Posts Tagged ‘grape skins’

Despite the fact that Pinot Noir is a difficult grape to grow, its popularity has pushed vineyards onward to find ways to best handle its difficulties.  Of course, weather plays a large part in the way that this little grape ripens and tastes in the end.  Small crops are most popular; if the grapes don’t get enough heat during the season, they produce a weak wine.  However, if the season is too warm, wines can taste a little too ripe.  Pinot Noir grapes thrive best when the nights are cool and the days are pleasantly warm.

At first, when people first glance at the Pinot Noir, they assume it makes a red wine.  While this is true in some cases, it can also be used to make white wines and even sparkling wines such as Champagne.  However, it is the color of the skins and not the grape flesh itself that gives a wine its color.  When a vineyard wants to make a red wine, they include the skins during the process.  If not, then the Pinot Noir skins are discarded early on, leaving only the fleshy fruit of the grape to determine the wine’s coloring.

Wine enthusiasts need no introduction to white wines, reds, and sparkling wines.  However, the “orange” wine is an up and coming form that is slowly but surely gaining in popularity.

These orange wines are slightly altered white wines.  These are created when the grapes are left with the grape skins for a much longer period of time than the typical white wine is when made.  Normally, only a few hours, or at most a day, of contact with the skins is permitted with a white wine.  Orange wines can be left with them for as long as several months.  The result gives them a higher resistance to oxygen, which in turn gives them the ability to stay fresher longer.

In addition, the flavor changes.  Instead of the various white wine flavors, they can be a bit more powerful, include stronger aromas, and have textures that can range from gritty to surprisingly appealing.  While some may reject these wines outright, a good wine lover will do well to try them.  After all, if wine is like art, then it will forever be constantly evolving.