SHORT INTRODUCTION TO THE

ROMANIAN WINEMAKING TECHNOLOGY

            The information presented on this site illustrates as clearly as possible all the technological aspects that implies the obtaining of a high quality wine in Romania. This site is intended to: horticulture students, winemakers, wine specialists (witch are asked to contact me with any suggestions regarding this site) but also to the general public, willing to know what's hiding behind the liquid in the glass called WINE.

            Thank you for your visit and please, come back again!

            The most important technological actions to produce high quality white wine are:

• destemming and the crushing of the grapes. It is recommended that the destmming will precede the crushing as it is better for the must obtained. Especially on white wines all this interventions must be done quickly and soft to avoid the oxidation of the must and the maceration of the solid parts.

• the must sulfitation is done with liquid SO₂ having in mind a level of 50-60 mg/l if the grape harvest is healthy and 80-120 mg/l if the grapes are affected by the gray mould, oidium and insects.

• the separation of the liquid must must be done as quickly as possible using separating compressors, separating chambers and metallic rotating tanks (witch are better).

• pressing the crushed-grape mass is done with pneumatic pressers or with continuous pressers.

• the must is then clarified, depigmented (if necessary), compositional corrected and also now it is the time to add stimulants and growing substances for the yeasts.

• applying different compositional corrections (sugar and acidity) are done only to clarified musts and according with the laws.

• the alcoholic fermentation of the white musts must be slow and well thinked. The fermentation temperature must be between 16 and 22⁰C, optimum at 18⁰C. Racking is made when the alcoholic fermentation is finished (you can also make a light sulfitation then)

• following is the raking when we can speak of wine already (young one).

           To produce high quality red wine you must:

• destemming and the crushing of the grapes,

• sulfating the musts,

• maceraration-fermentation on the grape-crushed mass,

• separation of the fractions (solid from liquid),

• making the necessary composition corrections

• finalizing the alcoholic fermentation,

• the malolactic fermentation.

After all this operations are done you obtain young red wine.

Portions of this text published on this site has been taken from the book called "Oenologie" written by: Nicolai Pomohaci, Ioan Namolosanu, Viorel Stoian, Valeriu Cotea and colab. and also from the book called "Tratat de vinificatie" written by:  Tardea C. and Tardea A, to witch I hereby wish to thank them.

 The copyrights are fully  theirs (approvall for publishing is still pending).