred of boats loaded with barrels of "Claret" left for England. The "Claret" was a light red wine which Englishmen loved, the word is still used to refer to Red Bordeaux.

The large diversity of Bordeaux suggests an equal diversity of soil. The climate is generally temperate with a short winter and a high degree of humidity generated by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean.

Most of the grapes grown in the Bordeaux region for red wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc which give vigour, tannin and good keeping qualities, and Merlot which brings softness and suppleness. White wines are elaborated from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle.

Red Bordeaux is excellent with beef, lamb, grilled veal, game such as pheasant, poultry such as grilled turkey and cheese such as Camembert, Brie and Roquefort. Dry whites are perfect in an aperitif and go very well with sea-food and chicken. Sweet wines are generally served with a desert. Connoisseurs appreciate the Sauternes as an aperitif or with foie gras.

Burgundy begins a hundred kilometres south from Paris and spreads itself down to Lyon. It stretches on 360 kilometres.

A few of the most exciting wines in the world come from this region.

They are sensual, of a velvety and subtle red or of a characteristc white, such as two of the most popular wines in France: Beaujolais and Chablis.

Burgundy is a region with various soils, divided in numerous districts: Chablis, Côte d'Or (divided in Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune), Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais.

The production of wine begun when the Roman invaded the region. Later, during the sixth century one of the nearby kings gave his vineyards to the church. At the time of the French Revolution most of the best Burgundy wines where produced by monasteries.

One of the consequence of the revolution was the confiscation of the vineyards from the church and their fragmentation in small plots. Nowadays, the system of small vineyard still prevails in Burgundy.

Burgundy red wines are excellent with beef, game such as pheasant and boar, roast of pork and delicate cheeses. White wines go very well with snails (Burgundy snails!), shrimps and goat cheese. Served fresh, Beaujolais is the good companion of beef, lamb, grilled chicken, cheese and, why not, fish. Beaujolais, the red wine drunk as white.

Chablis

The village of Chablis produces the white wine of the same name, one of the most famous in France. It is brisk, fruity, very dry and with a refreshing acidity. Chablis is grown on limestone.

Côtes de Nuit

The Côte de Nuits are just south of Dijon. Red Côte de Nuits are robust and elegant. Their bouquet is intense and fragrant. The villages producing Côte de Nuits are Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits Saint-Georges.

Côte de Beaune

The Côte de Beaune begins just a few kilometres south from Nuits Saint-Georges, around the village of Ladoix.

Red Côte de Beaune are noticeable for their aroma and their warm bouquet. They have a tendency to a slightly lighter body and a quicker maturation than the Côtes de Nuits.

The white wines are straw-yellow, robust, thick and smooth, very dry.

The reputed villages are Aloxe-Corton, Savigny, Pommard, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet and Santenay.

The viticultural center is Beaune. The "Hospices de Beaune", charity hospital founded in 1443 is here. The Hospices wines are sold on auction-sale every year just after the harvest. It is one of the major events of the French wine calendar.

Côte Châlonnaise et Mâcon

Red wines of the Côte Chalonnaise are pleasant but the district is better known for its white wines. They are light, pleasant and charming. The best liked white wines are Mercurey, Mâcon, Mâcon Supérieur and Mâcon Village and above all Pouilly-Fuissé. .

Beaujolais

Beaujolais is the last district of Burgundy. It produces one of the most famous red wine in the world. Beaujolais is, generally, light and fruity. It should be tasted slightly fresh and young.

There are four categories of wines in Beaujolais :

Cru Beaujolais, in Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Morgon, Chénas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Juliénas, Moulin à Vent, Régnié and Saint Amour, where the granitic soil gives one of the best Gamay.

Beaujolais in the northern part of the district where the soil is limestone.

Beaujolais Supérieur in the same part of the district but with one degree more of alcohol.

Beaujolais-Village in one of the 39 listed villages.

The Côtes du Rhône (Rhône Valley) is a long narrow area which stretches along the Rhône banks. It begins just south of Lyon and finishes 200 kilometres further, just south of Avignon.

The climate is hot and sunny, more constant than in the other French wine producing regions. The soil is stony, mainly granitic.

Over 90% of Côtes du Rhône wines are red. They are generally thick, robust and their alcoholic content higher than that of most French wines.

Côtes du Rhône goes well with every day cooking, dishes based on chicken and not to strong cheeses.

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Northern vineyards:

Côte Rôtie

The Côte Rôtie with its hills bathed in sun, produces a warm, robust, full-bodied, richly colored red wine. Harsh and dark when they are young those wines become softer and develop with age an excellent bouquet. Two grape-varieties dominate the production, Viognier and Syrah.

Wines of Côte Rôtie are often considered as the best Côtes du Rhône.

Hermitage

The "Coteaux (slope) de l'Hermitage" dominates the small town of Tain l'Hermitage. The first plantations date from the 10th century but it is under Louis the XIV that l'Hermitage obtains its credential letters... It was the favourite cru of the Tsar court in Russia.

The red wines of Hermitage are generous and well balanced, strong aromas and a complete bouquet. They tolerate aging very well and become smooth and mellow when they mature.

Southern vineyards:

The southern vineyards produce 80% of Côtes du Rhône wines.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The Châteauneuf du Pape is the most famous Côtes du Rhône wine. The "Coteaux" (slope) is between Orange and Avignon, in one of the most beautiful landscapes of Provence, where the Popes had their summer residence.

The Châteauneuf du Pape is thick, harsh, powerful and richly colored. It is elaborated with 13 authorized and controlled grape-varieties among which Syrah, Grenache and Clairette.

Côtes du Rhône and

Côtes du Rhône Village

They are produced in large quantity and are of a very good value for every day consumption.

Provence vineyard is very old. The Roman already knew its wines. Caesar wrote about it in his memories.

Provence wines are produced on the border of the Mediterranean sea, from La Ciotat to Saint Raphael, and from Sanary towards Carnoules and around the Vallée du Var.

A large variety of grapes is used in Provence to elaborate wine. Among the red varieties we can count Carigan, Cinsault, Mourvèdre; among the white varieties Ugni, Clairette and Rolle.

Rosé is the great speciality of this region. Its is gorgeous, fruity and with a glistening robe. White wine is rather dry, sometimes sparkling. It goes perfectly with sea food from the nearby Mediterranean.

Thus, Provence wine his a must with "Bouillabaisse" (Marseille Fish-soup) or "Salade niçoise".

The Valley of the Loire, in the Centre West of France, is sometimes regarded as the most beautiful French wine region.

The river is wide and deep, the landscape is quiet and undulated. The wines reflect the mood of the landscape.

They are soft, pleasant, charming and light. About three quart of the production are white wines.

Loire wines go very well with any dish based on pork, from paté to roast, ham and chicken, from fish to sea-food, from eel to trout. They are just palatable with all the summer cooking. Muscadet is excellent with oysters, the Sancerre with goat-cheese.

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Pouilly and Sancerre

In the eastern part of the Valley, most of the grapes used are Sauvignon Blanc, which also contributes to the superb white Bordeaux.

The delicious, dry white Pouilly-Fumé (do not confuse with the Burgundy Pouilly-Fuissé) is produced in this area. The Pouilly-Fumé has a bewitching perfume, rich aromas and a distinctive flavour.

The Sancerre is produced on the other bank of the river. The white wine is very dry, with a robust aroma, delicately lively and pure.

Touraine

Further West, in the center of the Valley, in the province of Touraine, the predominant grape-variety is Chenin Blanc. The better known wines are the Vouvray and the Montlouis. They are generally smooth, fruity and fresh.

Touraine is also the homeland of the best red Loire wines, Bourgueil and Chinon, elaborated mainly from Cabernet Franc.

Anjou - Saumur

The large Anjou-Saumur region, neighbouring the Touraine on the West, also produces a white wine from Chenin Blanc. It is a charming wine, dry with a slight smoothness.

Muscadet

The Muscadet at the far West of the valley, produces a pale white wine, dry refreshing, light and astringent. The grape-variety is also called Muscadet. The wine is at its best served fresh and young

On the border of the Mediterranean sea, between the Rhône delta and Spain, the vineyards of this sunny region, are the largest expanse of vine growing in the world.

Particularly favourable natural conditions explain this fact. The region produces mainly red wines, a good share is "Vin de Table" but most of it is "Vin de Pays". They are perfect as every day wines.

For the last few years significant efforts have been made to better the quality of the wine, by developing Grenache and Cinsault.

Today selected Herault wines have taken place among renown Crus: Saint-Georges-d'Orques, Pic Saint-Loup, Saint-Chinian, Faugères, Montpeyroux...

The Herault plain also produces famous Muscats, with aromatic flavour, such as Frontignan or Mireval.

In the Aude the best liked wines are Minervois and Corbières.

The Eastern Pyrenees produces natural sweet Roussillon wines, Banyuls or Rivesaltes.

Corsica island, off the French South coast, is affectionately called "L'île de beauté" (The beautiful island).

Of course, the wines produced on the island are generally delicious. Corsica offers subtle rosé and dry white wines.

They must be drunk young, fresh, as aperitif or to accompany a light meal.

The best Corsican wines come from the coast.

Patrimonio

It is above all others The Corsican "appellation" and it is in constant progress. The Rosés are very distinctive. Nowadays, the fame of the white wine, due to the Vermentino variety spreads out of the island.

Ajaccio

The "terroir" produces mainly red wines. They can be aged a few years.

Wedged between the Bordeaux region and the Pyrenees, the South-West is exceptionally sunny.

Wines from the South-West have often been confused with Bordeaux wines, which caused a lot of problems at the beginning of the century when the area of Bordeaux production was delimited.

But one must not conclude that those wines are of a lower quality. Virgil and Horatius have praised them high and low.

The best known are:

Cahors

It is harvested in the Lot and in the Bergerac, around the town of Cahors. It is a very powerful red wine, often harsh when it is young but remarkable after a few years in bottle.

Côtes de Buzet

Produced in the Lot et Garonne, the Buzet is a red VDQS wine, fruity, light and supple.

Monbazillac

Among the best sweet wines, Monbazillac, just like Sauternes and Barsac, must wait for noble-rot before being harvested. Certain years those wines can compare with the models of the type.

Monbazillac are very attractive and flow like gold. With age their colour intensifies and they develop their characteristics.

Gaillac

The sweet Gaillac, drunk soon after the harvest must be distinguished from the Appellation Controlée which is a light white wine. Gaillac also produces sparkling wines and red wine.

Nowadays Gaillac vinegrowers do no more need the appellation Bordeaux, the quality of their wine is sufficient in itself.

Madiran

In the middle of a region which only produces white wine, Madiran is a sanctuary.

The vinegrowers produce a red wine dotted of a particular character. It is elaborated from quality grape-varieties such as Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. But the most popular variety is Tannat, a typical grape from the aera. Tonic, Madiran keeps very long.

Alsace is situated North East of France. It produces wine since the Roman conquest.

It is bordered on the West by the Vosges and on the East by the Rhine which separates it from Germany.

Alsatian vineyards produce excellent refreshing white wines.

Alsace production is very exclusive among French production. It is easy to understand it from the name of the grape-varieties used for the production of the wine, such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer or Sylvaner.

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Riesling

Riesling is the most elegant grape of Alsace. It gives dry, neat, graceful and well-balanced wine. It is known to be the finest Alsace wine and deserves it. Riesling is brilliant with fish, shell-fish, poultry, cold meat and famous Alsatian dishes such as sauerkraut or smoked ham.

Gewurztraminer

Gewurztraminer is the most typical and independent Alsatian wine. Gewûrz means "spicy" in german. It is the main characteristic of the Gewurztraminer. It is a delicious wine, fruity and with strong aromas, a very perfumed and flowery bouquet. Thick and rich wine, which can age, Gewurztraminer is better with sauerkraut, sausages and the Alsatian cheese Munster, curry seasoned dishes, chinese and mexican cooking and other spiced dishes. A Gewurztraminer can even be served as a dessert wine.

Sylvaner

Sylvaner gives a pleasant, fresh, fruity and dry wine. It is better young served as an aperitif or with fish.

Baden - kissed by the sun

Baden is the southernmost of Germany's wine regions, a long, slim strip that extends from near Heidelberg in the north to Lake Constance (Bodensee) in the south. This is the famed "Black Forest" area. Germany's third largest wine region, Baden, is also its most diverse.

It contains soils that range from gravel, limestone and clay to loess, volcanic stone and shell-lime. Its grapes are also varied, and include the flowery Müller-Thurgau; full-bodied Ruländer (Pinot gris); light, mild Gutedel; spicy Gewürztraminer; and the noble Riesling. About 23% of the vineyards are planted in Spätburgunder (Pinot noir) , a red variety, which is full-bodied and fiery when grown in the volcanic soils of the Kaiserstuhl. Spätburgunder Weißherbst, a rosé wine, is a popular wine made here.

Whereas Germany's per capita consumption of wine is 32 bottles per year, each citizenof Baden averages 53 bottles - a tribute to their winemakers.

Wines: fresh, fragrant, spicy, aromatic white wines; velvety to fiery reds; fullbodied.

Rheinhessen

Enormous 65,000 acre region (the largest wine growing region in Germany) producing often underrated wines especially from Riesling. Also Müller-Thurgau and Sylvaner. The best vineyards are those close to the Rhine where the soil imparts more complexity and interest to the wines. The region is home the original Liebfraulich and, more recently, to the (in)famous dry Silvaner marketed under the 'Rheinhessen-Silvaner' label.

Riesling: The most important of the grape varieties grown in Germany. Produces wines ranging from bone dry to unctuous and formidably concentrated. Many would call this the world’s premier white wine grape, and the German expression of it the world's standard.

Mittelrhein - lot's of castles...

Beginning just below Bonn and extending about 60 miles south on both banks of the Rhine, the Mittelrhein is abeautiful region of steep, terraced vineyards crowned with medieval castles and ruins.

[on top of the Rhine valley, Germany]

[Mittelrhein, Germany]

Bacharach has been the most important wine village of this region since the Middle Ages. The clayish slate soil yields lively wines with a pronounced acidity. Riesling, Müller-Thurgau and Kerner grow best on these inhospitable slopes. Most of the production is consumed locally or sold to visitors.

bordeaux - two

On the right bank, the most commonly encountered 'generics' are also red wines: St Emilion and Pomerol, while a little further north up the Gironde on the right bank are the Premieres Côtes de Blaye and the Côtes de Bourg. Nearby are Lalande de Pomerol and Fronsac, as well as Côtes de Fronsac, and there are also a number of satellite communes around St Emilion.

The great difference between left- and right-bank wines is in the proportion of the different Bordelais grape varieties that are commonly used.

On the left bank, the tight, tough Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme, usually comprising at least half the grapes planted, to be supplemented with equal proportions of its relative the Cabernet Franc and the much softer fruitier Merlot, with perhaps a little of the local Malbec and Petit Verdot.

On the right bank, in St Emilion and Pomerol, Merlot is the dominant grape variety, so that wines here mature earlier and are in general plummier and softer than those from Médoc and Graves. Bourg and Blaye wines tend to have a style somewhere between the two and are usually relatively straightforward and lightweight.

white wine regions

Between these two stretches of red wine vineyards are several areas better known for their white wines. Entre-Deux-Mers is in fact 'between the two seas' of the rivers Dordogne and Garonne that go to make up the Gironde estuary. Although this area produces much red wine, wines carrying the generic appellation Entre-Deux-Mers are usually white wines, dry whites.

Up in its north-west corner is another, much smaller generic appellation, Graves de Vayres (nothing to do with Graves which is much further south), which again is a dry white bordeaux appellation.

To the south and west of Entre-Deux-Mers are the sweet white bordeaux appellations, of which the best known are Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux, Loupiac, Ste-Croix-du-Mont, Cérons, Barsac and, giving its name to wines all over the world, Sauternes. Barsac and Sauternes are both capable of producing superb wines (which will probably not be sold as simple generics), while the other generic appellations can often produce sound, clean dessert wines.

Above all of these generic wines in terms of quality are those entitled to the appellation of a single commune, and this group includes the crème de la crème, individual 'classed growths', those properties that have been included in the official classifications of the best wines of the Bordeaux region. The most famous of these is the 1855 Classification of the Médoc and Graves. This is often referred to as a 'first growth claret'.

wine communes

In the Médoc the 'best classified' commune is Pauillac, which includes three of today's five first growths within its parish boundaries. Other prestigious communes include Margaux and St Julien, with St Estêphe housing classed growths too.

Five of the sixty-two châteaux included in the 1855 Classification have to make do with the appellation Haut-Médoc, since they do not fall within the boundaries of communes with their own AC. Added to the Médoc Châteaux Lafite, Latour, Margaux and (added later) Mouton-Rothschild, in the lofty ranks of 1855 first growths, is Château Haut-Brion which, together with its neighbour and rival Château La Mission-Haut-Brion, ranks as one of the best properties in the Graves, whose wines have a curious 'stoney' texture to them.

Top properties across the river in St Emilion are Châteaux Ausone and Cheval Blanc, which manage to fetch even higher prices than Médoc first growths, as does the supreme wine of Pomerol, Château Pétrus.

In Sauternes, where the Sémillon grape so obligingly ripens and then succumbs to pourriture noble to produce rich, luscious dessert wines in good years, the most prestigious property is Château d'Yquem, not just a premier cru but the only premier grand cru in Bordeaux. Here the Marquis de Lur Saluces painstakingly makes the world's most famous sweet white wine, with several of his neighbours providing treats for discriminating wine lovers.

French Terroirs

Where the French wines come from: Alsace - Bordeaux - Burgundy - Languedoc - Loire - Provence - Rhone - others

Rhone -- River area of France known for deep red wines

Chateaneuf du Pape France founded by a pope rich red wine

Burgundy -- white and red grapes Borgone area of France

Chabilis -- France known for white chardonay

Beaujeaulais -- red wine france

Cote-de-or Gold Coast

Bordeaux

Left Bank Left side of river which has more gravel in a french growing area

Wines of the Rhone Valley, France

The Rhone Valley, with the town of Vienne at the North and Avignon on the South, runs in a narrow area along both sides of the Rhone River producing mostly red wines.

Rhone's major Appellation Controlee (government control of geographically specific areas where wines must come from, along with meeting quality standards, to legally use the name) designations include Cote Rotie, Condrieu (whites), Hermitage (some of the world's greatest wines) in the North and Chateauneuf-du-Papes is the most well known in the South.

Cotes du Rhone is not only a general name given to all Rhone Valley wines encompassing 120 or more communes but it's also a specific Appellation Controlee for 80% of the wines produced in areas just North of Avignon. The two most prevalent grape varieties used in Rhone wines are Grenache (Southern wines) and Syrah (Northern wines). Several other reds - Mourvedre, Cinsault - and white varieties - Marsanne, Roussanne - to name a few, are also used.

The wines of Cornas, Cote Rotie, Hermitage (Crozes-Hermitage are less rich, concentrated wines from areas surrounding the Hermitage hillside) and St. Joseph are made from the Syrah grape although there are some whites made in these Appellations, too.

The wines of the South, among them Chateauneuf-du-Papes and Gigondas, primarily use Grenache plus several others to make their famous red wines, here, as well, some whites are made in these Appellations.

Rhone wines represent some of the best bargains in the market. They also (in the case of Hermitage) have represented some of the finest wines connoisseurs have ever experienced. Rhone wines are a vast subject and will be discussed again in a future newsletter. In the meantime watch for the release of the 1998 vintage of Southern Rhone reds...they're outstanding.

The Dry and the Sweet of Bordeaux White Wines

The Bordeaux (bore-doe) region in western France, world-famous for producing, arguably, the world's best red wines, also makes excellent white wines. At about 25% of overall Bordeaux production, they are made in two basic styles...dry and sweet. Two grape varieties are mostly used, Semillon (seh-mee-yohn) and Sauvignon Blanc (so-vee-n'yohn blahn). The former for its body, richness and longevity and the latter for its herbaceous taste, freshness and lively acidity.

The majority of the best Bordeaux dry white wines come from the Graves (grahv) district (meaning gravel) just south of the city of Bordeaux on the western side of the Garonne (gah-ron) river. On the opposite side of the river lies the district of Entre-Deux-Mers (ahn-truh duh mair) where copious quantities of dry white wine are made representing good value with reasonable prices but not usually outstanding. Other districts making dry, plus some sweet, white Bordeaux wines include Cadillac, Cerons, Loupiac and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont.

Higher quality, classified wines are usually labeled with the maker's name (typically the name of a Chateau on the estate) along with the appellation, such as Graves or Pessac-Leognan. Most, however, are simply labeled Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur. Since these are made with the Sauvignon Blanc grape, expect to find aromas of lead pencil, minerals, herbs, grass, spice and citrus, herbaceous taste with lively acidity, pure and complex in the mouth with bold, assertive flavors of grapefruit, lichee and spice. Most should be drunk in the first two to three years while only the finest are age-worthy.

South of Graves lies Sauternes (saw-tairn) with Barsac (bar-sack), the best known sweet wine districts of Bordeaux while Bommes, Fargues and Preignac are less well known townships. Sauternes and Barsac are two of the few mesoclimates in the world where the "noble rot," Botrytis Cinerea (bo-trie-tiss sin-eh-ray-ah), occurs naturally and without which there would be no Sauternes. Botrytis is responsible for the special taste of Sauternes as well as some German, Hungarian and California sweet wines. It is a mold that shrivels the grapes and reduces their liquid content leaving the remaining juice rich in sugar. At the same time, it retains the grape's acidity preventing the wines from being cloying.

Production of Sauternes wines is a very costly, labor-intensive and time-consuming process. The grapes, mostly Semillon, are picked late...after the harvest for red and dry white wines...when they are actually overripe and ideally when the grapes have partially shriveled and their juice has been concentrated by the Botrytis rot. Picking spans weeks of returning to the vineyards over and over again to harvest only those grapes that have developed sufficient "rot." Furthermore, not every vintage produces the "rot" and no classified wine is made in those years.

When the juice, containing high proportions of sugar, is fermented to about fourteen percent alcohol, five to eight percent residual sugar remains. As an affect of the Botrytis, a fine Sauternes is not just a sweet wine, but is honeyed, concentrated and complex. All of these wines will be found labeled with a district designation, like Sauternes or Fargues, along with the maker's name, and often a chateau name. Most Sauternes can be enjoyed young and yet age for decades.

Sauternes' most famous producer stands above all the others. The incomparable Chateau d'Yquem (shah-toe dee-kem) has held the classification of grand premier cru since 1855. Great vintages of Ch. d'Yquem are truly fabulous desert wines commanding $200 or more when first released, and they will age for many, many years. Some have lasted a century.

Generally, sweet wines are not everybody's cup-of-tea. But, for those who enjoy them, they are a sublime elixir. Try a Sauternes, sipped in small quantities accompanying deserts or sweets that are of about the same degree of sweetness. Keep in mind, too, that half bottles are especially popular for these wines.

Note: in 1987 the northern part of Graves was split into a new Appellation Controlee called Pessac-Leognan (peh-sack leh-oh-n'yahn).

SPAIN...A LOT MORE THAN SHERRY (part 1)

Spain is one of the most exciting red wine regions in the world and is securing a bigger and bigger share of the fine wine market, as well as providing plenty of exceptional bargains. Certainly, Sherry is synonymous with Spain, but it is also gaining a reputation for its fabulous red wines.

Yes, red wine is king in Spain. The best wines having come mostly from the Northern regions of Rioja, Penedés and Ribera del Duero. Uniquely, Spanish wine drinkers like their wines to be supple, well oaked and have an aged, mature taste. To appeal to these consumers, many Spanish wineries, called Bodegas (boh-day-gahz), hold back their best lots to age for up to ten years before releasing them. Therefore, expect to find at least some of the better Spanish red wines to be approachable when young and yet many have the stuffing to age for a decade or more.

Catalonia, near Barcelona in Northeastern Spain, is an extensive region and the home of Cava (cah-vah), Spain's methode champenoise sparkling wine. Cava has been its claim to fame in the wine world, but little else. Now things are changing as world-class wines are being made in two of its districts, Penedés (peh-neh-dess) and especially in smaller Priorato (pree-oh-rah-toe). Adjacent to the Mediterranean coast these districts are ideally situated for grape growing and each has been declared a Denominacion de Origen (DO) which is very similar to the Appellation Controlee laws in France and DOC laws of Italy.

In the 60s and 70s, Penedés winemakers Jean Leon and Miguel Torres pioneered the blending of their wines with non-native, French varietals they had started to grow, namely Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. These two winemakers are credited with establishing Penedés as a district that can produce serious red wines. The district's native grape varietals include Cariñena (cah-ree-n'yeh-nah), Tempranillo (tem-prah-nee-yo, the finest indigenous red wine grape of Spain), and Garnacha (gahr-nah-shah, known as Grenache in France and California) which is the most extensively planted wine grape in Spain. Other more recent varietals showing promise from Penedés are Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Today, the dominate winery here is Torres, producers of some excellent native grape red wines as well as a top-notch 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The best vintages of the decade in Penedés are 1990, 1994-95. While Cabernet Sauvignon has taken on significant importance in this region there's still plenty of Tempranillo being bottled, as well.

Priorato is the sensational Catalon newcomer on the world wine scene being among Spain's most sought after wines. This age-old wine region of poor soils and high temperatures in the mountains above the Mediterranean has emerged from obscurity to become the hottest red wine region in Spain. Here, too, the native varietals Carinena and Garnacha are being blended with French varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot to make these highly sought after wines. Grown on rugged hillsides in small vineyards that yield minuscule harvests yet these are concentrated, gutsy wines that must by law attain 13.5 percent alcohol, naturally. Priorato is where the concept of the small, single vineyard wineries called "clos" took root. For now, supply of these ripe, intense and powerful wines is limited since there are fewer than three dozen wineries, although more are being established.

Ribera del Duero (ree-bair-ah del doo-eh-ro), a world-famous wine district, is located well inland along the Duero river where two of Spain's greatest red wines are produced, Pesquera made primarily from the indigenous Tempranillo grape and Vega Sicilia which is primarily a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. Vega Sicilia is the prime example of the Spanish practice of long aging their wines (8-12 years) before bottling and releasing them. Although, these wines can be frightfully expensive, they offer powerfully heady, supple, explosively rich wines with a great deal of spicy, sweet, toasty, vanillin-scented oak. The best vintages from the Ribera del Duero district in this decade are 1990, 1991, 1994-1996 while 1997 and 1998 were poorer vintages.

Located just outside the appellation of Ribera del Duero is Abadia Retuerta, an enterprise destined to become a dominant player at the top of Spanish wines. This state-of-the-art winery hand-harvests its vineyards, ages its wines in small oak casks and bottles unfiltered. Watch your retailer for this maker's exciting wines starting at under $20.00.

Rioja (ree-oh-ha) is Spain's most famous red wine district and has had a reputation for making fine examples of them for decades. It's located in the Central North along the Ebro river (which also passes through Priorato) close to the French border. Here, the Tempranillo grape (some call it Tinto) is the most ubiquitous native grape varietal grown. Some vineyards are a half century, or more, old. There is a fierce pride among some Rioja winemakers who believe that Tempranillo wines are superior to the Cabernet Sauvignon wines from France. When made by the best producers, Rioja will be a mature wine having a medium ruby color and a huge, fragrant bouquet of tobacco, cedar, smoky oak, and sweet, ripe fruit. Because of the long aging of these wines before bottling, there's seldom any coarseness or astringency (due to high tannin levels typical of a young wine). Here, too, the best vintages so far in this decade are 1990, 1991, 1994-1996.

Chablis

French Chablis (shah-blee) has nothing in common with wines from other countries that have appropriated the Chablis name. Genuine Chablis (considered a White Burgundy) continues to be produced in limited quantities and with real distinction, only in France. The Chablis region, 110 miles Southeast of Paris, comprised of 10,000 acres of vineyards planted entirely of Chardonnay grapes - the only grape variety allowed to make Chablis - surrounds the town of Chablis. This is the northern-most area of France in which the Chardonnay grapes will fully ripen and results in considerable variations of vintage quality.

Under French law, Chablis is divided into four quality classifications (Appellation Controlees): Grands Crus, Premiers Crus, Chablis and the least quality labeled Petite Chablis. The majority of production will be labeled "Chablis" however, wines from the seven finest vineyards, all situated on a single slope overlooking the Serein River, are labeled Grands Crus while another 30 secondary vineyards are labeled Premiers Crus, all of them listing their applicable vineyard designation, as well.

The best Chablis (Grands and some Premiers Crus) are oak fermented imparting an vanillin, creamy character while lesser wines are steel or glass tank fermented for a clean and crisp character. The finest examples may show aromas of ripe lemon fruit, pear, earth, minerals, green hay and wet stones. In the mouth they'll have lively acidity, spicy nuances, lush, ripe round mouth-feel plus great depth and concentration.

Chablis are usually ready to drink when they appear on the market. Only a few of the finest Chablis maker's wines can benefit from aging. The majority will not improve and should be consumed in the first 3-5 years.

Sherry...Versatle, Unappreciated
Sherry, it's that fortified Spanish white wine which has been much ignored and under-appreciated. A versatile wine that covers all the bases from light, dry styles that make excellent aperitifs, getting the taste buds energized, to medium-bodied dry to slightly sweet styles that compliment many main courses. Then too, sherry really shines as some of the very best desert wines, as enjoyable as fine Port or Madeira. Sherry is made in a delimited district in the South-Western corner of Spain around the city of Jerez (heh-reth) in the Andalusian region. This region is less important geographically than it is for its soil or terrior (tair-wahr) in which the vines grow. The best soil, composed of up to 70% chalk, produces low yields but gives wines of exceptional bouquet and finesse. Other soils in the region, composed of mostly clay, yield fuller-bodied wines. Sherries come in two basic styles, fino (fee-no) or oloroso (o-lo-ro-so). Both are usually made with the Palomino grape (an insignificant grape no self-respecting winemaker would choose to make wine from). However, when this grape's wines are put into barrels (butts) a magical transformation begins. Light, delicate wines are made from the first pressing and become finos. Fuller-bodied wines from subsequent pressings are used for olorosos which are soon fortified and barrels completely filled to start aging. The fino wines are also fortified, lightly, and put into barrels not completely filled to allow a thick yeast cap, called "flor" (flore), to form over the wine. The flor keeps oxygen away from the wine and these develop into the dry, crisp fino style wines. Once the newly fermented wine has aged it then goes into an elaborate blending system. Known as the "solera" (soh-leh-rah) system, it is a progressive topping up of older barrels from younger barrels of the same style, so the wine is continuously being blended and therefore constantly emerges tasting the same. As new wines are added into the young end of the solera, mature wine is drawn off from the oldest barrels to be bottled. When you see a date on a sherry label it's probably the year that particular solera was begun. Some soleras have existed for a century or more. Fino, the crisp, light-bodied, dry sherry style has been characterized as almond-like. Manzanilla (mahn-thah-nee-yah) is a special kind of fino that's extremely dry with an appetizing, faintly bitter, almost salty taste, probably due to these being aged in seaside, moist air conditions. Amontillado (ah-mon-tee-yah-do), a medium-bodied, flavorful style is said to be like hazelnuts, and oloroso the full-bodied and concentrated styles having varying degrees of sweetness are compared to walnuts. Palo Cortado (pah-lo cor-tah-do) is technically a light oloroso but has some of the elegance and bouquet of an amontillado. Moreover, cream-style or sherries made with the Pedro Ximenez (peh-dro hee-meh-nez) grape can be thick, unctuous wines with a nutty, raisiny character.

Australia along with Spain and Central and Southern Italy are the hottest wines on the market. Extraordinary old-vines Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot plus proprietary blends are being made by Australia's top producers to the pleasure of wine connoisseurs world-wide. Several small US importers continue scoping out the finest products for import to American wine drinkers. Sadly, there are minuscule amounts made of most of these and they disappear off retailers racks quickly.

Australia is a country with no history of winemaking nor has any of its South-East Asian trading partners. It has had to develop into a wine making country without these advantages as other wine making countries have had. Consider too, that it existed for a long time as a penal colony for a country which itself was not much good at growing grapes. That country, England, was home to the world's greatest wine connoisseurs. The British, however, were focused on developing a temperate wine-drinking culture for Australia rather than the rum-drinking these exiles were accustomed to.

After a century or two of making low quality wines, Australia has transcended its reputation from those early years and is moving to the forefront by displaying some of the best new-age winemaking.

Australia's climate offers growing conditions with more than enough sunshine but not nearly enough rain which is advantageous in bringing the grapes to optimum ripeness. Its grape growing regions lay primarily in the country's South-East. Some of the more well known areas, and found on many of the labels are, Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Clare Valley, Victoria, Yarra Valley, New South Wales and Hunter Valley. A few small areas also exist in Western Australia and in the Northern Territory.

TableWine is affordable wines--wines that you might enjoy yourself every day or serve with confidence to your guests.

14. What if horizontal and vertical tasting

Horizontal is the tasting you do when you have a french lover

Vertical is how you taste when in wine class

It can also mean tasting wine horizontally is where you'll be tasting wines that are of the same variety, the same vintage, but from different producers. Example: a horizontal tasting of Melot would be wines made from this grape and made by different wineries from the 1990 vintage year.

Vertical tasting is his is where you will be tasting wines from the same producer and vineyard from several different vintages. Example: a vertical of Lerog Montrachet would be wines produced by Lerog from her Montrachet vineyard in several different vintages .. 1970,71,79,82 ... etc.

15. Steps in Winemaking

First thing you need is a recipe. You find recipes on the web or in winemaking books or you can compose your own recipe by combining several recipes. You can find a couple of recipes I've tested myself in the Recipes chapter. For other places on the web to find recipes, see the Links chapter.

If you want to compose a recipe yourself, measure the acidity with an acid test kit. Adjust the acidity to the amount you like, typically 5 to 8 g/l for wine. See the Acids chapter for more info on this subject.

Check if the recipe requires a juice fermentation (for white wines) or a pulp fermentation (for red or blush wines). Both require their own approach to the first stages of winemaking.

Specific procedures for pulp and juice fermentations for red and white wines are different

A juice fermentation must be used for making white wines. In this case juice is extracted from the fruit by pressing (with a wine press) and then fermented in a carboy or fermentation bottle (secondary fermentor).

A pulp fermentation is used to maximize color and flavour extraction, necessary in making red wines. It basically means making a pulp of fruit by crushing and fermenting on the pulp without extracting juice first. This can't be done in a carboy (secondary fermentor), but in a primary fermentor like a bucket. This fermentor must be sealable against the air and vinegar flies to some extent e.g. by placing a lid on top with an airlock or you can use a plastic bag attached to the top with a rubber band. Be inventive.

For beginners, it's best to start with some juice or concentrate bought in a shop. This is easy to start with and requires little equipment. This way you can start with a juice fermentation without having to press the fruit with a wine press, and avoiding a pulp fermentation.

Keep records of all ingredients and all events.

Sanitize your must to kill wild yeast and bacteria. This can be done by means of:

* Adding sulphite or crushed campden tablets (1g/10kg), the most common way

* Pouring boiling water over fruit, to kill most wild yeast and bacteria on the fruit skins

* Boiling, this helps extracting juice, but can result in change of flavour and could cause a pectin haze, if not using pectic enzyme

The sulphite is the most commonly used and probably the best way.

Crush the fruit, try to be inventive. A home made pulp cutter on a drilling machine can be very handy.

Juice fermentation requires the extraction of juices now. This can be done by boiling or by means of pressing.

Clean fermenting vessel and other material and rinse it with a sulphite solution to sterilize it.

Fill the fermentor with the must and add water, and other ingredients that the recipe calls for except the sugar and yeast.

Take a hydrometer reading first. Calculate the amount of sugar needed for the desired alcohol content. For more info on this subject, see the Sugar and alcohol chapter.

Dissolve the sugar and take a reading of the starting SG (Specific Gravity). If you have't got a hydrometer, add the sugar according to the recipe. Take out some must with a measuring jar, dissolve the sugar and gently pour off the liquid. This way all the sugar gets dissolved properly. You can boil the water before adding to the must and dissolve the sugar in the hot water first.

Crush and dissolve one campden tablet and add it to the must if you haven't already done so and let it stand for 24 hours for the sulphite to do its thing. For more info on sulphite use see the More info chapter.

Leave some room (at least 1/5) on top, otherwise the foam will leave you with a big mess when the fermentation starts and the fermentor overflows.

red

Cover the primary fermentor with a lid that doesn't close perfectly or use a plastic bag with a rubber band. Air must be able to get in to promote yeast growth during the first few days. Further, the carbon dioxide gas produced by the fermenting process must be able to escape. Vinegar flies must be kept out. A lid with a hole would be best, a piece of cotton or a paper towel could be applied.

Try making a little more wine than your secondary fermenting vessel can take for topping up purposes when racking later on.

white

Plug the bottle with some wadding or a paper towel to allow oxygen into the bottle and to keep fruit flies out. This is necessary to promote yeast growth during the first few days. Fill the carboy to 4/5 part. Put the rest of the wine in another bottle, so that you can completely fill the carboy later on in the process.

A yeast starter can be made (24 hours before fermentation start), but rehydrating the yeast is usually sufficient (about 15 minutes before fermentation start) if you are not making large batches of wine (less than 10 liters). A yeast starter gives the fermentation a more vigorous start.

For a simple yeast starter you'll need:

* Must (5 to 10 % of the amount to be fermented)

* Sugar (when the must contains little sugar)

* Small amount of yeast nutrient

* Small amount of citric acid (or some lemon juice)

* Wine yeast

Slightly heat the juice until lukewarm (about 30 degrees Celsius), nutrient and the citric acid. Put this mixture in a sterile bottle. Add the yeast and stir well. Cover with some wadding. Let it stand for about 24 hours untill foam has formed. When foam has formed, it is ready to be added to the must.

Another way to prepare the yeast is rehydration. Rehydration means dissolving the yeast in half a glass of tepid water and letting it stand for about 15 minutes. You can toss in a teaspoon of sugar to give it something to do. This of course must be done the day you're going to start the fermentation.

When you're lazy, just sprinkle the yeast on the must.

A yeast starter usually works best and it's necessary for larger quantities. For smaller quantities, rehydration usually is sufficient. The faster the must will start to ferment, the better. A yeast starter is the fastest way, rehydration comes next, and just adding the yeast dry takes the longest untill fermentation start. The longer the period before fermentation gets going, the more chance oxygen, bacteria and mold get to spoil your wine.

white

Go to the Secondary fermentation paragraph and skip the ones in between.

Primary fermentation

[[pressing cap]] red

24 hours after the campden tablet has been dissolved in the must, the yeast starter can be added to the must.

The actual start of fermentation will take place within about 2 days after adding the starter. This will be perceptable due to foam formation and bubbles will start rising towards the surface.

Pulp fermentation generally takes a few days to a week.

Foam will form in the primary fermentation vessel, but as it should be significantly larger than the amount of must to be fermented, the foam shouldn't be a problem.

The rising bubbles will cause a cap of fruit pulp to form on top, which must be pressed down at least once a day to keep it submerged to avoid mold growth. This can be done using a clean spoon. Pressing also maximizes color and flavour extraction.

Transfer to secondary

[[straining]] red

When the color and tannin extraction has been sufficient (a few days to a week after fermentation start) the must needs to be transferred to the secondary fermentor (a carboy or jug). The sediment and cap have to be separated from the wine. This can be done in a process called straining.

You may want to take a hydrometer reading here, if you have one. It should read about SG=1030.

Straining can be done like this:

* Clean the secondary fermentor and all equipment and rinse all with a sulphite solution. Wash your hands carefully.

* Clean and sterilize another bucket and put a nylon straining bag into it. [[straining]]

* Pour the must through the straining bag. You can use a measuring cup to do this. Avoid excess splashing.

* Take the bag out of the must and gently press the liquid out.

* Dispose of the solids.

* Pour the wine into the secondary fermentation vessel through a large funnel.

Put some cheesecloth over the funnel to catch small solid particles. If the cheesecloth becomes filled with particles and the flow through it is slowed down too much, pull the cloth a bit aside, such that a clean part covers the funnel.

After straining, place an airlock on top of the bottle.

Do not fill the carboy completely yet, because of overflow danger. If you've made some excess wine that doesn't fit the carboy, put it into a smaller bottle, also under airlock. You can use it for topping up while racking later on in the process.

red

After primary fermentation (and having racked the wine to the secondary fermentor when you've pulp fermented) the next fermentation step starts, the secondary fermentation (obvious isn't it?). Fermentation will continue here, but not as vigorously as primary fermentation. Fill your carboy almost to the top, when no foam is being formed any more.

Place a bung and airlock on top of the carboy.

white

When fermenting clear juice, you've skipped a few paragraphs. The process continues here.

You'll only fill the carboy for 4/5 part. Fill another bottle with juice so you'll be able to fill up the head space later on.

Add the yeast starter and get both bottles fermenting. Put a piece of wadding in the neck of the bottles to keep fruit flies out.

Foam will form on top of the must due to rising bubbles. That's why you only filled the carboy partially. The amount of foam depends on the ingredients used and fermentation conditions. Although you've only filled the bottle partially, the danger of overflowing still exists. That's why it's a good idea to place your carboy somewhere where spillage can't hurt like in a bucket or bath tub.

When the yeast has started doing its work, put a fermentation lock in place of the wadding.

When fermentation slows down (you can tell by the bubbling rate of the airlock or by hydrometer readings) it's time to add the rest of the total amount of sugar required if you want to get a higher alcohol content. The SG should be about 1010 now. It's best to add the sugar in several steps. Take a hydrometer reading before and after each sugar addition to be able to calculate the alcohol content when the wine is finished. Siphon off some wine, dissolve the sugar in it and siphon back. Notice that dissolved sugar needs some bottle space. Don't just throw dry sugar into the wine, unless you want to get a volcano foam eruption. Even worse, most sugar will sink to the bottom, not dissolving completely.

When the fermentation process really slows down (usually after a month or so) and all sugar has been added, you need to fill the bottle all the way to the top to minimize the surface area. This should be done because the wine doesn't provide itself a CO2 blanket any more (only during vigorous fermentation), and could oxidize (and get spoiled).

Use the excess wine you've made to top up, use a similar wine, or water.

Racking

[[racking]] When the wine has stopped fermenting (it has stopped bubbling) it has to be racked.

The wine has to be siphoned to another bottle leaving the sediment behind. The process has to be done several times so that you end up with a clear batch of wine. You'd better practice with some water first, if you've never racked before to avoid spilling the wine.

Racking is done like this:

* Find a carboy or big bottle to take all the wine.

* Clean the bottle and all equipment and sterilize all with a sulphite solution. Rinse with water.

* Dissolve a crushed campden tablet in half a glass of water and pour it into the empty bottle.

* Now put the full bottle a little higher (not over 1 m) than the bottle about to be filled. Place it on a kitchen chair or table for instance and the other one on the ground.

* Place the siphoning hose into the must and suck untill the wine starts to flow. Pay attention not to suck up the lees.

* Then pinch the hose and lower it into the other bottle. Release the tube and the wine will start flowing. Avoid vigorous splashing (to avoid oxidation).

* Stop the flow just before sucking up sediment.

* To avoid losing the wine mixed with lees, you can pour the remainder into a small bottle and let it stand overnight in a cool place like a refrigerator. The next day you can pour the wine off the lees and add it back to the rest of the wine.

* Rinse out the sediment. Use a bottle brush, if necessary.

* If the bottle in which the wine is now is bigger than the original one, siphon the wine back again.

* You will lose some volume here, so you'll have to refill the bottle to the top. You can use some excess wine you made by fermenting in a small bottle beside the carboy. If you didn't you can top it off with a similar wine or use water. Make sure that you've refilled the fermentation bottle within a day to avoid too much oxidation.

You'll have to repeat this sequence every time a reasonably thick layer of sediment has accumulated untill the wine is clear. About three rackings should do. If the wine doesn't clear out of itself, there are fining agents like bentonite to help you out. If you don't mind the haze, don't worry

When the wine is clear, and the fermentation process has fully ceased, the wine can be bottled. Take the hydrometer if you have one to check for residual sugars and to be able to calculate the alcohol content. The Sugar and alcohol chapter explains how to do this

The wine can also be matured in the fermentation bottle (bulk aged), but if you haven't got that many of those the choice is easy. Beware that if you bottle too soon, your corks might start popping out due to re-fermentation in the bottle, and leave you with a terrible mess. So it's best to wait a few months after fermentation stop to make sure that fermentation has fully ceased and the wine is stable.

Just before the actual bottling, the wine can be sweetened to taste. Check the Sugar and alcohol chapter on how to do this.

Use green or brown glass bottles for red wines, and white or colored bottles for white wines. The easiest bottle to work with is the Bordeaux type (easy to pile up).

Here is the bottling procedure:

Now that you've just finished filling your bottles it's necessary to cork them (if you've chosen to use wine bottles). Corking bottles really can't be done without a corking machine (believe me, I've tried). This could use some practice. When you're not making large quantities a hand held corking tool will do. Large quantities require a floor corker.

Here's how:

* 12 to 24 hours before bottling soak your corks in a sulphite solution to sterilize them and to make them more flexible. Make sure that the corks are fully submerged, so put some weight on top.

* Insert a cork in the device. and put it on top of the bottle.

* Push very hard untill the cork is in place.

* Take the corker off.

* If the cork hasn't been driven deep enough into the neck of the bottle, adjust the corker. If you've got a hand corker, put only the upper part of the device on the cork, and hammer it down with a wooden or rubber hammer. Do not try pushing while using only the upper part of the corker because the cork will overshoot and end up in the wine.

* Freshly corked bottles are best left standing up straight for a few days in order to prevent wine spillage due to popping corks (they still could pop, put a bottle standing won't leak empty). Corks could pop due to the force of the wine and compressed air. This risk goes away after a couple of days.

* Eventually the bottles must be layed on their sides, otherwise the corks will dry out, leak, and the wine will oxidize.

All bottles should be labeled. It is necessary to identify the type of wine, but a nice label also looks better.

A couple of things that could appear on it are: type of fruit, sweet/dry, year, month, date of fermentation start and bottling date, type of wine, your name, %vol alcohol.

You can buy labels ready made or you can have some custom designed for you. But homemade wine looks good with homemade labels. Labels can be made with pen and paper or on the computer. Almost every paint program or wordprocessor can produce nice labels.

For more info on making wine labels with a computer, see the Label making chapter.

Labels are best glued on with water soluble glue like Pritt or UHU stick. This is necessary for getting them off easily in order to reuse the bottle.

You can use capsules to cover the top of the bottle neck and the cork. It is mainly for decorative purposes.

Most capsules must be heated to attach them to the bottle neck. This can be done by means of a candle or a heat gun for removing old paintwork. Pouring boiling water over them also works. Of course this must be done before labeling.

Bottle aging

Aging means letting your wine lie down for a period of time before consumption so that its quality improves. This can be done before (bulk aging) or after bottling (bottle aging).

Almost every wine improves with time. A few months will cause significant change, a year or more will be better.

This process doesn't continue into infinity. There is something like a peak in quality, but most wine is being drunk too early. The time that home made wine will ages usually depends on how long you can bare to wait. A typical aging time for your first bottle is something between 1 second and one week after bottling. So the more wine you make, the better chance it gets to age.

To age wines you need a place where it is dark and where temperature is cool and relatively constant.

Drinking

That's what it's all about! Consuming your wine. You can drink it with some company so that you get opinions from outsiders about your wine.

It may taste different from commercial wine, you should be aware that you've really made something a bit special.

Use wine glasses, if you have some available. White wine should be drunk rather cool, red wine at room temperature.

Enjoy!

* 24 hours before bottling add one crushed campden tablet to the wine. Add potassium sorbate and sugar, if you want to obtain a sweet wine.

* Prepare corking, as this follows the bottling procedure immediately.

* Bottling requires some wine bottles which should have been cleaned when you got them. Just before bottling rinse them with a sulphite solution and drain them. This can be done by filling one bottle for 3/4. Shake well and use a funnel to transfer the solution to the next bottle.

* Filling the bottles can be done with your siphoning tube. This is done like racking, only now you don't have to worry about the lees. Bottles need to be filled to about 1 cm below the cork. Don't try to fill the bottles exactly to to this level in one operation, but stop the flow a little earlier and top up a funnel afterwards to avoid spilling the wine.

* When you exchange bottles, you'll have to stop the flow. This can be done by pinching the hose. Another way to stop the flow is by lifting the bottle to the same level as the fermenting bottle. But don't lift it too high, or the wine will flow back and out of the hose and you'll have to suck again. A little tap attached to your siphoning hose together with another piece of hose to reach the bottom of the wine bottles facilitates bottling.

16 Research of Dr. Bruce Zoecklein VT

Does both applied and basic research into eonology and viticulture. The focus of his activities seem to be stabilization of wine product, aroma how to increase it and maintain it's shelf life, soil effects on varietals in Virginia, bio-chemical manipulation of wine during the production process to increase taste and aroma including addressing yeast issues, sugar content, and various filtering processes to reduce tannic acid. In other words, what can the research at Virginia Tech do to increase production and quality for winegrowers and winemakers.

Books by Dr. Bruce Zoecklein

Winery Planning and Cost Analysis

Winery Planning and Design Guide. This 103 page workshop proceeding covers topics such as business planning, winery design considerations, winery layout, gravity flow, wine caves, etc. Available for $45. Make check to Bruce Zoecklein foundation and mail to:

Bruce Zoecklein

Department of Food Science & Technology

Blacksburg, VA 24061-0418

Folwell, R.J., Bales, T.A., and Edwards, C. Costs of Investment and Operationin Various Sizes of Premium Table Wine Wineries in Washington.

Washington State University Cooperative Extension No. XB1038

White, R., Adamson, B., Rankine, B. Refrigeration for Winemakers.

Winetitles.

Storm, D.R. 1997. Winery Utilities: Planning, Design and Operation.

New York: Chapman & Hall (Aspen Publishing)

A Review of Méthode Champenoise Production [*] [*] [*] [*]

A Review of Méthode Champenoise Production Author: Bruce Zoecklein , Assistant Professor and Enology Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech Publication Number 463-017, posted June 1999 "Méthode champenoise represents the best expression of the vine" Table of Contents ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/viticulture/463-017/463-017.html 10/02/01, 113643 bytes

A Review of Méthode Champenoise Production [*] [*] [*] [ ]

A Review of Méthode Champenoise Production Author: Bruce Zoecklein , Assistant Professor and Enology Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech Publication Number 463-017, posted June 1999 Figure 2. Reported Impact of Yeast Autolysis on Various Attributes of Sparkling Wine Quality ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/viticulture/463-017/Figure2.html 10/02/01, 823 bytes

A Review of Méthode Champenoise Production [*] [*] [*] [ ]

A Review of Méthode Champenoise Production Author: Bruce Zoecklein , Assistant Professor and Enology Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech Publication Number 463-017, posted June 1999 Figure 1. The Grape Berry Return to A Review of Méthode Champenoise Production

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/viticulture/463-017/Figure1.html 10/02/01, 702 bytes

Viticulture Notes [*] [*] [ ] [ ]

... commenced in 2000 with measures of vine size, components of yield, and fruit chemistry. Small-lot winemaking will commence in 2001 or 2002 under Dr. Bruce Zoecklein 's direction. Evaluations will continue for 6 to 8 years. We plan to expand into clone evaluations of Merlot, Cabernet franc, Petit Verdot ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/viticulture/00novdec.html 11/29/00, 22751 bytes

Viticulture Notes [*] [*] [ ] [ ]

... -rooted vines are "productive and moderately vigorous" when grown in phylloxera infested soils. In subsequent personal communication, Dr. Bruce Reisch, who released Chardonel, has warned that because Chardonel is at least 50% vinifera, one should be cautious about planting Chardonel anywhere ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/viticulture/98dec.html 12/11/98, 21308 bytes

Viticulture Notes [*] [*] [ ] [ ]

... yield and quality, rot incidence, labor requirements of the systems so that prospective users can anticipate these responses in their vineyard. With Bruce Zoecklein 's input, we are also looking at wine quality as a function of the different systems. The research is supported by grants from the Virginia ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/viticulture/01novemberdecember/01novemberdecember.html 12/10/01, 33241 bytes

Viticulture Notes [*] [*] [ ] [ ]

Virginia Cooperative Extension - Knowledge for the CommonWealth Viticulture Notes Vineyard and Winery Information Series: Vol. 17 No. 2, March-April 2002 Dr. Tony K. Wolf, Viticulture Extension Specialist Table of Contents I. Current situation and question from the field II. Increased threat of Pierce ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/viticulture/02marchapril/02marchapril.html 04/08/02, 25588 bytes

Viticulture Notes [*] [*] [ ] [ ]

Virginia Cooperative Extension - Knowledge for the CommonWealth Viticulture Notes Volume 13, Number 5 -- September-October, 1998 Dr. Tony K. Wolf, Viticulture Extension Specialist Table of Contents I. Current situation II. Question from the field: dormant sprays III. Upcoming Meetings I. Current Situation ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/viticulture/98sepoct.html 10/15/98, 19520 bytes

Viticulture Notes [*] [*] [ ] [ ]

Virginia Cooperative Extension - Knowledge for the CommonWealth Viticulture Notes Vineyard and Winery Information Series: Vol. 15 No. 4, July-August 2000 Dr. Tony K. Wolf, Viticulture Extension Specialist Table of Contents I. Current situation/pest management tips I. Question from the field II. Potassium ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/viticulture/00julaug.html 08/03/00, 29392 bytes

Viticulture Notes [*] [*] [ ] [ ]

Virginia Cooperative Extension - Knowledge for the CommonWealth Viticulture Notes Vineyard and Winery Information Series: Vol. 17 No. 1, January - February 2002 Dr. Tony K. Wolf, Viticulture Extension Specialist Table of Contents I. Current situation II. Fungicide Resistance Management III. Uruguay ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/viticulture/02januaryfebruary/02januaryfebruary.html 03/07/02, 24053 bytes

Viticulture Notes [*] [*] [ ] [ ]

Virginia Cooperative Extension - Knowledge for the CommonWealth Viticulture Notes Vineyard and Winery Information Series: Vol. 14 No.6, November - December, 1999 Dr. Tony K. Wolf, Viticulture Extension Specialist Table of Contents I. Current situation II. Weed management for grapes III. Upcoming meetings ...

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/viticulture/99dec.html 12/02/99, 20871 bytes