Alcohol: Difference between revisions
Created page with "'''Alcohol''' in wine refers primarily to ethanol, the product of fermentation when yeasts convert grape sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is a defining component of wine, influencing its stability, style, and sensory properties.<ref>Jackson, ''Wine Science: Principles and Applications'', 5th ed., Academic Press, 2020, ISBN 978-0128161180.</ref> == Background == The word derives from the Arabic ''al-kuḥl'', later adopte..." |
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Latest revision as of 14:53, 21 August 2025
Alcohol in wine refers primarily to ethanol, the product of fermentation when yeasts convert grape sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is a defining component of wine, influencing its stability, style, and sensory properties.[1]
Background
The word derives from the Arabic al-kuḥl, later adopted into Latin and European languages to denote distilled substances.[2] In winemaking, alcohol forms naturally during fermentation, when grape must containing glucose and fructose is metabolised by yeast. The resulting ethanol concentration depends on grape ripeness, sugar levels, and winemaking choices.
Characteristics
Ethanol is the principal alcohol in wine, present typically between 8–15% by volume, though higher in some fortified wine styles.[3] Minor alcohols include glycerol, methanol, and higher alcohols such as fusel oils, which contribute subtly to flavour and texture.[4] Alcohol by Volume (ABV) is the standard measure used globally. Sensory perception varies: alcohol enhances body, warms the palate, and influences mouthfeel, but excessive levels can unbalance a wine.
Role in winemaking
Alcohol shapes both winemaking practice and the resulting wine. Fermentation kinetics, including the rate of sugar consumption and eventual dryness, are governed by yeast tolerance to rising ethanol levels.[5] Warmer vineyard regions often produce grapes with higher sugar, yielding wines of greater alcohol, while cooler climates tend to produce lighter styles. Alcohol also contributes to preservation, inhibiting microbial spoilage and acting in concert with acidity and tannin to stabilise the wine.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ Jackson, Wine Science: Principles and Applications, 5th ed., Academic Press, 2020, ISBN 978-0128161180.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Oxford University Press, 2015, ISBN 978-0198705383.
- ↑ Peynaud, Knowing and Making Wine, Wiley, 1984, ISBN 978-0471881491.
- ↑ Boulton, Singleton, Bisson & Kunkee, Principles and Practices of Winemaking, Springer, 1999, ISBN 978-0834217011.
- ↑ Jackson, Wine Science: Principles and Applications, 5th ed., Academic Press, 2020, ISBN 978-0128161180.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Oxford University Press, 2015, ISBN 978-0198705383.