oenology

Winemaking Technique | What Is Cold Maceration?

2026/4/19

Maceration is a winemaking technique with a surprisingly thin body of precise, publicly available information despite its widespread use. This article takes cold maceration (cold soak) as its central case and examines both the commonly cited benefits and …

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qualitycontrol

The Diversity of Brett Reception | Beyond the Defect-vs-Character

2026/4/3

How do you react when Brett comes up in a conversation about wine? Some may wonder why bread appears in the discussion — the resemblance goes no further than the sound of the word. What drifts from the glass is a distinctive smell rarely encountered in ev …

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oenology

Are Dessert Wines Never Red?

2026/3/19

Preferences in wine vary widely, but few people seem to dislike the profound sweetness that characterises dessert wines. Even setting aside Château d’Yquem, the mere thought of a Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese from an exceptional vintage is enough to bring …

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fermentation

A Technique for Controlling Spontaneous Fermentation in Winemaking: Pied de Cuve

2026/2/12

When making one’s own wine, few producers have never hesitated over the choice of whether to ferment with active dry yeast or to rely on indigenous microorganisms—so-called “wild” yeasts—present on grapes and in the winery. If the priority is fermentation …

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viticultur

Pruning Wine Grapevines: Sap Flow and Longevity Through the Lens of Fundamentals and History

2026/1/14

Pruning is one of the most critical operations carried out in vineyards. In viticulture, pruning refers to removing unnecessary shoots and canes that have grown over the season, leaving only those required for the coming production cycle. This work is per …

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oenology wine

Wine and Barrel-Derived Extracts: Phenolic Compounds and Oak-Related Aromas

2025/12/22

This article focuses on the compounds extracted from wooden barrels during wine aging and their effects on wine. Discussions of barrel aging are often reduced to the notion of “oak aroma,” with an emphasis on aromatic attributes alone. In practice, howeve …

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thorough-explanation

Myths and Realities of Whole-Cluster Fermentation: How Grape Stems Affect Wine

2025/12/11

In the context of winemaking, you may have encountered terms such as “destemming” and “whole-cluster fermentation.” Both refer to how grape bunches are handled at the point of vatting. A grape cluster consists of many berries attached to a green, stem-lik …

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oenology thorough-explanation vinnatural

Bio and “Natural”: A Winemaker’s View from the Cellar

2025/12/10

Whenever I occasionally post about “natural wine” on X (formerly Twitter), those posts tend to be shared relatively widely for my account size. This simply indicates how many people react to this particular keyword. In recent years, especially in Japan, t …

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qualitycontrol

The Relationship Between Fill Level and Wine Quality: What the Headspace Reveals

2025/12/8

In the context of mature wines—those that have spent a decade or several decades in bottle—the fill level is often used as a quality indicator. Some importers and professional merchants routinely assess fill height and decline to ship bottles that fall be …

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qualitycontrol

Wine Flavour and Glycerol

2025/12/5

Wine exhibits remarkable diversity in both flavour and aroma. Even wines produced in the same region during the same vintage never show completely identical sensory profiles. Moreover, when a single producer vinifies grapes from the same vineyard under id …

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sparklingwine thorough-explanation

2025/8/26

Complete Guide | How Sparkling Wine is Made

Sparkling wine, epitomized by Champagne, is an indispensable element at parties and other festive occasions. Have you ever wondered how this effervescent wine containing carbon dioxide gas is actually produced? While explanations of production methods are …

so2 wine

2025/7/29

Is It True That Antioxidants Cause Headaches?

While it seems to be mentioned somewhat less frequently these days, there is a persistent claim that antioxidants contained in wine—specifically additives called sulfites or sulfurous acid—are the cause of headaches that occur when drinking wine. This the …

sparklingwine

2025/11/12

The Science of Bubbles: Understanding the Mechanism Behind Sparkling Wine’s Appeal

Sparkling wine is an indispensable element of celebrations and gatherings, extending far beyond Christmas and New Year festivities. The sight of bubbles ascending through a flute glass alone can evoke a sense of festivity in the consumer. Sparkling wine i …

qualitycontrol wine

2025/6/28

Wine Bottle Storage: Vertical vs. Horizontal Storage – Which is Correct?

When storing wine, there’s probably one question that everyone has wondered about at least once: how should the bottle be positioned? Should wine bottles be stored horizontally, or should they not be stored vertically? A quick search reveals many explanat …

qualitycontrol vinnatural

2025/7/29

Is Quality Control Unnecessary for Wine? The Crisis of a Lawless Territory Called “Half-Hearted Natural Wine”

Before writing this article, there is something I must clarify first. The author does not belong to any faction that could be called “anti-natural wine,” nor do I have an extreme dislike for “natural wine.” I hope you will read this article with this unde …

sparklingwine

2025/11/5

The Surprising Truth Behind Sparkling Wine Gushing

When you’re tired from the day’s work, when you want to add a touch of elegance to your everyday life, when you wish to spend quality time with close friends, or when you need to refresh yourself from the oppressive heat—sparkling wine is the perfect comp …

grape-disease viticultur

2025/7/29

Grape Sunburn Phenomenon

Grape berries undergo sunburn phenomena similar to human skin. This phenomenon introduces burnt-like flavors into wine, particularly affecting the quality of white wines where delicate aromas are crucial. Sunburned berries must be sorted and removed durin …

viticultur wine

2025/11/26

Wine, Soil, and Terroir | Slate Color and Wine Character

When explaining the distinctive character of wine, the discussion often relates to terroir. Soil is one of the elements that constitute terroir. There are numerous types of soil. Alongside clay and limestone, Schiefer occupies a significant position among …

viticultur wine

2025/12/3

Understanding South African Wine Through Data

Why South African Wines Deliver Exceptional Quality at Accessible Prices South African wines have become indispensable in the global market as leading examples of high-quality yet affordable wines. While Chile once dominated this category, South Africa is …

grape-disease grape-variation viticultur

2025/8/28

The Growing World of Grape Varieties | The PIWI Category

Cabernet Blanc, Cabernet Jura, Muscaris, Souvignier Gris. Do these varietal names sound familiar to you? From the sound of “Cabernet~”, “Musca~”, and “Souvi~”, many of you may have guessed that these are wine grape varieties. Indeed, these are all names o …

viticultur

2025/8/14

Understanding Soil in Wine

When introducing wines in Japan, it seems that reference to the type of soil in which the grapes were cultivated is frequently made as one of the elements expressing a wine’s character. While this tendency is not limited to Japan alone, it appears particu …

viticultur

2025/8/5

Is Germany the Northern Limit of Viticulture?

When people begin studying wine, many learners are taught that “wine grape cultivation takes place between 30° and 50° North latitude and 30° and 40° South latitude,” aren’t they? Then, when they move on to the chapter dealing with German wines, they like …

oenology

2025/7/29

The Winemaking Technique of Carbonic Maceration

Wine terminology related to production processes is often difficult to understand and unfamiliar due to the extensive borrowing from French. However, among such terms, “carbonic maceration” is a name that many people may have heard of at some point. Carbo …

fermentation

2025/8/5

Fundamental Understanding of Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts: New Options in Modern Winemaking

In modern winemaking, yeast selection technology continues to evolve constantly. A recurring phenomenon is observed where specific yeasts gain attention due to outstanding performance in competitions or industry recommendations, leading to rapid expansion …

fermentation

2025/8/31

Yeast That Threatens Fermentation: The Existence of Killer Yeast, Where Yeast Kills Yeast

Fermentation management is one of the most important processes in winemaking. Depending on how this fermentation proceeds, the resulting wine will vary in both taste and aroma. When discussing fermentation management, attention tends to focus on what temp …

oenology

2026/3/19

Are Dessert Wines Never Red?

Preferences in wine vary widely, but few people seem to dislike the profound sweetness that characterises dessert wines. Even setting aside Château d’Yquem, the mere thought of a Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese from an exceptional vintage is enough to bring …

Amphora Historically Archaeology  - Makalu / Pixabay

oenology qualitycontrol

2025/11/7

The Relationship Between Wine, Tradition, and Vessels | Examining the Meaning of Qvevri and Bocksbeutel

There are vessels that have been traditionally used in winemaking for centuries. When we think about it carefully, there may be cases where we cannot clearly explain why we continue to use them. Why do we use qvevri? What makes Bocksbeutel superior to ord …

oenology

2025/7/30

Why Grape Aromas Differ from Wine Aromas | Volatile Compounds and Precursors

Aroma is one of the essential elements that cannot be overlooked when enjoying wine. When we pour wine into a glass, we don’t immediately put it to our lips. First, we bring the glass close to our nose and enjoy the aromas that rise from it. Sometimes we …

youtube

2025/8/21

The Truth About Natural Wine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-SccwUyehI The term “natural wine” remains a perpetual source of heated debate among wine enthusiasts. This phrase has become so ubiquitous that it jumps out at us from Tokyo’s streets in combinations like “natural wine an …

youtube

2025/7/31

Exploring Wine Diversity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3zcrR39d8Q In recent years, the concept of “diversity” has become a frequent topic of discussion within the wine industry. However, this diversity does not merely refer to variations within traditional frameworks such as d …

youtube

2025/7/31

The Truth About “Good Vineyards” in Wine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9hVTlhyZDc Among wine enthusiasts, the belief that “good vineyards” produce quality wines is widely accepted. Wines from vineyards with classifications such as Grand Cru or Premier Cru are often perceived as “distinctly di …

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