An understanding of how grape juice is turned into wine will give us some insight into this complex world and will also help to demonstrate that all wines are not created equal. Simply saying that wine is made through fermentation — a process by which yeast converts the sugars in grapes (or any fruit, for that matter) into alcohol and carbon dioxide — is oversimplifying the tremendous work undertaken by the vineyard management and the wine-making team. The grape grower and the winemaker must work together to determine what type and style of wine they intend to produce.

In the vineyard – from soil to harvest

Firstly, not all grapes can be used for making wine. The selected species must have all the necessary nutrients and must be able to withstand the climatic conditions where they are grown. The vast majority of wines are produced by Vitis Vinifera grapes. More than 5,000 varieties exist within the species Vitis Vinifera. Some of the most popular varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling. In order to produce all the amazing wines that we enjoy, many decisions have to be made about the type of soil in which the grapes will be planted, the location of the vineyard, the range of grape-growing techniques, and the laws of the country with respect to what is allowed in terms of yield, irrigation, and a host of other factors — all of which affect how the wine will eventually taste.

Understanding the growing season might not influence most of us to select one bottle over another, but to the grape growers this is critical. In the northern hemisphere, the growing season begins in early spring between February and April (in the South it is about six months later) depending on the altitude of the vineyard, and ends with the harvest in autumn just before the winter.

Harvest

Deciding when to pick is extremely important. Both the grower and the winemaker keep a very close eye on the vineyard, always testing and measuring the ripeness of the grapes while watching the weather. Many of the grape varietals that we know and love mature and ripen at different times, and the winery employs a wide range of systems and technologies in order to ensure, depending on the type of wine they are planning to make, that the grapes are picked at their optimal ripeness. You might have seen the term “late harvest” on a bottle; now you know what that means. The time of day (or night) when the grapes are picked also contributes to the quality and freshness of the wines that are produced.

Why you should care

Have you ever heard someone say that they don’t drink wine made by a certain varietal? Let us look, for example, at Chardonnay or Merlot. I often try to explain that depending on where the grape is grown, who the growers and winemakers are, and all the different decisions that they make along the way, it is highly unlikely that all Merlots or Chardonnays will taste exactly the same. Just chill out and try the wine, I say.

Next week we will look at what happens in the winery — from the grape to the bottle.

Christopher Reckord — Information Technology Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram @chrisreckord and on Twitter: @Reckord