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The production of wine is completely dependent on two factors:
- Growing of the grapes or Viticulture
- Turning these grapes into wine or Vinification
Grape growing and wine making may be two very different disciples, but the making of truly great wine demands excellence in both areas; the vineyard and the winery. |
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The grape vine is the source of all wine. Reaching the highest level of quality in wine is only possible by starting with the highest quality fruit.
The grape vine prefers the temperate climate in which it evolved, with warm, dry summers and mild winters. Winters of sustained cold kill grape vines. High humidity promotes vine disease. Tropical temperatures disrupt the normal vine cycle of winter dormancy. |
Grape vines are fairly adaptable plants, growing in a wide variety of soil types, from light sand to packed clay, and flourishing around the globe in the temperate bands between 20° and 50° Latitude, north or south of the Equator. They are successfully grown in Europe, the Balkans, Asia, Mediterranean and South Africa, South Australia and New Zealand, most of North and South America. |
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The production process of wine has remained the same throughout the ages, but new sophisticated machinery and technology have helped streamline and increase the output of wine. |
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| The character of a wine – its aroma, taste and structure is shaped by the grapes from which it is made. |
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| Harvest is the picking of the grapes and in many ways the first step in wine production. Grapes are either harvested mechanically or by hand. |
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| Destemming is the process of separating stems from the grapes. |
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(Yeast converts the sugar to ethanol). Crushing is the process of removing the grapes from the rachis and breaking the skins of the grapes. |
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Remaining sugars are converted to alcohol and the wine becomes clear. The secondary fermentation usually takes place in either large stainless steel vessels with a volume of several cubic meters of wine, or oak barrels. |
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Wine is kept to age in oak barrels or stainless steel tanks. Old wines – from 5 to 7 years. New wines – from 2 to 3 years. |
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Different batches of wine can be mixed before bottling in order to achieve the desired taste. The wine bottles are traditionally sealed with a cork, although alternative wine closures such as synthetic corks and screwcaps are also used. |
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