| While the basics of wine making remain the same | | | | air is the enemy of white wine, contact with it |
| regardless of the type of wine you are making, | | | | must be minimized because if oxidation occurs, |
| white wine has much more delicate flavors and | | | | the wine becomes colored. |
| aromas so it requires some special care. Normally | | | | Fermentation |
| white wine is made from white grapes, although it | | | | After extraction of the juice, the liquid is held in a |
| is possible with red grapes if the skins and seeds | | | | stainless steel vat. Here, the yeasts turn sugar |
| are removed. | | | | into alcohol. Winemakers have a choice of |
| Harvesting The Grapes | | | | whether to use the naturally occurring yeast that |
| The time to pick the grapes for white wine | | | | is found in the grapes or use cultured yeast. The |
| production depends on the variety that was | | | | fermentation process generally takes from 3 to 4 |
| planted and the desired style of the finished wine. | | | | weeks. |
| Timing is important, as they need to be picked at | | | | The ultimate goal of fermentation is to keep |
| right time of the day to ensure the right balance | | | | finesse and the quality of aroma. This can only be |
| between acids and sugars. To prevent bruising, | | | | achieved with a thorough control of the |
| the grapes are picked carefully. They are first | | | | temperature range during the process, usually |
| placed in a cleaner that removes foreign matter. | | | | between 60 degrees F to 68 degrees F. This |
| Some types of grapes are more acidic that | | | | range will allow the optimal aroma development, |
| others and need more time on the vine to | | | | including the slow transformation of sugar and an |
| produce more sugar. Other varieties that are | | | | excellent production of alcohol. The fermentation |
| destined to be produced with lower alcohol | | | | process can stop and be made difficult if lower |
| content do not need the same amount of sugar | | | | temperatures are allowed to persist. On the other |
| during fermentation. As far as diseases are | | | | hand, higher temperature will make fermentation |
| concerned, white grapes have a higher tolerance | | | | overly active; resulting in the loss of refined |
| against infection without compromising quality. An | | | | aromas and you will get a coarse and ordinary |
| infection of dry botrytis can, in fact, improve wine | | | | wine. |
| with many varieties. | | | | Racking |
| Sorting | | | | The sediment that accumulates at the bottom of |
| Grapes are harvested as whole clusters in the | | | | fermentation containers is called lees. To separate |
| vineyard. Because of this, many other undesirable | | | | clean wine from the lees, a decanting process |
| and foreign matters are also picked up. When the | | | | called racking is used. This is done several times |
| grapes arrive at the winery, they are sorted for | | | | until the wine comes out clean, clear and just right |
| quality. Grapes destined to be made into white | | | | for bottling. White wines are usually racked shortly |
| wine skip the destemming process. Whole cluster | | | | after the completion of alcoholic fermentation. It is |
| pressing of white varieties accentuate a more | | | | repeated after the wine has been cold stabilized. |
| delicate flavor, fruitiness and aroma. However, | | | | Aging |
| destemming white grapes can add greater tannin | | | | Most white wines are aged for 1-3 years in |
| extraction and more body. | | | | stainless vats, although Chardonnay and several |
| Juicing | | | | other whites are often aged in oak barrels to give |
| Immediately after their arrival in the cellar, the | | | | it extra flavor. After this wines are filtered one |
| grapes are crushed. At this point, all skins and | | | | last time and put in the bottle. Most white wines |
| stems are removed. The resulting juice (free run | | | | are ready to drink after bottling and actually will |
| must) is sent to settle in containers. The rest of | | | | begin to deteriorate if aged too long in the bottle. |
| the grapes are pressed as quickly as possible. As | | | | |