Introduction - Learn wine with WINE CHEMISTRY

Introduction - Learn wine with WINE CHEMISTRY

The objective of “Learn wine with wine chemistry” is  to share my finding on wine chemistry with those interested. The meaning of wine chemistry differs from person to person. My interest in wine chemistry is that it can provide me an enlightening explanation to all the questions I had in wine learning.

A few examples:

- Yeasts, how do they convert sugars into alcohol? And why?  

- Lactic bacteria, how do they convert malic acid and citric acid into lactic acid, acetic acid and diacetyl? And why?           

- Malolactic fermentation, can that be done during alcoholic fermentation? And why?

- Glycerol, fatty acid, higher alcohol and esters, what are they? And how are they formed?

- Oxidation, why is it beneficial for Fino sherry and undesirable in wines? And what is reduction?

- Sulfite, what’s the difference with CO₂ ? And why can it lead to additional glycerol formation?

There are many such questions, tough but fascinating. Wines are biochemical products and so what is better than seeing them through  “biochemical spectacles”?  I’ll try to set out my discovery in 13 monthly posts. Hopefully they will be of any use to you.  Any constructive suggestions are highly appreciated. Thank you.