Weekend Wine Word – Pinot Noir

Pinot noir – pronounced ‘pi-no-nwar’ is a red wine grape variety. Also refering to wines produced predominantly from pinot noir grapes.

The leaves of Pinot noir are usually smaller than those of Cabernet Sauvignon, although larger than those of Syrah. The name is derived from the French words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the varietals’ tightly clustered dark purple pine cone shaped bunches of fruit. Pinot noir tends to produce narrow trunks and branches. In the vineyard it is sensitive to light exposure, soil types, pruning techniques and yield levels. Its thin skin makes it highly vulnerable to bunch rot and other diseases. The vines themselves are prone to downy mildew, leaf roll, and fanleaf. These complications have given the grape the reputation of being difficult to grow. In the winery it is sensitive to fermentation methods and yeast strains.

"minx of a vine" – Jancis Robinson

"God made cabernet sauvignon whereas the devil made pinot noir." – André Tchelistcheff

Pinot noir is a primeval variety that may be only 1-2 generations removed from naturally wild vines. The origins of the variety are unclear: In De re rustica, Columella describes a grape variety similar to Pinot Noir in Burgundy during the 1st century A.D., however, vines have grown wild as far north as Belgium in the days before phylloxera, and it is possible that Pinot represents a self-sufficient domestication of Vitis vinifera.

Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. It is commonly considered to bring into being some of the finest wines in the world, and as we have learned is a highly complex variety to cultivate and transform into wine.

Pittsburgh Wine Festival – Vintage 2008

Basic Wine Making Workshop in Piketon, OH

I seen the following post on Pal-Item. Though I would share for anyone who might be in the Piketon Ohio area. Gathering like this are a great place to meet new individuals that carry the same interests. Wish I could make it though. If you do happen to go, leave a comment about your experiences. Here is the post.

The increasing interest in home wine making will get a boost at an Ohio State Extension workshop on grape production and wine making

The workshop is from 6-8 p.m. March 20 at OSU South Centers at Piketon. Cost is $5.

Participants will learn about fermentation, monitoring pH and acid in homemade wine and information on growing wine grapes in the backyard.

For more information or to register, call Julie Strawser at (740) 289-2071, ext. 223

Wine Production Basics

Although this does not cover every detail of the wine making process. It gives you a general idea of how wine is made and what each step is.

Most wines follow this basic process with some changes here and there depending on the wine makers taste and/or secrets.

Harvest – The grapes are harvested when they are mature, typically determined by flavor and sugar content.

Stemmer/Crusher – This device removes the stems from the grapes, and crushes them so that they are exposed to the yeast for fermenting. Also by crushing the grapes you expose the skins, which help richen the color of the wine.

Remove Free Run – The best quality wine is made just from the juice portion of the must. It is removed and the remaining must (at this point called pomace) is sent to the press.

Press – This squeezes the remaining juice out of the pomace.

Fermentation – Yeast convert the sugar in the juice into alcohol. carbon dioxide and heat are by products of this reaction.

Pumping Over – A process of pumping juice over the cap during fermentation to accelerate extraction of color, flavor, and tannins. This also ensures that the cap doesn’t dry out and develop unwanted bacteria.

Settle – Letting wine sit so that the sediment falls to the bottom of the holding reservoir.

Oak Aging – This allows a very slow introduction of oxygen into the wine and it imparts the character of the wood into the wine.

Rack(ing) – The process of moving wine from one reservoir to another. Separating the wine from the sediment that has collected at the bottom. This also serves to aerate the wine and reduce cloudiness.

Malo-Lactic Fermentation – This process of a change in wine is where the tart malic acid is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. Some, but not all white wines go through this step. See more info here.

Fining – Also known as clarifying or refining. A process that helps remove anything that may be making the wine cloudy.

Filtering – A procedure that eliminates any fining agents, or other unwanted elements in the wine through mechanical means

Bottling – This final step is done carefully so that the wine does not come in contact with air. From this the bottles are corked and labled.

Weekend Wine Word – Fermentation

The process of fermentation in wine is the catalyst function that turns grape juice into wine. During fermentation yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide (as a by-product).

In winemaking the temperature and speed of fermentation is an important consideration as well as the levels of oxygen present in the must at the start of the fermentation. The risk of stuck fermentation and the development of several wine faults can also occur during this stage which can last anywhere from 5 to 14 days for primary fermentation and potentially another 5 to 10 days for a secondary fermentation.

Fermentation may be done in stainless steel tanks, which is common with many white wines like Riesling, in an open wooden vat, inside a wine barrel and inside the wine bottle itself like in the production of many sparkling wines.

For a nice write up on Fermentation read this article on Wikipedia. It is packed with information on fermentation and has more information than you will probably ever need.

Basic Set of Wine Making Tools

All wine makers require a basic set of wine making equipment. Fortunately, if you are new to this art, the list of items is small. To craft a small 6-gallon batch, you will want to have these essentials:

• 5-foot siphon tube
• 7.5-gallon glass fermenter
• 6-gallon glass carboy
• Airlock
• Bottle filler with a shut off valve
• Corker and corks
• Drilled rubber stoppers to fit the fermenter, airlock, and carboy
• Hydrometer
• Long handled bottlebrush
• No-rinse sanitizer
• Racking tube with anti-sediment tip
• Wine bottles for six gallons of wine

Glass is always preferred over plastic jugs because plastics can retain the color and flavor of the last batch of wine you have prepared.

Some wine makers prefer rubber corks to real corks because they are easy to clean and will not fall apart in your batch of wine. But for authenticity, and that nostalgic feeling I am fond of real corks!

There are some other items you may wish to have on hand, but these are not needed for the first run. A hydrometer can measure the specific gravity of your wine. This handy tool can give you readings on the alcohol content, sugar levels, and how the fermentation process is progressing. See the Weekend Wine Word: Brix post for more information on this.

A wine thief is another handy apparatus that all wine makers tend to use frequently. It is used to take a sample of your wine without pouring or siphoning it from the container (barrel or carboy).

A dairy thermometer is also useful. This thermometer floats in the container and keeps track of the temperature during fermentation. Yeast cells need a constant temperature of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit for fermentation to occur at a normal rate. This is essential in helping you gauge where your wine’s temperature is. When it is too cold it slows fermentation, and when it is too hot the yeast cells ferment too rapidly, or die altogether.

Living Motion of Vines

Browsing around last night, I came across a fascinating video on the twining motion of vines. The plant shown in the video is a morning glory, although I still believe that young grape vines perform much the same way in order to find a suitable support on which to mature.

Soon after germination, the young plant begins an apparent tracking motion in which the shoot tip rotates counter clockwise, in a
nutational movement. The word "nutation" is defined as follows:

nu-ta-tion n.
Botany. A slight curving or circular movement in a stem, as of a twining plant, caused by irregular growth rates of different parts.

If the shoot comes in contact with a support of a desired shape, the rubbing stimulates a thigmotropic response. This, in turn, causes the shoot to begin wrapping around the newfound support. Vines characteristically show the most extreme nutational movements. This video was made up of stills taken with a digital camera at 10-minute intervals.

Please let me know if I am incorrect about grape vines performing such actions. I am almost positive they do.

Ultimately, I find it simply amazing how Mother Nature takes care of herself. Watching a video such as this makes one want to believe that plants truly do have a personality. The video almost has a romantic tone to it as well. So respect those vines! They seem to do a quite a bit of hard work to generate such a lovely product for us to enjoy.

Which Yeast?

Yeast TLC

Yeast are the tiny micro-organisms that do all the hard work in winemaking. They may not be racking the wine and doing all the hard physical labor, but their role is crucial to the production of wine. It is interesting to note that in a fluid ounce of vigorously fermenting must, there are approximately 6 billion yeasts. Keeping all these yeasts "happy" is one of the main tasks of a winemaker. Yeast can survive in a range of temperatures, but like us, they don’t like unnatural fluctuations or extremes. They like to have plenty to eat (sugar), and they develop much more actively if you treat them to some nutritious food (yeast nutrient). Yeast also prefers a slightly acidic environment and has a need for some oxygen.

How to Use Yeast

When you get home from the shop with your yeast, it is fairly simple to use. It is perfectly reasonable just to add a teaspoon of dried yeast into the must. However, to give the yeast a decent start in life, it is considered sporting to mix the dry yeast with a cup of slightly warm water. To that, add a teaspoon of sugar and a touch of yeast nutrient. This will give the yeast something to do. After a few hours the yeast will have woken up and started to lightly froth. This is the perfect moment to stir it into the must.

Which Yeast?

So now that we know how to look after our yeast, which yeast should we use? Many people employ standard wine yeast. This is easily distinguished because it says "wine yeast" on the label. If you are feeling a little more adventurous however, you can try one of the specialist yeasts. Listed below are some types of yeast and some details about each one. This is a good sized list, but there are many more types avaliable. You may want to ask your local supplier for advice, depending on the wine you are making.

Epernay 2

Slow fermenter; leaves a delicate, perfumey aroma without tropical overtones of UCD 594, and a smooth, fruity flavor. Temperature
should be kept cool to preserve fruitiness. Good for whites and fruits. May have trouble going to dryness if used with too-cold or nutrient poor wines (like Chardonnay). Sometimes used for Pinot Noir. Foams very little.

California Champagne, UCD 505

Flocculates superbly, leaving large chunks if left to settle undisturbed. White wines will have a simple, clean, yeasty quality similar to Champagne. Recommended for sparkling wines and very aromatic fruits.

Fermivin

Very fast and vigourous fermenter. Good for stuck fermentations. Never use if you want to leave some residual sugar. Provides clean, varietal wines. Often used for Cabernet.

Montrachet

Can produce varied results. When good, it is very, very good. When bad, it is very, very bad. Never use if fruit has been recently dusted with sulphur. Has a tendency to product H2S. Starts fast, attaining a very high temperature, then slows and sometimes sticks if stressed. Very good for reds and full bodied whites that need a hot fermentation. Flavors are full, complex and intense in colour.

Beaujolais

Intended for carbonic maceration of fresh, fruity red wine. Ferments strongly but leaves a grapey sort of fruitiness.

Pasteur Champagne

An all purpose white wine yeast sometimes used for reds as well. Usually a fast, complete fermentation. Do not use for slow fermentations needing residual sugar. Flavors are clean and pleasant, while body and complexity are not emphasized. Sometimes used for stuck fermentations. Despite the name, it is not used for sparkling wines.

Prise de Mousse

Ferments evenly and usually goes to completion. Clean, slightly yeasty aroma does not interfere with varietal flavors. Used for both reds and whites.

Assmanshausen

Slow fermentation rate with an austere fruitiness. Wines are spicy, complex, with medium body and dark color. Often preferred for Pinot Noir. Sometimes needs balancing with oak ageing.

Beerenauslese

Used for grapes infected with botrytis. It intensifies the apricot/honey flavors produced by the mould.

Chanson

Ferments evenly, low H2S production, floculates well, makes compact lees. Flavors are refined and elegant with emphasis on varietal fruit. Often used for Chardonnay. Prone to sticking in nutrient-poor musts.

Etoile

Usually used as a tirage yeast but could be used for innoculating the cuvee in sparkling wines as well. Has subdued yeastiness with crispness.

Pasteur Red

Very popular for reds. Fast, strong fermenter used for full bodied reds. Yields wines that are complex with cabernet style concentration of fruit and color.

Pasteur White

Intended for dry, crisp, white wines. The yeast provides complexity instead of fruitiness emphasizing acidity. Sensitive to sudden
chilling. Foams spectacularly.

Steinberg

Produces a distinctive, flowery, complex combination of scents when fermented cool. Slows with sudden chilling but usually completes. Good for riesling and other German style wines.

UCD 594

Starts very slowly and ferments evenly. Fermentation temperature does not change much, nor is activity that apparent. Provides a highly aromatic character called "fruit salad" or tropical flavor. Not generally used in reds. Sensitive to SO2. May produce excess H2S if sulphur dust is on the fruit.

Lalvin K1-1118

Champagne yeast (Saccharomycetes Bayanus) with a high alcohol tolerance. Clean fermenting yeast. High sulphite tolerance. Will ferment dry. Good for Champagnes, stuck ferments, particularly in a high alcohol and/or high sugar wine. A "killer strain", it excretes enzymes which are noxious to other yeasts. Also typically used to innoculate a still, sulphited, fined and filtered but unsorbated wine ready for champagning.

Lalvin K1-1116

Saccharomycetes Ceriviceae. General purpose, with mid to high alcohol tolerance. "Killer yeast" good for innoculating fresh juices which may contain wild strains of yeast, particularly under conditions of sulphite-free fermentation, and/or to innoculate an spontaneously fermenting must.

Suggestions based on StyleWhite wines

• Chardonnay (regular): Chanson, Prise de Mousse
• Chardonnay (heavy): Montrachet
• Chenin Blanc: UCD 594, Epernay 2
• Gewurztraminer & Riesling (young/fresh): Epernay 2
• Gewurztraminer & Riesling (complex): Steinberg
• Muscat: UCD 594 or any white wine yeast
• Sauvignon Blanc: Chanson, Pasteur White, Prise de Mousse
• Semillon: Chanson, Pasteur Champagne

Red Wines

• Cabernet (regular): Pasteur Red
• Cabernet (other): Pasteur Champagne, Montrachet, Prise de Mousse
• Merlot: Pasteur Red, Assmanshausen
• Merlot (for blending): Epernay 2, Beaujolais, Assmanshausen
• Gamay: Beaujolais
• Petit Sirah: Doesn’t matter
• Pinot Noir (light): Beaujolais
• Pinot Noir (regular): Assmanshausen
• White Zin: Epernay 2, Prise de Mousse
• Zinfandel, claret style: Pasteur Red
• Zinfandel, fruity: Prise de Mousse
• Zinfandel, heavy: Montrachet
• Zinfandel, over 25 brix: Fermivin

French/American hybrids

• Aurora: Epernay 2
• Cayuga: Chanson, Prise de Mousse
• Red fruity (Chelois, Foch, etc): Epernay 2, Beaujolais
• Red full bodied (Baco, Chambourcin, etc): Pasteur Red, Fermivin,
• Assmanshausen
• Seyval/Vidal Blanc (dry): Chanson, Prise de Mousse
• Seyval/Vidal Blanc (sweet): Epernay 2

Special types

• Blanc de noirs and Rose: Epernay 2, Prise de Mousse
• Carbonic Maceration: Beaujolais
• Late Harvest (Botrytis): Beerenauslese, Steinberg
• Port: Pasteur Champagne
• Sparkling (cuvee): Eperney 2, Prise de Mousse, Pasteur Champagne
• Sparkling (tirage): Etoile, Calif Champagne, Prise de Mousse
• Stuck fermentations: Fermivin, Pasteur Champagne

Non-Grape wines

• Apples: Epernay 2, Chanson
• Berry, Cherry: Pasteur Red, Beaujolais
• Peach, pear, apricot, plum: Epernay 2, C. Champ, Prise de Mousse
• Other: Epernay 2

The biggest list of yeast strains for winemaking I could find is located here

This is definitely a list to keep on hand, much like a palette of yeast to a winemaker’s paint brush. Based on the outcome that is desired, you now have a wide array to choose from.