How to make white wine?

Have you ever wondered how the white wine is made? The concept may seem simple enough. Grapes are harvested, pressed to obtain the juice which is then fermented with yeast, left to ripen and bottled... 
In reality, the process involves many intermediate stages, each of which requires specific knowledge of the wine world. In this article, you'll find out how to make white wine.

First stage: harvesting the grapes

The first step in creating a wine is harvesting the grapes. The right moment to harvest the grapes depends on many different factors, which only experienced winemakers can recognize using a variety of techniques. The type of wine to be made strongly influences the time of harvest, since the longer the grapes remain on the vine, the higher their sugar content. 
Good to know: the white wine can be produced from white grapes or black grapes, as the color of the wine actually comes from the color of the grape skins. Simply press the grapes quickly, without leaving the must to macerate with the skins.

Second stage: grape destemming and crushing

Once harvested, the grapes are sorted and destemmed. This means that the berries are removed from the stalks (the plant supports to which the grapes are attached). This process is carried out using a machine that gently removes the stalks. Destemming must be carried out slowly, otherwise the bunches may be crushed. 
However, this operation is not compulsory. For certain wines, some winemakers keep the stalks to add freshness and tannins to the wine. 
Crushing involves crushing the berries to open the skins and extract the must. This must be done gently, so as not to crush the seeds.

Third stage: pre-fermentation cold maceration

Before pressing, some winemakers opt for what is known as pre-fermentation maceration. As white wines are fermented from the skins, this technique extracts additional aromas from the skins. This operation is by no means compulsory, and is more commonly used in the production of red wines.

Fourth stage: pressing

The harvested grapes - whether crushed or not - are placed in a press, which crushes the grapes to release the must (juice). This is a delicate operation, since the aim is to avoid crushing the stalks or pips, which could give the wine an acidic taste.

Fifth stage: settling

The resulting juice is cloudy because it contains a lot of stalk debris and other particles. This debris, known as "bourbes", must be removed sparingly, as a wine that has been over-silted will not have enough nutrients to ensure proper fermentation. On the other hand, if the settling is insufficient, the resulting wine risks losing its aromatic finesse.

Sixth stage: alcoholic fermentation

This stage is essential, as it transforms the sugars into alcohol, thanks to the action of the yeasts naturally present in the grapes. If desired, the vineyard can manually add yeast to facilitate fermentation control. 
The choice of the type of fermentation tank is important. They are often made of wood, stainless steel or concrete. Some white wines, such as Chardonnay, are best fermented in oak, while others prefer inert containers. 
Fermentation temperature also has an impact on the type of wine desired. In theory, white wines are fermented at lower temperatures than reds. The lower the temperature, the better the fruit aromas are preserved. The fermentation temperature of a white wine should be around 20°. This process takes between 10 and 14 days. If the winery prefers to produce a drier wine and wait until the vast majority of the sugars have converted to alcohol, the fermentation time will of course be extended. However, if you're planning a medium-dry or even sweeter wine, you'll need to stop fermentation, depending on the amount of sugar you want.

Seventh stage: maturing the wine

The purpose of aging wine is to add texture, weight and complexity. Depending on the wine, it may be aged in barrels or stainless steel vats. 
Aged in vats This technique is widely used, especially for wines to be drunk young. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine is poured into a vat and left there for a few weeks to reach a certain stability. 
Barrel ageing Barrel aging: unlike tank aging, barrel aging is widely used for powerful wines that need to age. The wine remains in the barrels for several months, and malolactic fermentation occurs naturally. It is this second fermentation that gives the white wine its roundness.

Eighth step: assembly

Blending is essential to achieve the desired wine style. When we think of blending, we often think of wines made from a mixture of different grape varieties. But this is not the only possible blending: a varietal wine is often made by blending wines from different cuvées that have undergone different vinification, blending with wines from other estates, and so on. 
Blending allows us to create wines with greater complexity, to add more acidity or to enhance different aromas.

Ninth step: finishing

Winemakers strive to minimize the number of treatments required at this stage to ensure that the wine is stable. For example, wines containing residual sugar must be sterile-filtered to ensure that no yeast remains at all.

Last stage: bottling

Once all the finishing procedures have been completed, the wine is ready to be bottled and corked. The wine can be left in the bottle for some time to age, before being marketed.

How to make homemade white wine

Of course, it's impossible for most of us to carry out all of the above steps to create our own wine. However, there are far less conventional and, above all, less complicated ways of making wine. 
You can find a host of interesting recipes that require little investment and for which all the ingredients are available in supermarkets. Many people also opt for preparation kits that include ingredients and equipment. You'll easily find a solution that suits your budget and your desires to learn how to make homemade white wine.