What is wine and how it is made?

What is Wine?

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of grapes.

The process of making wine involves several steps, including harvesting the grapes, crushing them to extract the juice, and fermenting the juice.

Harvesting: Grapes are typically harvested by hand or with a machine, depending on the size of the vineyard and the type of grape. The grapes are picked when they are fully ripe and at their peak of flavor.

Crushing and pressing: The harvested grapes are crushed to release their juice. This can be done by hand with a winepress, or by machine. Once the juice is extracted, it is separated from the grape skins, seeds, and stems, which are known as the "must."

Fermentation: The juice, now called "must," is placed in a fermentation vessel, usually made of stainless steel or wood. Yeast is then added to the must, which converts the natural sugar in the grapes into alcohol. This process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the type of wine and the desired alcohol content.

Aging: After fermentation, the wine is aged in barrels or tanks. Aging allows the wine to develop complexity and smoothness and can take from a few months to several years depending on the type of wine.

Bottling: After aging, the wine is bottled and corked. Some wine may be filtered or fined before bottling to remove any remaining particles or impurities. After bottling, the wine may be aged further in the bottle before being sold.

It's important to notice that this is a general process, wine styles and variations can change the process, like the use of different types of yeast, or the use of oak barrels for aging.

Also, the grape variety plays a big role in the final product, different varietals will provide different flavors and aroma for the wine.