The history of winemaking from air-dried grapes dates back to at least 800 BC. According to records, around the 1st century AD, the Romans called this method of winemaking "passum", from which the word "passito" for wine is derived in Italian.
Air-dried wineIt is to air dry the fresh grapes after picking, or to achieve the effect of air drying by late picking grapes to reduce the moisture content of the fruits. Due to the large reduction in moisture, the must is thicker and sweeter after pressing, and the wine is fermented with this must, which increases the alcohol and sugar content, and the wine is fuller and more intense.
As the skins are decomposed, the concentration of phenols and polyphenols naturally present in the red grapes increases, giving the wine a dry, bitter and structured feel. In this process, many sharp malic acids are metabolized, but tartaric acid is retained, giving the resulting wine a softer, rounder mouthfeel. This particular brewing process is calledWithered vine method appassimento.
appassimento
Withered vine method
The withered vine method is a unique winemaking technique that has been practiced in Italy for a long time, and is widely used in the Valporicella region of Veneto, where the famous wines such as Amarone, Reggiotto, and Saint Wine are made using this time-honored winemaking process.
Varone winery selects red wines from the vine method
Vivino rated 42 points recommended
Ranked in the top 4% of the best wines in the world.
Type:Claret.
Flavor:Dark fruits, oak barrels.
Winery:Varone Winery.
Grapes:Black Manroe.
How is the withered vine method used to make wine?
First of all, all the grapes used in the withered vine method must be harvested and selected by hand to ensure the quality of the grapes.
Drying is the most important and crucial step in the winemaking process, which is why the Valporicella region has a dedicated wine committee to supervise and create regulations that require wineries that use the withered vine method to dry the grapes by December 1 before they can start winemaking.
There are three main ways to dry grapes:The vines are air-dried, naturally air-dried after harvesting, and artificially air-dried after harvesting.
The vines are air-dried
During the harvest season, the grapes are left on the vine for over-ripening, delayed by 10 to 30 days, depending on the requirements of each appellation, the so-called "late harvest". Sometimes the late harvest of grapes grows on the skin, and the resulting wines have a strong aromatic character.
Naturally air-dried after harvesting
In this way, the grapes are harvested normally and then dried naturally. First of all, you need to make sure that the grapes are intact and undamaged, and that the bunches are not too tight. The bunches are then laid on special racks of various materials, while others are hung from beams or ropes to be dried. This process lasts more than 100 days, and the weight of the grapes is reduced by 30-40%.
Depending on the production area, the method of natural air drying also varies. In the south, where there is more sunshine, the grapes are left to dry outside; In the colder regions of the north, the grapes are kept in special rooms with good ventilation.
After harvesting, it is artificially air-dried
In this method, the grapes are harvested normally, but they are dried by manual intervention. The bunches of grapes are placed in a suitable temperature control room, which allows the temperature, humidity and ventilation to be varied as needed.
After the drying of the grapes, the grapes are destemmed, pressed and fermented, and the wine is aged in oak barrels for 12-18 months, with at least one year in the bottle before it is put on the market.
According to historical records and speculation, the main reason for the original origin of this winemaking method was to properly preserve the grapes by drying them, and at the same time, to concentrate the flavor and sugar content of the grapes, and to make a wine with a richer aroma and sweeter tasteRecciottoThus was born.
recioto
Recciotto
Regular Reggiotto liqueurs can be made from legal grapes grown in any region of the Valporicella appellation, and the grapes used to make Reggiotto are usually air-dried, with a longer drying time, usually ranging from three weeks to three months, in order to bring out more dried fruit flavors.
After the grapes are dried, they are gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel vats, and the fermentation process of sugar to alcohol is stopped in advance in order to preserve the sweetness.
Of course, Rescicito is not exclusive to Valporicella, and the Soave region uses the same method to produce air-dried dessert wines, but with white grape varieties.
Sweet red wine of Château Aigne Reggiotto
Vivino rated 43 points recommended
Ranked in the top 2% of the best wines in the world.
Type:Liqueur.
Flavor:Dark fruits, oak barrels.
Winery:Château Agnîne.
Grapes:Rotinella, Oseleta, Covina.
Amaroni and Reggiotto come from the same appellation and use the same variety and brewing method, with the difference that Amarone is fermented for a longer period of time than Reggiotto.
amarone
Amarone
Amarone was born by an accident in the 50s of the 20th century, when a winemaker in the Valporicella region forgot one of the barrels while making Regiotto wine, resulting in a long fermentation time and complete digestion of the sugars by the yeast, which unexpectedly produced this dry but full-bodied wine.
At that time, dessert wine was the main consumer in the Italian wine market, and most consumers did not like this bitter wine, so they named it "amarone". Later, people gradually discovered the deliciousness and uniqueness of this wine, and this method of brewing continued to make it what it is todayAmarone, the king of Italian wine
Rich and powerful, the Amaroni is made from four varieties: Corvina, Rotinella, Corvinoni and Molinara.
Giuseppe Kunda Riley Winery Amaroni Classic Valporicella Red Wine
Vivino rated 47 points recommended
Ranked in the top 1% of the best wines in the world.
Type:Claret.
Flavor:Spices, oak barrels.
Winery:Giuseppe Kunda Riley Winery.
Grapes:Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Corvina, Rotina, Corotina, Corvinoni.
Among the many air-dried dessert wines in Italy, Tuscany is the most famous. There are many opinions about the title of holy wine, but it is certain that this wine has been used in religious ceremonies for a long time.
vin santo
Holy wine
Sacred wine is a very characteristic wine, mainly produced in Tuscany, Italy. The Blanc Wine is mainly made from Trebiano and Malvisa, while the Red Wine is made from red grape varieties such as Sangiovese, as it is called"Partridge Eyes".
The uniqueness of the sake, mainly related to its brewing process, such as the fermentation of CAATELLI in small barrels and the special starter culture MADRE. Sacred wine is a sweet wine, often with complex aromas of hazelnuts, caramel, honey, dried apricots and tropical fruits, with a full-bodied body and a sweet and mellow taste.
The Antonine Maison's classic Chianti sacrament
Vivino rated 41 point recommendation
Ranked in the top 3% of the best wines in the world.
Type:Liqueur.
Flavor:Mineral earth, oak barrels.
Winery:The Anthony family.
Grapes:Sangiovese.
ripasso
Ripaso
Ripaso brewing method, also known as:"Secondary brewing method"., one of the oldest winemaking methods in Italy, has been in the Valpolicella region for hundreds of years, and at one point was in danger of being lost, only to be rediscovered in 1964.
The Ripasso method is a method in which the skins are drained before the end of fermentation in the Amarone or Reggiotto wines, and the unpressed skins are added to the Valporicella for a second fermentation.
This adds flavor and fruitiness to the wine, while also allowing it to achieve a similar richness and texture to that of Amarone. For this reason, Ripaso wine is often called"Little Amarone".
Château Rechia, super classic Ripaso Moullère
Vivino rated 41 point recommendation
Ranked in the top 3% of the best wines in the world.
Type:Claret.
Flavor:Red fruits, oak barrels.
Winery:Rekia.
Grapes:Corvina, Rotinella, Molinara.
Now, do you have some knowledge of the brewing process in Italy?
appassimento
In the next issue, I will take you into Siya, Italy, and talk about the classic wines of Italy.