Sweet, Reinforced And Fortified Wines

This book, the first scientific and technical guide of its kind, covers a controlled drying process, grape dehydration, that changes the grape at the biochemical level, and involves specialized vine management, post-harvest technology, and production processes, which are different from the typical wine-making procedure.
The history of wine is the history of sweet wine. In the Mediterranean basin, climate conditions encouraged growers to leave the grapes on vine to become overripe, or to pick the bunches and let them dry in the sun, before pressing them into wine. Until a few years ago, it was thought that these wines – such as Pedro Ximenez, Tokaj, Passito, and Vin Santo – were the result of simple grape drying, because the grapes were left in the sun, or inside greenhouses that had no controls over temperature, relative humidity or ventilation. But Amarone wine, one of the most prized wines of the world, is the first wine in which the drying is a controlled process. This controlled process – better defined as a grape dehydration – changes the grape at the biochemical level and involves specialist vine management, postharvest technology and production processes, which are different from the typical wine-making procedure.
Sweet, Reinforced and Fortified Wines: Grape Biochemistry, Technology and Vinification is the most comprehensive book available on the technical issues, scientific topics and characteristics of these important special wines. After an introductory chapter dealing with historical overview and the description of the cultural impact of sweet wines throughout the centuries in the Mediterranean area, the book is organized into three sections. The first section covers different technical and scientific aspects of the whole production chain, from the field to the cellar. The variety of options for managing the vineyard and different solutions for operating the dehydration process are outlined. The changes which occur at physiological and physico-chemical levels, characterizing the berries during on-vine and postharvest dehydration, and in relation to noble rot infection, are then described. The first section also extensively reports issues, methods and technical solutions to optimize vinification for the best possible quality of sweet wines. The second section of the book is dedicated to well-known reinforced, fortified or sweet wines produced in different areas of the world. These chapters, describing the specific characteristics and quality traits of wines, highlight the cultural diversity and variety of protocols applied in this segment of the wine industry. The third and final section deals with the market for sweet, reinforced and fortified wines, and not only includes statistics and data regarding the current marketing situation, but also posits some opportunities and strategies for the future.
Sweet, Reinforced and Fortified Wines: Grape Biochemistry, Technology and Vinification will be a valuable resource for wineries, wine makers and wine operators, as well as postharvest specialists, vineyard managers, and grape growers. Enology students will prize it as the first in-depth study of these wines, while agriculture and viticulture facilities and course leaders will find it detailed and comprehensive.
Wines from Grape Dehydration is the first of its kind in the field of grape dehydration – the controlled drying process which produces a special group of wines.
These types of wine are the most ancient, made in the Mediterranean basin, and are even described in Herodotus. Until few years ago, it was thought that these wines – such as Pedro Ximenez, Tokai, Passito, and Vin Santo – were the result of simple grape drying, because the grapes were left in the sun, or inside greenhouses that had no controls over temperature, relative humidity or ventilation. But Amarone wine, one of the most prized wines in the world, is the first wine in which the drying is a controlled process. This controlled process – grape dehydration – changes the grape at the biochemical level, and involves specialist vine management, postharvest technology and production processes, which are different from the typical wine-making procedure.
After a history of grape dehydration, the book is then divided into two sections; scientific and technical.
The scientific section approaches the subjects of vineyard management and dehydration technology and how they affect the biochemistry and the quality compounds of grape; as well as vinification practices to preserve primary volatiles compounds and colour of grape. The technical section is devoted to four main classes of wine: Amarone, Passito, Pedro Ximenez, and Tokai.
The book then covers sweet wines not made by grape dehydration, and the analytical/sensorial characteristics of the wines. A concluding final chapter addresses the market for these special wines.
This book is intended for wineries and wine makers, wine operators, postharvest specialists, vineyard managers/growers, enology/wine students, agriculture/viticulture faculties and course leaders and food processing scientists