So What Makes One Wine Different From Another Anyways?

by Justine Thomas – Stanford University

For many college students, trying to figure out what constitutes a “good” wine can seem very intimidating and often unrewarding.  As my host dad said when asked the difference between a mediocre wine, a good wine and a great wine; “Well, that is a difficult question that will take much time to explain and many years of tasting wines for you to figure out.” Hoping to get a better idea about how wine is made, I went to the Malenchini Estate outside of Florence to see how they harvest, produce and classify their wines.  Diletta Malenchini and her family have been producing varieties of Chianti at their Medici villa for many decades from the vines of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  Maybe the (few) grapes that I picked will contribute to a future bottle of wine!    

 The Harvest

 The annual vendemmia in Tuscany is one of the most important steps during the process of winemaking. Vintners (aka “winemakers”) like Diletta judge the time of harvest based on the ripeness of the grape and the type of wine that they want to produce, as well as other factors like weather.  The typical harvesting season falls between August and October.  At Malenchini, like many vineyards in Italy, the grapes are handpicked as opposed to mechanically harvested.  Note: picking grapes is not as fun as it looks, but it definitely ensures that the grapes picked are held up to a high standard. In addition to trying my hand at harvesting, I “tested” some of the Sangiovese grapes for sugar and acid levels…they were pretty delicious!  

The Crushing and Fermentation Process

Remove the grapes from their stems.

1. Crush the grapes in mechanical crusher to separate the skins from the pulp and juice.
2. Ferment with small amounts of cultured yeast for anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks in stainless steel tanks. 

The initial fermentation process is when difference types of wine start taking shape.  Red wines get their color from the length of time that they ferment with the grape skins.  However, it is also possible to make white wine from red grapes by reducing the amount of time that the juice sits with the skins. The fermentation process relies on the carefully controlled temperatures of the tanks so that the yeast can feed on the grape sugars and produce alcohol. 

The Aging Process

Once the grapes have fermented in the tanks for a number of days, the juice is separated from the skins and put into oak barrels where it will rest and develop “body and flavor.”  Each vintner has his or her own process for creating flavor, but most use oak barrels for the longer fermentation process because it is more traditional.  Red wines can age from anywhere around several months to several years, but some wines are meant to be “young” wines so they are only aged for a short period.

On a slightly related note, keep an eye out for wines marked DOC or DOCG (check the bottle neck for a light pink sticker).  These wines are certified as produced in Italy in a specifically approved zone—basically this means that you are guaranteed a bottle of wine that has been produced in the region that it claims to have been produced in.  This certification can also apply to other specialty Italian products. 

 The Result

Chianti: Sangiovese grapes, dark red color, fruit aromas.

Chianti Colli Fiorentini: Sangiovese and Canaiolo grapes, dark red color, cherry and plum aromas with some spices.

Bruzzico: Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese grapes, very dark red color, plum taste with vanilla and spices.

Malenchini Daily Quality: Chardonnay and Trebbiano Toscano grapes, yellow color, dry and fruity.

So, I guess I haven’t entirely answered my initial question: what does make a great wine and why is Tuscany so well known for its wines?  Well, the flavors expressed in wine come mainly from the type of grape and certain types of grapes only grow in specific regions.  Some regions, like Tuscany and Burgundy are better lent to growing grapes because the climate and the soil just produce better flavors.  Also, as with food related subjects, great wine has a lot to do with the reputation of the vineyard and the limitation of availability. Yet even a year of bad weather can ruin a crop of grapes from the best vineyard.  What’s most important is that the wine appeals to your personal taste—keep trying them with friends until you find one that you like. A great Friday night: go to a wine bar in Centro, order a light dinner and a tasting of wine.  Enjoy!