SAMPLE YOUR WINE AS YOU GO

Why would anyone want to taste their wine before it's done--while
it's still fermenting--before it starts to taste like wine? The
answer is simple: To give you a better understanding of wine,
whether it be on a more superficial level as a wine consumer or
on a more deep-rooted level as a winemaker.


-Gaining A Unique Perspective

As a wine enthusiast, consider it a luxury that you are able to
taste a wine as it develops--to experience a wine as its
character is being molded. With this rare perspective on wine
comes an insight and understanding that few get to experience.
Even many "experts" who make their living by giving out opinions
about wines they taste do not even have this type of experience
with wine.

Let me change gears for a moment to make my point more clear. It
would be fairly logical to assume that a person who sits and
intently watches as an artist paints a beautiful scene on canvas,
would gain much more insight and understanding of that painting
than someone who was just studying the painting after it had been
finished.

In fact, I feel it would be safe to say that the person who
observed the painting in progress would be able to quickly point
out certain features and nuances to the newcomer that normally
one would have terrific trouble identifying on their own.

This is not because the person who observed the painting in the
making is more versed in the virtues of art. This is because that
person was able to see how the different colors where layered-
-how the artist used various techniques to produce different
textures--how the painting looked before shadow and highlights
where added, and so on.

And to take this analogy a step further, the person who had
observed the artist at work would now be able to obtain a
deeper understanding of other paintings he saw--particularly if
those paintings were from the same style or genre as the painting
he witnessed being created.

This same idea can be used when creating a wine. By tasting a
wine through its stages--while it's being produced--you gain an
impression of that wine that is more defined. You will later be
able to understand and identify the wine's subtle characters and
complexities more clearly, and understand why they are there.
More so, than someone who experiences the wine only after it has
been produced and aged.

In more general terms, by experiencing various wines through
their stages, you are able to gain a better understanding and
appreciation for all wines. For example, when you taste a wine
you have purchased, certain subtle characters may start to become
more noticeable and identifiable as you relate them back to
qualities you have experienced in your own wines, while they were
developing.

This all adds up to an advancement in your personal understanding
of wine. One that not only helps you to improve as a home
winemaker, but an understanding that allows you to become more
proficient as someone who appreciates wine.


-What Flavors To Expect

During and right after the primary fermentation the first thing
you will notice when sampling the must is that it has a lot of
effervescence. This is from the CO2 that is created during the
fermentation. Along with this effervescence will be a sulfur
aroma. This is also a byproduct of the fermentation.

During this stage the must will usually still be very sweet, but
it can be dry if the fermentation is going faster than planned.
It will definitely have a rough flavor. You will also notice that
the must will have a bitter to woody after taste. This is simply
the yeast you are tasting that is still suspended throughout the
wine. The yeast is also what causes the must to have a milky
appearance.

After the must has been put into a secondary fermenter you will
notice that it has now become drier. The yeasty bitterness will
have the impression of being stronger, more zesty, in the
absence of residual sugars but this character will be diminishing
a little in intensity every few days.

As this yeasty bitterness diminishes you will then start to
experience the development of the wine's actual character. For
example, if the wine is made from grapes, you will begin to be
able to tell it is a grape wine as opposed to a fruit wine.

As the wine starts to become clear, usually around 4 to 6 weeks,
it will start to taste like something closer to wine, but a very
young wine. It will still be somewhat harsh in flavor. The aroma
may have some sulfur to bready aroma. And the appearance will
start to become more translucent.

During the aging process, this is when you will see the wine's
final character start to jell. With most white wines the aging
process is maximized around 9 months to a year. With red wines
usually 1 to 2 years.

During this long period of aging, the wine will slowly change.
Features that once seemed harsh and objectionable will still be
present but with less intensity and in better balance with the
wine's other flavors. The milder version of these once harsh
features will now contribute to the wine's overall complexity.


-What To Watch Out For

As it has already been said, experiencing a wine in progress is a
wonderful way to appreciate and understand a wine more
thoroughly. But, examining wine in this way also has a second
benefit.

After getting a couple of batches under you belt in this fashion,
you will start to get a feel for when something has gone afoul as
well as when it has gone right. You will learn how to more
clearly discern if an odor or flavor is normal, or a potential
problem.

Realize that bad symptoms are very rare. But none the less,
making you aware of them can only be an advantage. What follows
is a short list of some of the characters in a must or wine that
may be cause for concern:

Musty Odor-
It is sometimes described as the odor of wet wood, or the smell
that you encounter when you open an old dresser drawer or
wooden chest. This can be an early sign of mold or mildew growth
on the surface of your wine.

Vegetable Soup/Hot Butter Odor-
This is a sign that the wine is being fermented in too warm of
temperature. The odor is actually the result of the yeast
producing higher levels of diacetyl.

Band-Aid Odor-
This odor occurs when too little yeast is trying to do too much
work. The heart of the problem is usually an unsuccessful yeast
multiplying phase which occurs during the primary fermentation.

Oily/Rainbow Surface Appearance-
This is usually an early indication of mold or mildew. Usually
caused by an unsuccessful or lagging primary fermentation and/or
unsanitary conditions.

Vinegar Flavor or Aroma-
Very simply your wine may be slowly turning to wine vinegar. This
is a symptom that does not occur until the wine has started to
age, as vinegar production takes several weeks. This also may be
caused by a slow starting fermentation and/or unsanitary
conditions.

Carmel/Nutty Odor or Flavor-
This would be an indication of oxidation. In other words the wine
is being exposed to to much air. This symptom does not normally
occur until the aging process. This odor is considered normal for
Madera, Port and Sherry wines.

Again, please realize that these odors and flavors rarely occur.
Most winemakers will never experience any of them in a lifetime.
But by detecting them early when they do occur, a correct fix can
often be made.
 

Related Article:

"Taking Good Notes When Making Wine"