Grape wine making is an art that takes the experienced and consummate taste of an expert to perfect. There are many circumstances that have to do with determining the type and flavor of grape wine that is fermented. The most important of these is the kind of grapes that are used. So if your are planning to take up grape wine making as a hobby or a budget-saving project, familiarize yourself first with grape species.
The varieties of fruits for grape wine making number in the hundreds
Determining the kind of grape wine that you are going to produce starts from making the correct choice of the grape varieties that you are going to use. Different aromas, tastes and textures are associated with specific grapes. Additionally, different kinds of grapes may be used in combination to make wine; although some wines are what are called ‘varietal’ and have been fermented from just one of the grape varieties.
Grape wine making with Malbec grapes
This purple-colored variety of grapes have for decades been used along with other varieties to produce red wine. Malbec grapes resemble the typical graphic representations of grapes, from its fruits and its cluster-shape, down to its leaves. In France, it is cultivated in the Southwest. However, the grape is also grown in other countries globally. A popular sub-variety of Malbec grapes are those found in Argentina which are used for making varietal Malbec wines.
Malbec grape wine making produces a bland and soft wine with a fruity and succulent flavor. Its aroma may exude the fragrance of violets or herbals. The softness of the wine is due to its comparatively low acid content.
Using Cabernet Sauvignon for grape wine making
Cabernet Sauvignon is another purple variety of grapes which is also used typically to make red wine. The species is widely cultivated throughout the world. There are acres and acres of Cabernet vineyards in the Americas, in Australia and in all countries that are important wine-makers.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a relatively new variety, hardly 400 years old. It was first encountered in France during the 17th century and was an accidental mutation of Cabernet Franc in combination with Sauvignon Blanc.
The characteristic aroma of Cabernet Sauvignon wine has a bell pepper flavor. The reason for this is the high concentration of pyrazine in the fruit. Pyrazine diminishes as the fruit ages but does not totally disappear.
Oaken casks are often used to ferment and age Cabernet Sauvignon wines. That is because oak softens the somewhat coarse texture of the beverage.
Grape wine making with Merlot grapes
The Merlot variety of grapes is primarily used in combination with the Cabernet varieties to produce red wines. However, by itself, it may be fermented to produce a varietal wine or pure Merlot wine. It is also a purple grape. It is believed to be the third most extensively grown variety of grapes in the world. This is due as much to its extensive use in combination with other grape species as to the wide patronage enjoyed by varietal Merlot wine (pure Merlot wine) globally.
Merlot wine is known for its fine and silky texture as well as for its characteristic plum flavor. The fact that it ages more quickly than other types of wine isn’t a problem because people consume it before it gets too mellow.
The importance of knowledge for grape wine making
Now that you have some inkling about the art of wine making, you should proceed and read up on the other varieties of grape. In that way, by the time you are ready to produce your own wine, you will know which varieties you want to make it from.
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