ArticleMap.com

French Wine Overview

Around the globe, particular regions are famous for the wines they produce. But no wines command as much respect as those created in France.

Try as they may, international winemakers just can't seem to duplicate the quality of French wines. Perhaps there is extra care poured into every bottle of French wine, a timeless and thoughtful consideration that adds unique quality to the French wines on the market today.

During the initial process, French winemakers will crush the grapes as soon as they are delivered to the cellar. The winemakers can extract the most flavor from every grape, and the result is a French wine rich in flavor and certain to please the palate.

Once the grapes have been crushed, the crushed grapes, or "must" is then transported to specialized tanks to ferment. The fermentation process is an essential step in making fine French wine. Without fermentation there will be no alcohol, resulting in simple grape juice.

The grapes used in the creation of French wine have naturally-occurring yeasts, sugars and chemicals. A change takes place in the chemical balance of the grapes during the fermentation process. This chemical change is what makes the wines of France so unique.

In order to reach optimal fermentation, the must is kept at a steady temperature of 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. Proper ventilation is also required for smooth processing. Under these conditions, vintners are able to lay the foundation to create the types of French wines that have earned their place among the worlds finest.

The next step in making classic French wine is called maceration, in which the wine develops a rich body and color. The natural tannin and peel of the grapes will determine the color of the wine. The body, on the other hand, develops over time. If the grapes spend a longer period of time in maceration, the wine will have a more full-bodied flavor. In fact, many fine French wines spend weeks in maceration.

Raking is the final processing stage, in which the solids are removed from the wine. It's interesting to note that more than one type of wine may be created during this final phase. After raking, the resulting pulp may be used in its natural form to create a "free run" French wine, or it may be squeezed to create a "pressed" wine.

Wine lovers will agree that there are wines of exquisite quality that are created the world over. However, whether it's the grapes of France or the methods used to process them, no one can quite match the unique quality of a fine French wine.

Article Source: http://www.articlemap.com

Writer Gideon Laston is an essayist for several popular Internet magazines, on discount shopping and natural product themes.

Please Rate this Article