A winery is an establishment where wine is made. These types of facilities often house winemaking equipment, warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and tank farms. In order to produce wine, grapes are harvested and crushed, and the juice from these grapes is blended and aged. Many people associate wineries with vineyards and the grape-growing regions of California and Italy, but wineries can actually be found anywhere in the world. A vineyard is where grapes are grown, and a winery is where the winemaking process takes place. These two facilities can work in conjunction with one another, but some wineries operate independently from a specific vineyard, shipping grapes in from several different growers and locations. Wineries also conduct estate tours on a regular basis, which include visits to their wine cellars and tasting rooms. This is where customers can sample and taste wines before making any purchases.
Wineries are generally classified as either farm wineries or commercial wineries. A farm winery produces wine from fruit that is home grown, and this wine is sold on site. Farm wineries are typically smaller in size and are known for making distinctive, high-quality wines. A commercial winery is often much larger, creating the need for grapes to be shipped in from several different farmers or vineyards. Winemakers can produce wine from fruits other than grapes, such as apples or strawberries, or plants such as dandelions. This diversifies the location of wineries as well, because specialty establishments are often times situated in regions where these alternative crops are grown.
Winemaking is described as both an art and a science, and it is sometimes referred to as vinification. The process is separated into two broad categories: still wine production and sparkling wine production; while wines themselves can be grouped into six distinctive categories: white wines, red wines, rosé wines, sparkling wines, dessert wines, and fortified wines. After grapes have been harvested and selected for quality, they are crushed for juice, and this juice is set aside to ferment. During fermentation, alcohol is produced through a combination of anaerobic conditions, sugars within the grape juice, and yeasts. Yeasts naturally collect on grape skins in the vineyard, but modern winemakers have the option of adding artificial yeasts as well. Red wine is produced from black grapes, while white wine is made from white grapes or black grapes with the skins removed. Rosé wines have a pinkish tint because their juice remains in contact with the dark grape skins just long enough to pick up some color.
After two stages of fermentation take place, wine is either bottled directly or allowed to age in barrels, with oak and stainless steel being among the most popular barrel materials used today. This process adds additional aromas to the wine and impacts the course of its maturation. The time frame between grape harvesting and wine drinking can span several months, or in rare cases, upwards of 20 years. When producing sparkling wine, such as Champagne, another stage of fermentation is initiated after the wine has been packaged. This traps carbon dioxide inside the bottle and creates the distinguishing bubbles that sparkling wine is known for.
Winemakers use several varying techniques when making dessert wines, all of which preserve some residual sugar for after fermentation. Fortified wines are created when brandy or another spirit is added during the fermentation process. Winemaking plays a secondary role in the taste and the condition of the finished product; the quality of the chosen grapes is what makes the most significant impact on the wine being made.
There are thousands of wineries scattered throughout North and South America, as well as in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, and Africa. Wineries.net focuses on U.S.-based operations and wineries.
