Oenology
Oenology is the science and study of wine, including its production, composition, preservation, and sensory qualities.
Alcoholic fermentation: The microbial conversion of sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Yeast fermentation converts grape sugars into alcohol and drives many changes in wine.
Grape must: The freshly crushed juice, skins, seeds, and sometimes stems of grapes before fermentation. Must is the raw material whose composition sets key conditions for winemaking.
Winemaking: The process of turning grapes or other fruit into wine. Oenology supplies the scientific knowledge used to guide winemaking decisions.
Louis Pasteur: A French chemist and microbiologist whose work established key principles of fermentation and germ theory. Pasteur’s investigations connected wine fermentation to microorganisms and helped explain spoilage.
Viticulture and enology: The paired study of grape cultivation and wine production. This combined discipline includes vineyard science as well as oenology’s focus on wine.
Malolactic fermentation: The bacterial conversion of malic acid into lactic acid and carbon dioxide. This secondary fermentation softens acidity and can alter a wine’s aroma.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae: A yeast species widely used to ferment sugars in bread, beer, and wine production. This yeast commonly carries out the alcoholic fermentation of wine.
Wine analysis: The measurement of wine’s chemical, microbiological, and physical properties. Analysis helps determine composition, diagnose problems, and monitor production.
Wine in ancient Rome: The production, trade, and consumption of wine in the Roman world. Roman agricultural writing records early systematic knowledge of wine production.
Natural wine: Wine made with minimal intervention, though the term has no universally binding definition. Its production choices raise questions about intervention, additives, and the role of technical control.