Why is wine made from grapes
07/18/2018
Why is wine made from grapes?
Yes, you can find wines made from other fruits but the vast majority of wine is made from grapes. And not just any grapes but one species of grapes called vitis vinifera. The short answer is wine grapes have the right balance of sugars, acids and tannins to make a fermented beverage that will keep and also taste good. Most other fruits do not have this perfect combination. Sugar - Wine grapes contain enough sugar to produce a fermented beverage that contains around 10-14% alcohol. Most other fruits do not contain this level of sugar. Acid - The sweetness of wine is balanced by its acidity. Wine grapes contain sufficient acidity to make a wine that isn’t “flabby” — lacking enough crispness from acidity to be pleasant. On the other hand, they do not contain so much acid as to make the wine tart. In other fruits, acidity runs the gamut. When making wine from low-acid fruits, acid must be added. Tannins - In the right amount, tannins give a slightly puckering mouthfeel (sometimes confused with bitterness) that gives wine “structure.” Grape skins usually contain sufficient tannins to give a wine structure and many wines (reds especially) are aged in oak to supplement the level of tannins. (Oak also imparts a vanilla-like flavor and other flavors and aromas.) Other fruits may or may not be tannic enough to produce a grape-like wine. Flavor - Finally, the flavor intensity in grapes gives wines enough flavor to be interesting, but not overwhelming. For more intensely flavored fruits, the juice needs to be diluted with water (and hence sugar and perhaps acid) prior to fermentation to produce a pleasant wine. Cheers!
Post By:
Allison VanArnam