The Days Of Home Winemakers As Amateurs Are Long Gone

Back in the days of the Roman Empire 'amateur' meant 'lover' and referred to a person who did something from a love of doing it, instead of for any monetary gain. Such individuals were thought of as the highest of experts because they perfected their craft motivated by mere joy for their work.

Despite the fact that professional winemakers continue to imbue their work with both skill and passion, amateurs, assisted by knowledge passed down over generations and modern technology, can often now produce similar results.

The chemistry of the fermentation process was poorly understood until the beginning of the 20th century but, nevertheless, the process of fermentation has been in use for more than 5,000 years. Left to its own devices a wine grape will ripen until its skin splits and the juice ferments naturally. Today, however, this process is guided with a mixture of both art and science.

Grapes are put into a press in which they are turned into must which is a mixture of pulp, skin and juice. Natural yeast (which is found on the skin close to the stem) and added yeast interacts with the sugars in the wine juice to produce alcohol (ethanol), carbon dioxide and heat. This process continues until the sugars are depleted or the yeast is killed by the reaction.

Because of work carried out by Pasteur and others we can now control the process so that we get just the result we desire. For people who are not fortunate enough to have a vineyard close to hand, wine juice concentrates can now be purchased relatively cheaply.

Simply add acids, yeats, sugars and nutrients (to feed the yeast) to a container like a carboy or other jug and let the mixture sit for a few days at around 75 degrees fahrenheit (24 degrees centigrade). Specific recipes are often provided with the wine juice concentrate giving specific quantities and details of how to ferment the wine.

After several days, siphon the liquid off the pulp and allow it to ferment at about 65 degrees fahrenheit (18 degrees centigrade) for a few weeks until bubbling (gas production) ceases. Then, siphon the wine off the sediments (lees) and store the wine bottles on their sides at 55 degrees fahrenheit (13 degrees centigrade) for six months in the case of white wine and up to a year for red wine before tasting.

Of course, it sounds easier than it is in reality but it is most certainly not beyond the amateur's ability. Today, the process is closely monitored and sometimes adjusted on a daily basis and, thanks to cheap refractometers to measure the concentration of sugar, thermometers, hydrometers, temperature controlled cabinets and a host of other items the job is far simpler than once was.

Naturally things sometimes go wrong as nature takes its own course. Fermentation might not start, it may start and then mysteriously stop for no apparent reason, the resulting wine may be excessively sweet or hazy or filled with sediments. The wine may contain excessive pectin, too many bacteria, taste flat or sulphurous or even moldy. Crystals might form if the temperature is too low or secondary fermentation might result from keeping the wine at too high a temperature.

Nevertheless, due in no small measure to the Internet, there are now many websites which are devoted to assisting the amateur winemaker to produce wines which can rival those made by the masters of wine. All it needs is a bit of practice.