Project Garnacha
Contact us
  • Home
  • About Garnacha
  • Blog
  • Photo gallery
  • World Winemakers Project

Genius in a bottle

1/7/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Had lunch with the boys like we often do on Fridays. Varo and Stacey just bought a wine fridge, David suggested that the wine still ferments even when in the bottle. It got me thinking, it doesn't or at least shouldn't. 

One or two fermentations happen in wine, alcoholic and malolactic. Alcoholic fermentation turns sugar into alcohol. Malolactic fermentation turns malic acid (sharp apple flavours) into malic acid (creamy or milky). 

No further fermentation takes place in the bottle, or at least it shouldn't on most wines. It would develop unwanted flavours (faults) or fizziness. The exception being sparkling wine production, where some sugar is left to achieve a second fermentation in the bottle which gives carbon dioxide (bubbles). 

Having said that, David is correct in that a few processes take place inside the bottle. Bottles are not air tight, miniscule parts of oxigen leave the wine through the cork during aging, almost negligable evaporation. This evaporation diminishes the risk of negative changes in the wine. 

Without oxygen, complex flavours and odours are formed by the interaction between acids and alcohols within the bottle. This process is called esterification. Through esterification sharp acids in young wines are mellowed out while more complex fruit aromas develop. These complex aromas or esters and are naturally present in the essential oils of plants. 

We therefore associate wine flavours and scents with fruit and flower aromas. This is how primary aromas naturally present in wines develop to more complex aromas called bouquet. The term bouquet itself is an analogy to flowers: our senses associate the roundness and complexity (bouquet) of a wine to be more than just the sum of individual (aromas) elements.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Luis Garcia studied Business Administration at Toledo University and Management Accountancy (CIMA) in London where he lives and works.

    In his spare time he is a passionate nature lover (vines and trees), enjoys making things (wine, olive oil) and helping Spanish people settle in London. 

    Archives

    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    January 2018
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    In The Vineyard
    Tasting Notes
    Tasting Notes
    Winemaking

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.