The heart of grape: Where the wine is born
One grape vine produces about a gallon of wine, and if this interests you to know how, then you may have just arrived at the right place to learn about grapes and their varieties and take the journey from vine to wine. In this article, you will learn a lot about grapes and explore the role of grape cultivation in the winemaking process and how it contributes to the unique characteristics of wine.
Exploring Terroir's Impact on Wine
Terroir, pronounced "ter-wahr," is a fancy word in the wine world, but it's a super important element that makes your favorite wine taste so good.
The term "terroir" describes the special characteristics of a place that affect how grapes grow and develop their flavors. It's similar to the nature of the region where grapes are grown. This covers the kind of soil, the local landscape, the temperature (hot, cold, wet, or dry), and how people maintain the vineyard.
Now, let's get inside each ingredient of terroir.
Soil: Grapes require healthy soil to develop, just like plants do. Varieties in soil composition, such as sand, clay, or stony, can impart distinct tastes to grapes.
Climate: It would become much easier to compare your feelings on a sweltering summer day to a freezing winter day. Yup, we do believe that grapes have emotions! Their flavor is influenced by the climate in which they grow. While some grapes favor warm, sunny weather, some do better in colder climates.
Topography is a technical term used to describe the land's form. Because they receive varying amounts of water and sunlight, grapes planted on gradients may have a distinct flavor from those produced on level ground.
Human touch: Surprisingly or not, people do have a significant role in this. Decisions such as when to plant, how to trim the vines, and when to harvest are made by farmers and winemakers. Every one of these decisions may impact how the wine tastes in the end. Agreed, what an irritable fruit.
What, then, makes terroir important for the wine? Now, imagine this: you are making a cake. The cake's flavor is determined by your components and the mixing method, right? The same holds true for wine! Grape qualities and flavors are shaped by terroir, which also influences how the wine tastes in your glass. A wine from one region may taste more like citrus and flowers, while a wine from another region may taste more like berries and herbs. That is terroir's magic!
Grape Varieties in Armenia
From affordable-priced excellence to premium varieties that can compete with the greatest in the world, Armenia's abundance of grapes has all the reasons to be proud.
Armenian wine defies the common belief that excellent wine is expensive. Armenia has great grape varietals that provide outstanding value without sacrificing flavor. They are of high quality at a reasonable price range, ranging from the crisp and refreshing notes of Khatoon Kharji to the fruity tastes of Areni. The Armenian wine SAVAR uses these grape varieties to make exceptional wines for consumers.
Another reason why Armenian grape varieties have to be set apart is that they produce some of the best grape types in the world. These grapes get thorough care in our vineyards to produce wines of unmatched complexity and category that are highly regarded worldwide.
There are several key well-known wine-growing areas in Armenia, especially in Vayots Dzor. Rind and Aghavnadzor villages have been benchmarks for superior grape growing and wine making for many years. Rind's cold environment and high-altitude vineyards produce wines that are the ideal combination of quality and price. Here, the accessibility of the grape types and the depth of our winemaking traditions together produce an affordable taste of Armenian wine's legacy. In addition, Aghavnadzor, which is located in the scenic Vayots Dzor area, has superior grape varietals that can compete with the best worldwide. Aghavnadzor wines, which offer a remarkable sensory experience with each taste, represent the height of Armenian winemaking. As discussed, the altitude of wineries is very important, and that's how the high position of the Armenian landscape creates the most unique grapes and wines.
From Vine to Wine: The Winemaking Process
In making wine, two important steps play a big role: crushing the grapes and fermenting the juice. Let's dive into these key stages!
Grapes to Crush: Breaking Down the Flavor
There is so much potential flavor in these tiny jewels! But they need to be given a little squeeze before they turn into wine. Crushing enters the picture now. When grapes are crushed, the liquid within is released, and the skins are broken. Here in this juice is the secret of its enchantment!
From Crush to Fermentation: Making Wine from Juice
After we have our grape juice, fermentation is about to begin. The yeast now becomes a component of the group. Yeast is a little superhero that converts sugar into carbon dioxide bubbles and alcohol. The liquid turns into wine as the yeast does its magic. It's similar to witnessing a caterpillar transform into a butterfly, but much more delicious!
Bottling: Preserving the Quality
It's time to bottle the wine once fermentation is finished and it reaches the perfect texture. However, this process involves more than just pouring wine into a nice bottle. Ensuring the wine is properly bottled is essential to maintaining its quality. This entails ensuring that the cork tightly seals everything, that the wine is handled with care, and that the bottles are clean. All winemakers want their wine to taste as good as the day it was produced, after all.
To Wrap Up
Growing grapes is more than producing fruit; preserving the wine's character is also important. Grape-growing practices have a direct impact on the flavors, aromas, and overall quality of the wine that is produced. The final product is influenced by every aspect of grape cultivation, including the kind of soil the grapes are grown in, the temperature they are exposed to, and the care and attention that farmers provide them.
On the last note, we want to encourage the wine community to welcome innovation and stay ahead of the curve. From setting new standards for quality and sustainability to obtaining certifications that attest to the excellence of Armenian wines, there are countless opportunities for our wine community to lead the way in the global market. By harnessing the power of technology – whether it's through advanced farming techniques, state-of-the-art equipment, or innovative winemaking practices – we can elevate Armenian wine to new peaks of greatness.
