Wine can be made from many types of fruits and berries that contain natural sugar. The greatest quantity of wine is produced from grapes (white, rosé, black or red). The grape is composed of: stem (2.5-8%), peel (6-10%), pulp, seeds (2-15%) and must. This is the most suitable natural product for winemaking, because grapes contain enough sugar for fermentation. On the surface of the berries live yeast fungi, which give rise to the winemaking process after pressing the juice. To make a good wine it is very important to grow high quality grapes. The quality of grapes depends on many factors. All good vineyards are found on hills and mountain slopes. Of great importance are the lighting (sun), the soil and climate, the humidity of the region and the age of the vines (Zeppa, Giuseppe (2007)). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayGrapes grown for wine contain more sugar and less acid. It is harvested at a certain level of ripeness, necessary for the production of wine. The degree of ripeness of the grapes determines the composition and quality of the resulting wine. The ripening of grapes is not a regular and uniform process. Rainy and cold weather can reduce the intensity of ripening, while a dry climate accelerates the ripening of grapes. Another reason to determine the optimal harvest time is that not all varieties are harvested at the same time. Methods for determining the date when grapes are ripe and can be harvested have evolved over time from organoleptic to chemical determinations, following changes in the content of the main components of the grape. The grape harvest is done manually by manually cutting the bunch from the vines with knives or scissors. When possible, mechanical harvesting is used. The time of harvesting wine grapes is carefully chosen, as each variety must reach its cultivation potential (amount of sugar, aroma, color and acidity). The amount of sugar (fructose and glucose) measured with a refractometer (RI = refractometric index in % or °Brix) should be greater than 19% to achieve the right alcohol content. Berries with more than 17% sugars are sweet and 19% sugars give a very sweet taste (Fabio Mencarelli. Department of Food Science and Technology) Keep in mind: this is just an example. Get a personalized article immediately from our expert writers.Receive personalized essayThe moment of the harvest is also established based on the technological maturation which is very important in the winemaking process, because the parameters at which the grapes must reach are different for the different types of wine : very dry, semi-dry, medium and sweet. The harvest of the grapes for the production of wine takes place at the end of August - September. The white grapes are harvested first, the red ones later. There are also later grape harvests, for example in Germany. Due to climatic conditions, a short aging period is expected, there is not enough sugar in the grapes, so the harvest is carried out in November.