Fine Wines

By Dave Sackett, Contributing Editor

More than 60 countries produce wine, but the top five wine-producing countries are Italy, France, Spain, the United States and Argentina. No matter the country, there are many factors that affect the quality and characteristics of finished wine, including climate, terrain and terrior.

Climate has the biggest affect on wines; most vineyards thrive in moderate climates between 20 degrees and 50 degrees latitude. Second to climate is terrain; the composition of the soil, level of fertility and slope of the land all affect how well grapes grow. Lastly, terroir, or the combination of regional geography, geology and climate, comes into play as certain regions are unique for their ability to produce a certain wine (e.g, the Burgundy terroir in France).

The winemaking process

Winemaking encompasses the entire process, from growing the grape to bottling the wine. Enology (or oenology) is the science of wine and winemaking. Crushed grapes contain everything required to produce wine, but vintners usually improve upon nature to yield  more predictable results. The process begins with harvesting. The timing of the harvest depends on the ripeness of grapes, which is determined by testing their sugar content and flavor. Some vintners pick grapes by hand, while others machine-harvest. After harvesting, stems are removed, and grapes are crushed. At this point, vintners add yeast to the mixture, and the liquid develops color, while tannins from the skins blend with the grape juice.

Red wines and white wines have different production processes. Red wine is fermented with skins on to impart the typical color and body. Called maceration, this process allows the phenolic compounds from the grape skins to leach into the must (pulp) during crushing and fermentation. White wine generally does not include the grape skins because the desired characteristics of white wine are fruitier, and skin tannins cause bitterness.

Wine fermentation requires sugar, oxygen and yeast, and yields alcohol and carbon dioxide. During fermentation, color, tannins and flavor compounds are extracted from the skins. Vintners control the time on skins, extraction, temperature, type of fermentation vessel and types of yeast to yield the wine they want to create. The final alcohol level is determined by the amount of sugar in the must, and sugar addition is typically subject to local regulation. Special yeast has been developed that has higher alcohol tolerance to aid in further differentiation of the wine, such as speed of fermentation, temperature preferences, nutrient requirements and sensory effects or mouthfeel.

During fermentation, winemakers generally add sulfites in the form of sulfur dioxide (S02). Natural levels can approach 40 ppm or 40 mg per liter, but sulfites are frequently added as an antiomicrobial to regulate harmful yeast and bacteria. Sulfites also serve as antioxidants to prevent browning and loss of fruit qualities in wine. Winemakers may also add potassium sorbate to control fungal growth, and potassium benzoate to stabilize the wine by halting unwanted fermentation. It is allowable up to 0.1%.

After fermentation, the liquid is pressed. Red wines may undergo the additional step of malolactic fermentation before clarifying and stabilizing the wine for storage. During malolactic fermentation, lactobacter converts malic acid in the wine to a milder lactic acid. After fermentation, the fining process uses either gelatin, PVPP, bentonite and diatomaceous earth to remove small particles or cloudiness from the wine. The aging process then begins in either stainless-steel tanks or oak barrels. Oak influences the final taste of the wine, so  some vintners add oak chips to simulate the flavor of oak-barrel aging. Once bottled, the wine can continue to mature.

Using wines

Adding wine during cooking allows flavors to meld and aids in releasing flavor from food.  In kettle applications, adding alcohol near the end of the process allows alcohol to burn off and leaves resultant flavors at their peak.  When used in retort applications, alcohol from wine dissipates but allows ingredients to meld together.

Red wines add color, clarity and a dry characteristic to food flavoring. Red wines are perfect for flavoring hearty red sauces with red meat, such as a bolognese or stews with root vegetables.  White wines typically bring an acidic zing and work best with cream sauces or to highlight white meats or seafood dishes. Wines are excellent flavor additions to soups, sauces, entrées, condiments, flavors and food bases.

Cooking wines are classified as food products, not alcoholic beverages,  and consist of standard wine with added salt, spices or other approved food additives. The most common denaturant is sodium chloride at 1.5% to 1.7%. 

Wine reductions are created when chefs heat wine for an extended period to allow all of the alcohol and most of the water to evaporate. The acidity, flavor and flavonoids are all concentrated in the final reduction and create full, rich flavors. Chefs add wine reductions during the cooking process when they want the wine flavor to blend, and at the end of the cooking process when they want the wine flavor to linger.

When used in a recipe, wines should generally be allowed to simmer in the food. If the level of alcohol is a factor, recipes need to allow enough time for the alcohol to evaporate (reference USDA Alcohol Burn-off Chart). Whether the wine added is a full-bodied red or a crisp white, wines add another dimension to the flavor profile of recipes. Using wine in formulations serves to enhance flavors and create full-mouth textures.

Dave Sackett is, Director of Sales and Marketing for Mizkan AmericasFood Ingredients Division (mizkan.com). For more information, email Sackett at [email protected].