The water into wine

Those against the use of water to your wine winemaker What think? Very negative right, I believe. All the taste of cheap wine have seeped into the water seems to appear because the flavor and taste are sparse. This is perhaps the oldest books in the form of fake alcohol, but also a number of liquor laws and regulations around the world to deal with.

But if a winemaker to tell you that he is to make wine taste seepage better, what would you feel? This problem is not easy to answer, right?

Language with euphemisms, this is a "wet" of the phenomenon has become increasingly common, in order to pursue the sacred "physiological maturity", grape farmers were asked to stay in the branches a little more time. Ago, people only require a certain level of sugar content of grapes will be harvested, but today, when the harvest in the vineyard with winemakers coming and going, waiting for more mature grapes.

They chew grape seed, to check whether they are still "green" (not good). Grapes were crushed with your fingers to see whether the grapes left hand deep color (good). They want to see the grape skin shrinkage, branch from the green into a brown, hardened. Extended "hang time" has become the most important winemakers work, they emphasized not only grapes to mature, ripe tannins and other polyphenols have. They are seeking entrance to a very thick smooth but mellow wine.

When these conditions occur in warmer growing areas, the sugar content will continue to rise. Together because of unknown reasons, yeast and more powerful, a lot of grape juice's potential to reach 16 or 17% of sugar is not a little surprised.

But how many people like to drink the strong wine like Port wine then? I do not like it.

There are more complex problem: in some places, more than 15% alcohol wine is not to be charged higher tax, that is even completely banned. Example of which is, according to traders in Australia and the European Community negotiations produced an agreement, all Australian wine (California wine is the same) and lower than 15% alcohol can be allowed to import European Community (although South Africa has the highest in the negotiations alcohol content increased to 16.5%).

This means that, over the years, the top Barossa Valley, Chela has been the practice of child _ seepage, although this is illegal. In accordance with precision, involving sugar maturity formula to end years, will result in broken when the exact amount of water added.

Part of the reason to do so, perhaps the same as all the additives, the sooner the add, regarding the combination, the better. However, I suspect also because the Australian Wine and Brandy Distillery institutions adhere to closely monitor the records of Mao in the number of wine diluted with water even if not to improve quality and increase production, and this is relevant.

In California, as people's expectations, things are more free, more easily, even if few and consumers to discuss the issue. Winemaker here to join the grapes a little water to the pump and washing equipment, of course, it is also very involved in the long hang time. Some examples of people picking the raisins rather than grapes.

Because of this development, only a year ago, the California Wine Association on the Government to issue a formal approval, to add articles from the Chinese wine net number of water "to add a few grapes in the field dehydration and loss of water." Their approval. As for how to account the amount of QIE is a mystery.

California Wine Association, the strongest argument for water seepage, these high sugar content juice fermentation would be difficult, but with the growing popularity of juice _ super-mature, more and more examples of fermentation stopped, and later adopted grape juice low acidity significantly increased bacterial infection (brettanomyces) risk, the results have led to a strong liquor smell of animals.

For California to the long time fascination with flying, one response is the emergence of a variety of lower alcohol content, services and equipment, with ultra-mature grapes Chardonnay, nature may reach 16.3% alcohol, we can send wine Some people that _ they use some rotation axis or other equipment to remove alcohol alcohol "back down" (another euphemism) to the more palatable 14.5%.

To do so because, if not, would exceed the statutory limit water seepage, or alcohol odor would become "like water." Another method is to use a special dilution of diatomite filtration, this method just as important as the filter. Seriousness of the European Community's legislation states that "the statutory process of brewing method and not allow water, unless there are special technical needs." The law also made it clear, and quite rightly prohibited from adding sugar to water, the cooler climate in many European wine producing areas, sugar is a very unusual procedure.

Ultra-ripe or over-mature harvest (depending on your point of view) the increasingly popular trend of grapes is also controversial. I must say, I found the wine is tasting more and more into showing turnoff sweet plum, raisin flavor, they are fully in line with Australia's renowned wine industry figure Brian. Crosa criticized the "dead fruit" wines. The first task of the wine is refreshing.

Another Australian, viticulture consultant Richard. Shi Mate more extreme view. He recently in California, "Journal of wineries and grape cultivation" of the author, said: "The suspension of time needs to be over-emphasized, and certainly can not accept, I believe that if the grapes need hang time, because they did not grow well. I research and business experience tells me that, if all factors such as climate are the same, the first harvest of the vineyard can makes the best wine. This is the grape health, can easily mature signal. grape harvest will lead to problems delay. "He accused those who provide alcohol services in the fall is to spread the commercial interests of mature grape over the" Gospel. "

I do not believe this conspiracy theory. Each year the weather can be very bad, people want to interfere. On the other hand, it is also true: Many grape farmers found that, as long as the grapes to improve the health and balance, they can improve the harvest than in the past. So, perhaps all of these deliberately delayed harvesting methods (in those areas where rain fall is not feasible) is not the only way to improve wine quality. As a consumer concerned about who I really want to see a healthy and natural balance of the wine grapes, than to continue to tolerate the dirty little secret of dilution. Yeah! I'm sorry, is "back down."