Just how much manipulation of grapes into wine should take place? After all, wine has been in existence for thousands of years. While there is considerable debate over who and how the wine first came to be, who are we to say that the wine was good or not?

Today the wine industry has changed. Grapes have been scientifically “improved” hopefully to provide better quality. Once the grapes leave the vineyards, the process has changed. While it is possible to discover wines produced with native yeast, most winemakers use a specific yeast for the type of wine they are trying to create. Stainless steel equipment, oak barrels, destemmers, crushers, presses all add to the technology available. Of course, the winemaker needs to make constant decisions in order to create the type of wine he would like.

Other winemakers believe that the “grapes should speak for themselves.” These are the winemakers who do not want to destroy or change what the grape is bringing from the vineyard.

For me, I prefer less manipulation in the winery. I like the taste found in the terroir of a wine. When the winemaker manipulates the wines to create the very same wine vintage after vintage, perhaps it helps with having a consistent product for consumers, but doesn’t that eventually make the wine boring? After all do you want the same meat and potatoes dinner night after night?

There is an article at Forbes.com about the Memstar machine in Australia. In an article, When Smoke Gets in Your Wine, Tim Treadgold wrote, “Removing alcohol is the major use of the technology, but with a switch in the process other unwanted elements can be removed, including smoke taint from forest fires.” How far should technology go in changing the taste of the grapes after leaving the vineyard? Treadgold adds, “Using technology to tinker with wine is not something most winemakers like to talk about.”

As a wine enthusiast, how would you like your wine made?

Cheers, Kathy