WINES

There are different processes for making wines with bubbles or carbon dioxide. We are going to investigate its characteristics and peculiarities. According to their pressure, the wines are classified as still (less than 1 kilo or atmosphere of pressure); semi sparkling (from 1 to 3 kilos of pressure) or sparkling (more than 4 kilos of pressure). To make sparkling wine, the harvest is normally early than for regular wine to achieve higher acidity and lower alcohol content (10/11 degrees). A base wine fermented at a low temperature is made to preserve fruit aromas and flavors, without malolactic fermentation to keep natural acidity. They are made with chardonnay or pinot noir grapes more frequently or with other varieties such as semillon or pinot gris. Carbon dioxide can be of exogenous origin,…

The wines are made in a series of processes that we are going to detail point by point, indicating the differences to make rosés, reds or whites, as well as special procedures for sweet wines. - HARVESTING manual or mechanical harvest of grape bunches. - Transport to the winery and unloading of the bunches in presses (stainless steel hoppers). Depending on the type of wine, the hoppers circulate the grapes through a selection table, or they directly proceed to destemming and grinding. - SELECTION manual of bunches and / or grains for mid and high range wines. - DESTEMMING (separation of the grape grains from the stalk) AND GRINDING. In this stage, SO2 (Sulfur Anhydride) is added, which prevents premature oxidation, fulfilling an antiseptic, antioxidant and disinfectant function. Sulfur dioxide…

In general, young wines are fresher and more fruity, they have an intense acidity. Over time, they lose their fruity expression and freshness. The ageing wines gain aromatic complexity. YOUNG WHITES It's recommended to consume them within a year or two of their harvest, they have an accentuated acidity, fruity and floral aromas. They are light, approachable, simple, direct wines, easy to drink and without barrel ageing. They are recommended for appetizers, entrees, salads, meals with citrus touches and outstanding acidity, fresh and simple dishes, ceviches, white and lean fish, poultry without sauces, sushi and seafood. WHITE WITH LITTLE AGING They are medium-bodied wines, more complex than young wines, with more balanced acidity, thanks to their short ageing in barrels, they have more storage capacity. The barrel ageing gives the…

WHITE WINES There is a wrong tendency to serve white and rosé wines too cold. The excess of cold anaesthetizes the palate and softens the aromas. The cold highlights the freshness provided by the acidity, however, full-bodied whites do not allow very low temperatures, they need more degrees to express. We normally use 1/3 ice and 2/3 water flapper to keep the wines at the correct temperature. Here are the suggested temperatures for each style of wine. - YOUNG 6/7 degrees - LITTLE AGEING 8/9 degrees - RESERVE (WITH OAK AGEING) 9/11 degrees RED WINES The idea that red wine should be served at room temperature is no longer valid. It was correct when it came to the ambient temperature of ancient French castles. The serving temperature of the wine…

There is currently a trend towards natural, towards the consumption of products without chemicals. Many sectors deploy initiatives to minimize the impact of man on the planet, to take care of natural resources and ecology. The world of wine is no exception to this trend and we can find several manufacturers of ecological, natural, organic or biodynamic products on the market. They seem similar terms, but there are differences between each category that we are going to analyze in this note in order to make informed purchasing decisions. ORGANIC OR BIOLOGICAL WINES Organic wines are those generated without the use of chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides. To be able to say that a wine is organic, it must meet some requirements and follow international protocols that are detailed below: - Producers…

What are the steps to carry out a professional wine tasting? In this note, we are going to analyze the procedure of the professional tastings that are made to write the technical specifications of each wine. We are going to learn how to make the evaluation and the corresponding analysis of the product in order to interpret the wine. We can educate our smell and taste to differentiate smells and flavors that will help us to identify the different elements that define a wine and configure its identity. To taste a wine we must be in a quiet environment, with good light, without aromas of any kind, with clean technical glasses, held by the stem. The technical glasses are closed at the top to contain the aromas and are large…