Alcoholic fermentation in very broad terms is a microbial process where yeast,
single celled fungi that metabolise, convert sugar to ethanol and carbon
dioxide. It is of course far more complex than this and the amount of
by-products produced are numerous including higher alcohols and esters. Find
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The
primary chemistry involved in fermentation can be represented by the chemical
formula below:
C6H12O6
2C2H5OH
+
2CO2
sugar
ethanol
carbon dioxide
Grapes contain
mainly glucose and fructose. Both are fermentable sugars and can be converted to
alcohol.
Fermentation is also an exothermic
reaction. Exo meaning to leave and thermo relates to energy therefore exothermic
means to give off energy or rather heat in the case of fermentation. ILNAM
Estate Winery uses a large amount of electricity to control and cool fermenting
wines every vintage.
White wine fermentation at ILNAM
Estate Winery is conducted at 10 deg C and this is termed a cold ferment. The
primary reason for a cold ferment is to retain the primary berry flavours of
the grape. A large refrigeration unit is employed to control and maintain the
fermenting juice at this temperature. Fermentation at this temperature takes
between 6 and 7 weeks to complete. White grapes are separated from their skins
and seeds before fermentation is commenced.
Red wines are fermented at higher
temperatures of 20 to 30 deg C. At these temperatures the fermenting grapes
reach a maximum colour and flavour within a week and are then separated from the
skins and seeds. Merlots and softer grapes are fermented at lower temperatures
to retain more of the primary grape flavours while the bigger style Shiraz or
Cabernets might be fermented at temperatures more in the late 20's to extract
more tannins, colour and other flavour components. Red grapes are fermented on
their skins as this is where all the colour and a great deal of the mouth feel
and flavour components are.
You cannot make
a good wine from poor quality grapes. It is the grape qualities that set the
foundation for the expertise of the winemaker to transform them into wine. To
make a great wine the winemaker will need great grapes.
Taste
award winning local wines today at ILNAM Estate
ILNAM Estate is
a unique tourist attraction as we are the only winery on
the Tweed. ILNAM Estate Winery is located just 20 minutes from the Gold Coast
Airport, 40 minutes from Surfers Paradise and only 1 hour 20 minutes from
Brisbane.
ILNAM ESTATE WINERY- 750 Carool Road,
Carool NSW- Ph (07) 5590 7703
