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BLENDING At this stage, and because we really have in each vat a different wine -from the same variety of vine, but coming from different properties- we carry out the blending process. The enologists analyse and taste the wine inside each vat to find out the proportions in which each of those wines should be blended in order to create each of our type of wines. |
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CLARIFICATION Both fermentations finished, we try now to get rid of the solid particles mixed in the wine, and which give it a non fully transparent look. Traditionally, this has been done by adding either milk, blood or white of egg to wine, although nowadays other substances like bentonite are used. In any case, all these substances have the property of agglomerating all those solid particles and take them down to the bottom of the vat. |
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FILTRATION
Complementary to clarification, and having the same objective, wine is usually filtered, making it pass through a porous surface. The most usual types of filters are those working with membranes, earth and cardboard. |
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STABILISATION
During this process, wine is put at a temperature of -5º Centigrade for a few days, so that some salts called bitartrates will drop down to the bottom of the vat. Once the winemaking is over, and if there is a sudden change of temperature, bitartrates may form crystals that will make the wine lose some of its bright colour and that will precipitate to the bottom of the bottle. |
