Carducci it read “[…] through the streets of the village comes the sour smell of wines from the boiling of the vats
the soul to cheer [...]” and that's right!
If you found yourself in the streets these days Orta Nova, you would smell the typical aromas of the harvest: the must, the fresh fruit, the first notes of alcohol and the aromas of young wines.
Eh sì, qui si sente davvero che nelle pance delle nostre cantine ci sono degli ottimi mosti che ribollono e che fra qualche mese ci delizieranno con vini dai profumi, sentori e suggestioni del territorio.
In September we vinified the bombino bianco, to produce the new vintage of Anima Bianca ed il Nero Di Troia for our new Rosé label (which I won't reveal anything about). And they are both still in fermentation, but the conditions are really excellent.
But what does it mean that the musts are fermenting?
Fermentation is the biological process that is used in every winery to produce wine from grape must. After harvesting the grapes, they are transported to the cellar where they will be pressed and where the resulting must will be prepared for fermentation.
Alcoholic fermentation exploits the ability of small organisms, called yeasts, to transform the sugars present in the must (mainly glucose and fructose) into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Alcoholic fermentation is a fundamental step in obtaining good, healthy and quality wines because it gives rise to a series of biochemical transformations which we will then find in our glasses. In fact, not only is there the transformation of sugars into alcohol, but above all there is the release of aromas, perfumes and flavors that are naturally trapped in the must. Yeasts have the ability to release these aromatic substances as if they were first tied like balloons and then with a pair of scissors they are freed from the yeasts to transmit the varietal aromas to the wine (From " Il respiro del vino” di Luigi Moio).
Furthermore, with the complicity of oxygen, the correct temperature, and oenological practices, the yeasts will be the creators of the structure and color of the wines that we will taste during the year.
The musts of white and rosé wines are usually left to ferment, after having separated them from the grape skins, protected from the air and at a temperature between 16°C-18°C to preserve aromas, perfumes and protect them from oxidation. Red wine musts, on the other hand, are obtained by fermenting them with their skins at a temperature between 26-28°C to better extract the polyphenols from the skins and seeds which will give not only aromas, but also color and structure to the wines.
It is essential, however, that the alcoholic fermentation is as respectful as possible of the varietal aromas and tastes of origin; that is, it is the task of every winemaker to return, at the end of alcoholic fermentation, a wine that fully reflects the typical characteristics of the grape variety and the territory to which it belongs.
This is a fundamental aspect, because otherwise we would offer wines that have no differences between them and that would not evoke any sensation, memory or connection with their territory of origin.
Winemaking and the management of alcoholic fermentation are based on solid scientific, objective knowledge and the result of decades of studies and experience. In fact, making a quality wine is a science that cannot be improvised but which requires study, observation, experience and knowledge. Luckily, every self-respecting winery can count on the professionalism of winemakersthose who know how to best express the potential, goodness and beauty of the wines that will brighten our moments of conviviality and pleasure, spent with our favorite wines and which warm our souls and hearts.
Cheers!
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