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31 January 2013

The Art of Natural Wine Production

Wine making in itself is a natural process that stems from the base of a very simple concept. This is the crushing of grapes into a suitable liquid holding container that will release their juices. The fermentation process will then begin, before eventually creating a wine that will be ready to drink. Natural wine production is a relatively new concept that has slowly made is mark within the wine industry, with many wine makers trying their hand at a successful wine making process.

The fermentation process is caused by a single celled organism called yeast that naturally harbour in the vineyard and then settle on the grapes. The yeast is the most important part, as it turns the sugar from the grapes into alcohol, whilst also creating the carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide will dissipate into the air and once the yeast has finished its job, the result will be a liquid we know as wine.

The winemaker chooses the container used to ferment the wine, which could be stainless steel, oak wood or any other container they deem necessary. The container, size, temperature during store and duration that the wine is fermented in will determine the taste outcome. Wine is usually left anywhere between three days to three months before being consumed, or further left to sit and mature, which can add flavour to it.

Wine makers take basic steps and develop their own processes to make a range of wines. The main factor that determines the taste of a wine will be the type of grape used. Riper, sweeter grapes add to the alcohol content of the wine. The region in which the grapes are grown also play a major role in the flavour, along with the soil, climate, intent of the winemaker, local traditions, culture and other factor s that have an effect in the flavour the wine will have.

Many wine makers are exploring and using new age methods to try and develop ‘health natural wine’ that doesn’t use chemicals and sulphites. Although these wines are now available for purchase and consumption, they are not stocked by large companies as they are difficult to look after appropriately, which if mishandled can result in a faulty wine.