How Terroir Affects Wine Making

What is Terroir?

Terroir is a French term (pronounced terwah) and translates literally as “land” or “local” depending upon who you ask. In the world of wine though it takes on a far more complex meaning. One that is difficult to fully describe or even just wrap your mind around.

Terroir refers to a wine's sense of place.The simplest definition I can find is “a sense of place”. Meaning that if a wine is said to be showing its terroir it is displaying characteristics of the specific locale the grapes were grown. What makes this so difficult is separating out the differences between two Chardonnays that are due to terroir versus differences caused by different wine making process.

To get a better idea of what this terroir concept is all about let’s take a look at some of the factors that affect a wines terroir. The following list is by no means complete, it’ll just give us a good place to start from. Continue reading “How Terroir Affects Wine Making”

Blending Wine With Pearson’s Square

Blending wine to adjust wine chemistry can be a little tricky. Luckily there’s a handy tool you can use, Pearson’s Square, for determining the proper proportions needed to create the right balance in your final wine.

The science of blending wine using Pearson's SquareThis tool can be used for blending a wine of high alcohol and one of low alcohol content to produce a wine with a more reasonable alcohol level. It doesn’t end with alcohol though, Pearson’s Square can be used to:

  • blend wines of different acidity to create a more balanced wine
  • blend wines of different degrees of sweetness
  • calculate sugar additions to increase a finished wine’s alcohol content
  • blend wine and brandy when fortifying a wine

So how does this magical tool work? Let’s find out. Continue reading “Blending Wine With Pearson’s Square”

How to Make Fortified Wine

What Are Fortified Wines?

Fortified wines are regular grape wines that have been given an alcohol boost using grape spirits. While this does produce a high alcohol wine that isn’t the whole story and it isn’t why this practice began.

Port, one of the most popular fortified winesThe real reason fortified wines came into being was to solve stability issues in finished wine. Sherry is believed to be one of the earliest fortified wines which may have been produced as early as 1260 AD. Port came about a little later, during the 18th century.

Today we use sulfites and tight sealing closures to protect our wines. Back then the closures were not nearly so effective and they didn’t even know about all the tiny micro organisms we worry about today. Both of these factors would have made wine stability a much bigger deal. Continue reading “How to Make Fortified Wine”

Using Pectic Enzymes to Make Wine

Nearly every fruit wine recipe calls for pectic enzymes to be added but what do they really do? How do the work? Are there any safety concerns when working with this additive? Let’s find out.

Pectic enzymes break down the pectin found between the primary and secondary cell walls of grape cells.
Pectin is located between the primary and secondary cell walls. Click for a larger image.

Pectic enzyme, also known as pectinase, is a protein that is used to break down pectin, a jelly like glue that holds plant cells together. In wines pectin can cause troublesome “pectin haze” that is not easily cleared without the use of pectic enzymes. Continue reading “Using Pectic Enzymes to Make Wine”

Carbonic Maceration of Wine Grapes

Carbonic maceration is a unique method of fermenting grapes into wine. While it doesn’t completely ferment all of the sugar into alcohol, it does impart a unique character on the wine.

Whole grape clusters are used in carbonic maceration.What makes this method of fermentation so different is that you begin with whole, unbroken grape clusters still on the stems. The grapes are then placed in a sealed fermentation container filled with carbon dioxide. Continue reading “Carbonic Maceration of Wine Grapes”