Category: Wine Making Science

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Topping Up Your Wine

While oxygen is necessary in the early stages of fermentation it is also the mortal enemy of wine makers once a wine has gone still. Topping up your wine after fermentation is complete is the best way to minimize how much oxygen your wine is exposed to.

As our wines ferment we rack it from one container to another to get it off the lees. Each time we do this though we lose a bit of wine and increase the surface area of the wine we have left. This can leave us with too much head space at a time when our wine is most susceptible to oxygen exposure.

Topping up is the process of adding wine to your carboy, barrel, or tank to reduce the amount of head space (also known as ullage). This serves two very important purposes. Continue reading “Topping Up Your Wine”

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The First Winemaker’s Academy Wine Tasting

This past weekend (July 7th 2013) my wife and I hosted the very first wine tasting showcasing the wines produced during The Great Riesling Yeast Experiment (part i, part ii, part iii). It was held at our house with just one other couple we invited over.

The point of this wine tasting, and the point of the experiment, was to determine if you could produce distinctly different wines by fermenting the same grape juice with different strains of yeast. I split a six gallon World Vineyard Riesling kit into two, three gallon batches and fermented them separately, one with RHST and the other with W15 yeast strains.

The spread at the first Winemaker's Academy Wine Tasting

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Cold Stabilization of Wine

Cold stabilization of wine is a method used to keep tartaric acid crystals from forming after the wine has been bottled. This process is referred to as cold stabilization because it is the act of cooling the wine that causes tartaric acid to form tartrate crystals, also known as wine crystals or wine diamonds.

If wines are not cold stabilized there is a chance that these crystals will form when consumers place bottles of wine in the refrigerator or store it for long periods of time. While the crystals are harmless it can be rather unsettling to find what looks like broken glass in your wine if you don’t know what it really is.

Cold stabilization of wine can prevent the formation of tartrate crystals.
Tartrate crystals on a cork.

Why do Tartrate Crystals Form?

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How Oak Affects Wine

Oak, also known as the winemakers spice cabinet. It affects wine not only the flavor of wine but its chemistry as well. It is important to understand that not all oak is the same.

Different Oaks for Different Folks

American and French oak impart different textures to wines. The choice of which to use is an important one.I’m sorry I couldn’t resist that. It is true though. Oak from different countries impart different flavors and textures to the wine it comes in contact with. This is why you see French and American barrels and oak chips at wine making shops. Continue reading “How Oak Affects Wine”

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What Are Tannins?

The tannins in the stems, seeds, and skins are largely responsible for the aging capability of red wines.Tannins are an astringent compound found in plants that are responsible for the gritty texture in red wines. They have no flavor or aroma but can be experienced as dryness.

The word tannin stems from the use of this compound to “tan” leather. Which is why your tongue feels a little like leather when drinking a high tannin wine without food. Continue reading “What Are Tannins?”