| Wine is made in winery and wineries exist all over | | | | juices), which acts as a barrier preventing the oak |
| the world and come in a variety of sizes. The | | | | flavor from being infused in the wine. Examples of |
| grapes are grown at the wineries and then turned | | | | oaked Sauvignon Blanc can be found in France, |
| into wine and there are many varieties of grapes; | | | | however the aging of unwooded Sauvignon Blanc |
| each one either used either alone or combined to | | | | in bottles produces a nutty toasted flavour as if it |
| make different wines. But how exactly is white | | | | was stored in wood therefore it really is not |
| wine made? | | | | necessary. |
| To make a white wine, once grapes are brought | | | | Why would someone want to produce an |
| to the winery they are de-stemmed and crushed | | | | unwooded wine? The answer is simple, money. It |
| before anything else is done. A machine is used to | | | | is much cheaper to produce wine in large steel |
| split the grapes to remove stems and stalks from | | | | tanks, and the work required after fermentation |
| each bunch because they contain astringent | | | | is minimal allowing bottling and release to be |
| tannins, which might be acceptable for red wines, | | | | quicker. This does not, however, mean unwooded |
| but are rare in whites. To stop the fermentation | | | | wine is in any way inferior to wooded wine. It is |
| process from starting and turning the grapes | | | | simply a different process. |
| brown and oxidizing (causing a vinegar type taste) | | | | Wooded wines can often begin their fermentation |
| a chemical called Sulphur Dioxide is added to the | | | | in steel tanks before being transferred to oak |
| grapes. For those with allergies to Sulphur Dioxide, | | | | barrels to finish fermenting, or they can have a |
| "sulphur-free" wine is produced as well, however | | | | second fermentation known as malolactic |
| the lifespan on this wine is much shorter and | | | | fermentation. A third option, barrel fermentation, |
| needs to be consumed quickly. | | | | is to simply ferment the wine once from start to |
| After the grapes are split and the stems have | | | | finish in an oak barrel. Malolactic fermentation is |
| been removed, they are sent to be pressed. | | | | the process in wine where malic acid begins to |
| Pressing the grapes releases their juices. The | | | | turn into lactic acid. This happens with the addition |
| press is a large machine that has a canvas like | | | | of bacteria, which in turn gives the wine buttery |
| material that separates the juice from the skins | | | | creamy characteristics. Wooded white wines are |
| and seeds by allowing the juice to escape. The | | | | in barrels from six to twelve months before being |
| separated juice is then pumped gently to another | | | | filtered. |
| steel tank where the sediment is allowed to settle | | | | The next step in making white wine is filtration. |
| to the bottom before being transferred again. | | | | The most common way commercial wineries filter |
| The now sediment free juice is either pumped | | | | their wine is with a membrane filter, which |
| into another steel tank (unwooded wines) or to | | | | catches all the particles floating in the liquid. Some |
| wooden barrels (wooded wines) where the | | | | winemakers prefer not to filter at all thinking it will |
| preferred yeast type is added and fermentation | | | | remove characters from the wine that were |
| can begin. Fermentation of white wine can take 3 | | | | created in the winemaking process. After the |
| days or 30 days depending on the type of wine | | | | wine has been filtered it is bottled and sealed and |
| being produced. | | | | ready for marketing. |
| For unwooded whites, once the fermentation | | | | It all seems too easy, but it takes great skill. |
| process is over, the wine is removed from the | | | | Climates need to be controlled, ingredients need |
| steel tanks and separated from the dead yeast | | | | to be accurately measured and timing needs to |
| cells. Whites such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and | | | | be perfect. Sometimes it is easy to forget that a |
| Chardonnay are typically unwooded wines, | | | | bottle of wine can take so long to make and that |
| however there are small exceptions. Rieslings in | | | | patience is key. However, it is this patience and |
| Europe can be made in wooden barrels, though | | | | attention to detail that brings out the best in a |
| the barrels usually have a crust of tartaric | | | | bottle of wine. |
| crystals (found in grapes and solidifies in their | | | | |