Wines Vintages 1990-1999

The wine making process

The climate and soil are fundamental to achieve quality wines, but not less important is the process of vinification. So much so that, depending on the oenological procedures used in the production, the best grapes can produce a bad wine and a deficient one a correct wine. After harvesting, healthy grapes are transported in the least aggressive way possible, taking special care that the grain does not deteriorate due to excessive pressure, causing premature fermentation.

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The grapes are unloaded on the "reception hopper", a kind of inverted pyramid that, like a funnel, will deposit the grapes on an "endless" that will lead them directly to the crusher, after the fruit has been analysed to determine its health condition and its sugar and acid content. The crusher will press the grape just enough to prevent the pips and stems (structural support of the bunch) from breaking and contaminating the must.

The resulting paste is transferred by means of the "paste impulse pump" to the presses, without coming into contact with the air to prevent the start of fermentation. If it is a red wine, the paste must be de-stemmed before pressing. From here on the process will take different paths whether it is red, white or rosé, not to mention cavas or generous. a.

White wine

After pressing, the must is separated. The paste with the skin is moved to the "cages" and the juice is allowed to drain slowly by the force of gravity or by slight pressure. The first musts are called "Mosto Yema, de Flor o Lágrima" (Bud, Flower or Teardrop Must) and are the best quality, fine and light, aromatic, soft and fruity musts.Imperial athletic 1994

The flower musts obtained in a static way, that is, by gravity, must be added with sulphur dioxide in order to delay a fermentation that would arise spontaneously, due to the time that they must remain draining in contact with the air.Imperial athletic 1994

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The excess paste is subjected to increasing pressure as it solidifies due to lack of liquid. The "first", "second" and "third" musts or "press musts", which are the product of successive pressings, are losing quality.

Rioja wines

Each one will ferment separately, logically producing different types of wine. In the end only the "sweet or fresh pomace" will remain in the press. Far from being a waste product, it has several uses. As fertilizer or animal feed if the skins are fermented in the absence of air (anaerobic); washed by diffusion, the "piquettes" are obtained, which, distilled, produce rectified alcohols and other derivatives, while by direct distillation the pomace spirit is obtained.Imperial athletic 1994

Before entering the fermentation phase, the musts must be "racked" and left to stand for a few hours so that the solid particles suspended in them can settle, by decantation, to the bottom of the tank.Imperial athletic 1994

Fermentation is the process by which the sugars contained in the must are transformed into alcohol, mainly, along with other organic compounds. This alcoholic fermentation is carried out through the mediation of yeasts (micro-fungi found in the soils of the vineyard) which, when they run out of air, metabolize the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.

During this process, it is essential to control, on the one hand, the density, in order to determine the amount of sugar remaining in the must and, on the other hand and above all, to control the sugar content of the must.

ribera del duero wines

the temperature as an excess can lead to a stop in fermentation due to the death of the yeast. The end of fermentation occurs spontaneously when the sugar content in the must (residual sugar) does not exceed 4 or 5 grams per litre. This will result in a dry wine.

When the intention is to produce semi-dry or sweet wines, the fermentation must be stopped by chemical means (addition of sulphur dioxide) or physical means (cooling or overheating) at the moment when the residual sugar content is adequate for the wine to be obtained.Imperial athletic 1994

The "virgin fermentation", that is to say without contact with the skins, typical of white musts, produces light and very clean wines. However, at present there are tendencies that opt for a certain maceration of the must with the skins, slowing down the fermentation by means of cold treatments.Imperial athletic 1994

This method gives the wine more body, enriches the sensations in the mouth, increases its aromatic power, allows a better evolution in the bottle and gives it a longer life. Once the fermentation is finished, the wine is subjected to two or three rackings to eliminate the solid remains. Afterwards, the selection of qualities and the corresponding blends are made to achieve the desired result.Imperial athletic 1994

Finally, a final clarification is made using substances that carry away any residues that may have escaped from the racking process and it is concluded with the filtering process before bottling.

Rosé wine

It is similar in its processes to that of white, except that red grapes or a mixture of white and red are used. As a previous step to fermentation, the must undergoes a short cold maceration (so that it does not ferment) together with the skins, from which it will extract the colour.Imperial athletic 1994

Then, the must is separated from the solids to carry out the fermentation in virgin.

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If, on the other hand, the process of taking on colour is carried out by the fermentation of the skins together with the must (in this case musts from white and red grapes), what is produced is a claret. In summary, it can be said that a rosé is wine made like a white wine but with red grapes or a mixture of red and white grapes, while a claret is like a rosé but made in the same way as red wines.Imperial athletic 1994

Red wine

It is made from the must of red grapes fermented together with the solid parts of the grape (skin and pips). Unlike whites, the paste resulting from the crushing must go through the "de-stemming" process, which consists of separating the grain from the stems, so that during the maceration necessary for taking on colour, no herbaceous or bitter flavours are transmitted from this woody part of the bunch. Two fermentations are carried out in red wines:Imperial athletic 1994

The first one, called alcoholic fermentation, due to the great activity that the yeasts develop in this stage, the sugars are split into alcohol with carbon dioxide release at the same time that the colouring matters of the skin are dissolved in the must. The resulting carbon gas pushes up the skins, forming a natural barrier called a cap, which must be soaked in the must to activate the extraction of colour in an operation called pumping over.Imperial athletic 1994

Cune Winery

The skin should also be removed periodically. Once the colour has been achieved, the wine is decanted, consisting of decanting the liquid, now separated from the solid matter, into another tank where the second fermentation, known as malolactic, takes place. This gives the wine finesse and smoothness, transforming a strong acid such as malic acid into a softer and more unctuous one, lactic acid.Imperial athletic 1994

The solid remains left over from the first fermentation are subjected to strong pressing to obtain the so-called press wine, which is very rich in colour and tannins and should not be mixed with the rest. Once the two fermentations are completed, the wine is subjected to various rackings and clarification and stabilisation treatments, which vary according to its destination and aim to preserve the cleanliness of the bottled product.

Finally, the wines are selected by quality and bottled immediately, if they are going to be released on the market as young wines, or they will remain in wooden barrels until the ageing process is completed according to the characteristics of the wine.

Elaboration and aging of the fortified wines

Generosos are wines with a high alcohol content, generally between 15 and 23 degrees. To make them, we start with a light wine, similar to a fruity table wine, with an approximate alcoholic content of 11 degrees.Imperial athletic 1994

Fortified wines are classified according to the method of production, aging and base wine used. Thus, the Finos are made from a wine whose characteristics fit in with those of the other wines, so that they can go through a whole aging process without losing their biological characteristics after the addition of wine alcohol until they reach 15 degrees.Imperial athletic 1994

Amontillados contain a greater volume of added alcohol because the wine loses certain attributes of fino, oxidizes slightly and remains halfway between fino and oloroso.

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In this case, to avoid alterations to the residual flower, wine alcohol is added until it reaches 17 degrees. Olorosos are wines which, due to their body, are not suitable for fino and therefore do not go through the total biological phase of fino, nor partial amontillado. Alcohol is added until it reaches 19 degrees and they are aged oxidatively in less fresh cellars.

Each type of generous wine is deposited in the 550 litre oak vats. The ageing process is also specific to each of the wines.Imperial athletic 1994

Sparkling wines

Sparkling wines are those containing carbon dioxide gas from the action of sucrose and yeast in their second fermentation (the first as a normal dry wine and the second in the bottle) causing the characteristic release of gas in the glass, fine, slow and prolonged. The second fermentation and later aging in the bottle produce the gradual destruction of the yeasts, exhausted their function.

This gives rise to the characteristic aroma of cava, of yeast.Imperial athletic 1994

Sparkling wines can be classified into two types depending on the method of production: the champenoise method (used in the French region of Champagne, from which it takes its name) . In this process the fermentation takes place in the bottle itself. The second system, used in Italian and German sparkling wines, is the so-called Granvás or Large Containers, which takes place in large stainless steel tanks for 20 days.

Generally the best quality sparkling wines are those made using the Champagne or traditional method. This must be pale, clean, fruity, low in sulphur dioxide and with an alcohol content not exceeding 11 degrees.

The base wine will be added to the liqueur de tirage (a mixture of sugar and yeast), and the bottles will be filled. The process will be completed with the transfer of the bottles to the cellars (generally underground buildings of uniform temperature and humidity) where the fermentation process will take place, which will last a minimum of 9 months.Imperial athletic 1994

Once this process has been completed and after remaining for approximately 20 days, the lees or sediments formed by the remains of the fermentation are removed from the desks or the modern paralepiped containers for sedimentation. In the last phase, the "disgorging", a delicate process that requires expert hands or precision machinery, the bottle is uncorked and the expedition liqueur is added, generally wine of the same type or old, with different doses of sugar that will give the wine its degree of sweetness and its particular personality.Imperial athletic 1994

Common table wines

For wineries, the production and bottling of a young or quality table wine is more profitable because it avoids prolonged storage and, therefore, less immobilization of capital in stock, as well as preventing losses of wine by evaporation during aging and ageing in barrels. It should be borne in mind that young wine should not be consumed beyond 3 or 4 years.

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Youth in wine is not only a quality appreciated in whites and rosés, youth is also becoming established in reds as a sign of quality. Wines that are acquiring a fresher and more fruity style, freeing their natural flavours from the homogenising action of the wood, whose bitter tannins are replaced by the lively and healthy tannins provided by the grape.Imperial athletic 1994

Fine and reserve wines

The prestige that old wines usually enjoy is very much a myth. The question lies in the emotional charge caused by that aura of history with which time seals a bottle of the past. It is difficult to know exactly how long wine lasts. Wines evolve positively in the bottle during a certain period of time.Imperial athletic 1994

Once this has been overcome, the wine begins a process of decline. All wines do not age in the same way. The cycles can be more or less different depending on factors such as the variety of grape used, the characteristics of a particular vintage, or the methods of production. It is not completely proven that wine improves with time, as things keep happening between the beginning and the end.Imperial athletic 1994

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In addition to the grape, the harvest and the methods of production, there are a number of external factors that can also alter the life of a wine: the temperature, the humidity of the premises and the state of the cork. The ideal is a cool and stable temperature, around 18ºC, a humidity of 75-80%, good ventilation and the replacement of the stopper every 15 years or so.

Breeding and aging

The wine aging process is long and delicate, and during this process it will acquire a series of particular characteristics, mainly provided by the wood of the vats. The wines that are aged, although totally suitable for consumption, have the possibility of seeing their qualities improved.Imperial athletic 1994

For their selection, they are subjected to a series of tasting, mixing and analysis that serve to anticipate possible subsequent results. The wine to be aged is usually tough, rough, aggressive on the palate and with an intense, lively colour, aspects that will be gradually polished and refined as the ageing periods are completed.

The appropriate choice of vats and the time the wine remains in them will be the main factors that will have a decisive influence on the final results of the wine.Imperial athletic 1994

The most commonly used vat is the oak wood one with a capacity of 225 litres, called Bordeaux. The age of the vats also plays an important role in the ageing of the wines, the new ones or those with little use, transmit their characteristics to the wine more quickly than the old ones, since the latter have been losing their characteristic contributions with use and it is necessary for the wine to remain in them longer. They must also have a compact structure, without cracks and be perfectly clean.

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Before receiving the wine, the inside of the vat is burned with sulphur to clean it and eliminate the oxygen. The wine is introduced slowly, by means of a cane that reaches the bottom to avoid the formation of foam that displaces the sulphur dioxide formed by the combustion of sulphur. Once it is full, it is usually closed with a cork covered with burlap, or the newest silicone ones, so that they are as hermetic as possible.

The environment around them must meet a series of conditions that favour a balanced, slow and homogeneous oxidation, for which a low temperature is required (13-15ºC), and without great oscillations between winter and summer, with a humidity of around 75%. They are placed, in superimposed rows, with the wine remaining inside, for about six months.

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After this time, the wine is transferred to another vat, taking care not to mix it with the deposits or impurities accumulated at the bottom during this time. In general, this operation is repeated with the same frequency until the wine acquires the desired point, always at the winemaker's discretion and keeping some minimums regulated by the relevant bodies.

When the wine is finished in vats, we proceed to unify qualities, mixing complementary wines within the same vintage.Imperial athletic 1994

Once the desired wine is achieved, the bottling process begins. The corks must have a minimum length of 44 mm. and be free of odours and porosities.Imperial athletic 1994

The filled and capped bottles are placed in the cellars horizontally, forming "rhymes". The horizontality causes the contact of the wine with the cork keeping it humid and filled and therefore hermetic. The fretwork is a totally isolated place, generally underground, which is not subject to air currents or temperature changes and whose relative humidity must always be higher than 70%.

The evolution in the bottle is not the same for all wines and is closely linked to the quantity and quality of phenological compounds they contain, especially tannins and total acidity.

The optimal state of a wine that has evolved well during its aging in wood is obtained after remaining long enough in the bottle, where it will develop the "bouquet" by means of the reduction or lack of oxygen and will round out reaching its maximum expression. MINIMUM AGING PERIODS : fine wine minimum period of 24 months, reserve 36 months, grand reserve 60 months.

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