Linda Seppanen Garvin Heights Vineyards 2255 Garvin Heights Road Winona, MN
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Linda Seppanen Garvin Heights Vineyards 2255 Garvin Heights Road Winona, MN Overview of winemaking Quality fruit Grapes are fermented by yeast and converted into wine. Winemaking procedure(s) differs at winemaker, winery, region, and country level. Many different techniques, recipes, outcomes. Desired wine style dictates much of winemaking techniques employed. Money, time and workers also important. Why we bother! Evaluating Wine –Objective Qualities Varietal character How well a wine presents the aromas and flavors inherent to the grapes from which it was made Integration How well all the components of wine are balanced and complementary to each other Expressiveness Well‐defined and clearly projected aromas and flavors Complexity That indescribable something that makes wine more art than beverage Connectedness The cultural connection a wine has to the place it was grown Components of Wine Alcohol Comes from fermentation; affects body, texture, aroma, & flavor May be sensed as a “hot” smell or burning sensation in the nose Acidity Comes from natural acid in the grape; may be sensed as tartness Wines lacking acidity taste dull, flat or flabby and do not age well Tannin Comes from seeds, skins and stems; adds “backbone” and “character” to the wine; is a natural preservative In overabundance, wine tastes harsh or bitter Fruitiness Propensity of wine to display fruity aromas and flavors Sugar (sweetness/dryness) Depends on how much of the grape’s original sugar content was converted to alcohol Not the same as fruitiness! Evaluating Wine Smell Taste Sight Evaluating Wine ‐ Smell Much of taste is smell, so getting a good whiff is important Aerate the wine by swirling it in the glass Stick your nose in the glass and inhale Called the nose, aroma, or bouquet Aroma traditionally refers to grape‐associated smells Bouquet refers to other smells (e.g. oak, vanilla, nutty or buttery) Aroma Wheel Evaluating Wine ‐ Taste Initial taste The first impression of a wine on your tongue Take a sip, don’t swallow yet Taste Swirl the wine around in your mouth, draw in some air Evaluate body & texture as well as flavor and balance Aftertaste The flavors and aromas that last after swallowing the wine Evaluate length of finish (the longer the better) as well as flavor Spit or Swallow…? Evaluating Wine Body Light, medium, or full? (think about the difference between skim milk, whole milk, and cream) Texture How does the wine feel in your mouth (e.g. soft, sharp, smooth)? If you had to describe the wine as a fabric, what would it be? Flavor What specific components can you taste? It may help to run through lists of choices. Balance Is the wine overwhelmed by any components (alcohol, acidity, tannin, fruitiness, sugar)? Length How long do the flavors and aromas linger after swallowing? Evaluating Wine ‐ Sight Color Hold glass down & at 45 degree angle against a white backdrop Is a clue to age (whites darken, reds lighten w/ age) Is not a clue to flavor intensity For white wines, also look for clarity Legs Swirl the wine in the glass & note viscosity of droplets which form & run down glass Indicates body & possibly alcohol content and/or sweetness Definitions USA: definition for taxation Table wine: 7 –14% alcohol Fortified wine: up to 24% alcohol Sparkling wine: effervescent wine with certain level of carbonation Europe Table wine: lowest quality wine produced No appellation or much distribution From the vineyard to the glass ‐ Terroir, the taste of place The qualities in a wine determined by its point of origin or appellation The combined effect of sun exposure, soil conditions, climate, water quality The sense of history In all agricultural products, but most talked about in wine and maybe cheese Upper Mississippi River Valley Viticulture Area Winery Operations Harvest Crush Must Additions Pressing Settling/Racking Fermentation(s) Aging/Blending Filtering/Cold Stabilization Bottling Harvest Harvest decisions • How do we determine ripeness? • Vineyard Sampling • Berry Growth • Sugar concentration (Brix) • Titratable Acidity and pH Portable refractometer for Brix Vineyard Sampling Sample must represent entire vineyard (changes in topography, soil, etc.) Everything must be chosen randomly i.e.. different areas of cluster, canopy location, row orientation Berry Sample (100‐200 berries) Most Robust but must be meticulous and unbiased Cluster Sample (20‐50) Removes bias in berry sampling but requires more fruit Vine Sample (all clusters from 1 vine) Only useful in vineyards where topography is uniform Most robust is Berry sampling Berry Expansion During Ripening Berry Growth goes through 3 stages Stage 1 Rapid Growth Stage 2 Lag Phase Stage 3 Resumed Growth and Maturation Growth pattern follows a double sigmoid During ripening the berry is expanding 3 to 4 cell number cell volume 300 fold. Veraison (softening and coloration) begins at stage 3 Sugar and Organic Acids Primary compounds of interest are sugar and organic acids (sweet and sour). As grape ripens it accumulates sugar Rapid sugar accumulation starts at veraison Organic Acids decline during ripening Decline is due to dilution and respiration. Climatic Variation changes sugars and organic acids Hot Climate: High sugar Low Acid Cool Climate: Low sugar High Acid Sugar and Organic Acids during Ripening Sugar Measurement Sugar (glucose and fructose) is the most abundant compound(s) found in berry. Other berry constituents are synthesized from it. Abundance allows indirect methodology for measurement. (Unit Brix=% or g/100 mL) Hydrometer used in winery to monitor fermentation Refractometer used in vineyard. (Uses refractive index of sugars) Sugar and Ripeness Typically grapes will accumulate up to 25‐26 Brix and after that increases are apparent and occur from dehydration. Winemakers often will allow crop to hang on vine and dehydrate waiting for flavors to develop. During this hang time the berries tend to shrivel and lose weight. Negotiation for grape prices can be based on tonnage and this reduces weight of clusters. Winemakers who like to develop flavors should negotiate an acreage contract to maintain grower relationship. Ethanol Predictions Ethanol can be predicted from initial Brix in crusher. Alcohol % = about ½ Brix Table wine (USA definition) = 7 –14% alcohol Organic Acids Principal organic acids are tartaric acid and malic acid. Tartaric acid (most abundant) Stereochemistry was elucidated by Louis Pasteur in 1849. Stable to microbial fermentation but forms insoluble salts with potassium (K2Tar found on the bottom of the cork or bottle in aged wines, KHTar is cream of tartar) Malic acid (second abundant) can be metabolized by yeast and bacteria (discussed later). Organic Acid Measurement Measured by titrating with a base of known concentration in the presence of a chemical indicator with a known pH end point. This measurement called titratable acidity (TA) pH is measured either with a meter or litmus paper. Concentrations range from 8.0 g/L to 6.5 g/L pH ranges from 2.8 to 4.0. White wine 3.0‐3.3 Red wine 3.2‐3.4 Other Parameters? Anthocyanin and tannin content in red grapes Total phenols in white grapes. Grape and wine relationship not well established for either because of processing effects. Aroma compounds in grape difficult to measure. Methodology(s) for measurement tedious and not ready for production scale. Tasting Grapes Contrary to myth no one can accurately estimate sugars and acid by taste. Tasting by panel (including winemaker and grower) with examination of sugar, acid, color, and flavor. Experience will provide perspective on varietal aroma, color and balance. Building a historical database with subjective and objective descriptions can help. Harvesting Practices Primary objectives: Pick all of the grapes as fast as possible with minimum damage, inexpensively. Sounds impossible? Condition of fruit at crush largely determines wine quality. Competition with birds (good ripeness indicator). Early morning harvest are good because it is easier to process cool fruit. Manual vs. Machine Harvesting Manual harvesting can be quick, selective, thorough, with minimal damage but not cheap. Machine harvesting is cheaper but usually damages vines and reduces yield slightly. Vineyard topography and trellis design largely determine type of harvesting style. Hilly vineyards are difficult to machine harvest. Trellis design must be able to withstand machine damage and make fruit easily accessible to machine mechanism. Good manual labor is hard to find. Crush Making White Wine Grapes are picked Grapes are crushed (stems may or may not be removed) Grapes are pressed, skins removed, and placed in tank Yeast may be added, and fermentation begins Making White Wine (cont.) When fermentation ends, wine may be left in contact with lees (spent yeast) Wine is racked Possibly cold stabilized Possibly put into barrels to age Possibly filtered Wine is bottled Making Red Wine Grapes are picked Grapes are crushed (stems may or may not be removed) Grapes, juice, skins and seeds are put in a tank Yeast may be added, and fermentation begins Making Red Wines (cont.) “Cap” is pushed down Wine is drained (first run) and then pressed (first press) off skins after fermentation ends Wine is put in barrels to age Periodically racked Possibly filtered Wine is bottled Press Tanks for aging Bottling Fermentation Primary fermentation is conversion