Methods of Making White Wine

White wine gets its color from the clear insides of grapes.

White wine is made by fermenting liquid must only, as opposed to red wines which use entire crushed grapes. Liquid must is the technical name for a grape juice that has had all stems, skin and pips removed before pressing. White wine is then stored at a temperature of 64 degrees to allow yeast to convert sugars into alcohol. There are variations on how to make white wine, depending on the desired final product and whether it is being mass-produced or made in small batches.

Using White Grapes

The easiest and most common way to make white wine is with the use of white grapes. White grapes are actually greenish-yellow in color, hence white wine is actually a pale yellow color as well. White grapes are used primarily for making white wines because even if some skin or pulp were to make it into the pressing area, the pale color of the grapes will ensure the final product remains the desired whitish-yellow.

Using Red Grapes

Red grapes can also be used to make white wine, however, this process is rather time-consuming and generally reserved for specialty wines. Skin, pips and stems are meticulously removed from all grapes, leaving only the clear center of the grape. For this process it is imperative that no skin or pulp is allowed into the press because these will dye the grape juice red, and will destroy the entire vat of juice.

Aged in Oak Casks

The skin and stem of grapes contain tannins. Tannins allow wine to age longer without going bad. They also change flavor as they age, adding to the flavor of wines. White wines, having had all skin and stems removed, do not contain any tannins. Some winemakers age white wines in oak casks so the wood leaches tannins into the white wine, allowing it to be aged longer and adding to the flavor.

Do it Yourself

An increasingly popular method to make white wine is to do it yourself. Many businesses offer services to create your own wines. Most also have winemaking classes that beginners can enroll in to get started. These shops supply all the ingredients you need to get started, containers to store your wine as it ferments and bottling machines.

References

• Terroir France: White Wine Making