Page 87 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 87
The Components of Wine
that is constantly changing. Immediately after fermentation, it is cloudy, somewhat wild and
fresh. With time, it settles down and matures, which means that a new balance is established
among the components. Insoluble substances are precipitated and the wine becomes clearer
An “overview of the vintage” with
Dušan Terčelj in the Ptuj wine cellar,
2003. Photo: Boris Farič, the photo
library of the Ptuj Regional Museum.
in appearance. It gains in harmony and new aromatic substances appear, creating a unique
bouquet so that in relation to mature wine we speak of noble maturity. With the passing of
years, wine ages: it loses its finesse and the aromatic substances oxidise, so the noble aroma
and flavour are lost. Young cloudy wines can be clarified by filtration, then bottled fresh
and put on the market without having been “educated” to noble maturity.
In the maturation of wine, i.e. the establishment of a balance
among the components, their pH value, i.e. the measure of acidity,
and the redox state play an important role. Any change in either
pH or redox changes the balance and flavour of wine and thus
also its character. When maturing, wine must be in a reductive
state. Maturation processes benefit from a slow intake of air, in
particular oxygen through barrel staves. New aromatic substances
are created in this way. An interesting new substance is acetalde-
hyde, which originates from alcohol. In small quantities it has
a beneficial effect on the appearance of an aroma, but in larger
concentrations and stronger oxidation, it causes the browning of
wine. In red wine, acetaldehyde accelerates the condensation of
substances, i.e. the binding of colour and tannin substances, which
has a beneficial effect on the flavour. Thus red wines become less
bitter and more harmonious with maturity. The gentle input of
air through barrel staves enables small quantities of wine acid to
change into dihydroxymaleinic acid, which is important in the
appearance of aroma. With stronger airing, dihydroxymaleinic
acid turns into oxalic acid, which leads to the loss of aromatic
substances.
Oenologist Erich Krutzler Wine must be in a reductive state. This is aided by its own
(Dveri Pax) in the antioxidants, i.e. polyphenols in red wine and the appropriate
Jareninski dol cellar, 2006. sulphurisation and the addition of ascorbic acid in white wine.
Photo: Staša Cafuta.
83
that is constantly changing. Immediately after fermentation, it is cloudy, somewhat wild and
fresh. With time, it settles down and matures, which means that a new balance is established
among the components. Insoluble substances are precipitated and the wine becomes clearer
An “overview of the vintage” with
Dušan Terčelj in the Ptuj wine cellar,
2003. Photo: Boris Farič, the photo
library of the Ptuj Regional Museum.
in appearance. It gains in harmony and new aromatic substances appear, creating a unique
bouquet so that in relation to mature wine we speak of noble maturity. With the passing of
years, wine ages: it loses its finesse and the aromatic substances oxidise, so the noble aroma
and flavour are lost. Young cloudy wines can be clarified by filtration, then bottled fresh
and put on the market without having been “educated” to noble maturity.
In the maturation of wine, i.e. the establishment of a balance
among the components, their pH value, i.e. the measure of acidity,
and the redox state play an important role. Any change in either
pH or redox changes the balance and flavour of wine and thus
also its character. When maturing, wine must be in a reductive
state. Maturation processes benefit from a slow intake of air, in
particular oxygen through barrel staves. New aromatic substances
are created in this way. An interesting new substance is acetalde-
hyde, which originates from alcohol. In small quantities it has
a beneficial effect on the appearance of an aroma, but in larger
concentrations and stronger oxidation, it causes the browning of
wine. In red wine, acetaldehyde accelerates the condensation of
substances, i.e. the binding of colour and tannin substances, which
has a beneficial effect on the flavour. Thus red wines become less
bitter and more harmonious with maturity. The gentle input of
air through barrel staves enables small quantities of wine acid to
change into dihydroxymaleinic acid, which is important in the
appearance of aroma. With stronger airing, dihydroxymaleinic
acid turns into oxalic acid, which leads to the loss of aromatic
substances.
Oenologist Erich Krutzler Wine must be in a reductive state. This is aided by its own
(Dveri Pax) in the antioxidants, i.e. polyphenols in red wine and the appropriate
Jareninski dol cellar, 2006. sulphurisation and the addition of ascorbic acid in white wine.
Photo: Staša Cafuta.
83
