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  1. Once the bottle is opened, wine usually retains its rich taste and aroma for about 3 to 5 days. When storing, let the bottle of wine lie on its side. Then the liquid can keep the cork moistened, which prevents it from drying up and letting air enter.
  2. While some wine lovers may have cool, well-ventilated, dim cellars to store their favourite bottles, most wine drinkers use a refrigerator. While this is good for keeping the drink cool and away from UV rays, constant opening and closing of the fridge lets heat enter, causing temperature to fluctuate which damages the wine.
  3. Sparkling wine, while romantic and alluring, is actually carbonated wine. It undergoes the normal process of harvest, crushing and pressing. After this, an additional fermentation process takes place in a tightly sealed vessel. The resulting pressure traps carbon dioxide in the liquid, thus making it fizz.
    Fermentation

 

Fermentation

The process of fermentation in wine is the metabolic function that turns grape juice into wine. During fermentation yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide (as a by-product). In winemaking the temperature and speed of fermentation is an important consideration as well as the levels of oxygen present in the must at the start of the fermentation. Fermentation may be done in stainless steel tanks, in an open wooden vat, inside a demijohn, or in our Vin Bon pails. And Vin Bon can be with you every step of the way during this process.

F.A.Q.

What does “vintage” mean?
The vintage year on a wine label is the harvest year of the grapes from which the wine was made. A California wine with a vintage date must be made from at least 95 percent of grapes harvested in the designated year.

Where does cork come from?
Corks are produced from the bark of a tree grown in the western Mediterranean. What makes it so unique is that it can be peeled from the tree without hurting the actual tree.

Is it important to let a wine breathe?
Whites? Not really. Reds? Yes, as it can make a wine smoother more aromatic, and even a bit less tannic than if you just poured it into your glass.

What is the ideal temperature to serve white wine?
Serving white wine around 50-55 degrees is refreshing, and allows the wine to express itself. However, most of us don’t keep a thermometer around, so here’s an easy trick. Take your wine out of the fridge about twenty minutes before you plan to serve it. Once you open it, keep it on ice if you like, but not in ice, and especially not in an ice and water bath. Save that for Champagne.

What are the most planted grapes in the world?
Grapes are, in fact, the most planted fruit crop in the world, but not as many as you’d think go into wine. In California, for example, only 47% of the grapes grown are wine grapes; the majority is for table grapes or raisins.