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Back in the days of Ancient Rome the word 'amateur' meant 'lover' and referred to an individual who did something out of the love of doing it, and not for any financial gain. These individuals were considered to be the finest of experts because they honed their craft motivated by simple joy for their work. Despite the fact that professional winemakers still imbue their work with skill and passion, amateurs, helped by knowledge passed down over the centuries and modern technology, can generally now produce similar results. The chemistry of the fermentation process was poorly understood until the beginning of the last century but, even so, the process of fermentation has been used for over 5,000 years. Left to its own devices a wine grape will ripen until the skin splits and the juice naturally ferments by itself. Now, however, this process is guided by a combination of science and art. Grapes are placed in a press in which they are turned into must which is a mixture of pulp, skin and juice. Natural yeast (which is found on the skin near the stem) and additional yeast reacts with the sugars in the juice to produce ethanol (alcohol), carbon dioxide and heat. This process continues until the sugars are depleted or the yeast is killed by the reaction. As a result of the work of Pasteur and others we can now tightly control the process so that we get just the result we desire. For people who are not lucky enough to have their own vineyard close to hand, wine juice concentrates can now be purchased quite cheaply. Merely add sugar, yeasts, acids and nutrients (to feed the yeast) to a container like a carboy or other jug and allow the mixture to sit for several at around 75 degrees fahrenheit (24 degrees centigrade). Specific recipes are frequently provided with the wine juice concentrate which give specific amounts and fermentation details. In a few days, siphon the liquid from the pulp and let it ferment at about 65 degrees fahrenheit (18 degrees centigrade) for several weeks until gas production (bubbling) ceases. Then, siphon the wine from the sediments (lees) and store the bottles on their sides at 55 degrees fahrenheit (13 degrees centigrade) for six months for white wine and up to twelve months for red wine before tasting. Of course, it sounds simpler than it is but it is certainly not beyond the dedicated amateur's ability. Today, the process is closely monitored and frequently adjusted on a daily basis and, thanks to inexpensive refractometers to measure sugar concentrations, hydrometers, thermometers, temperature controlled cabinets and many other items the job is a lot easier than once was. Not surprisingly things can and do go wrong as nature takes its own course. Fermentation might not begin, it may begin and then mysteriously stop prematurely, the resulting wine might be too sweet or cloudy or full of sediments. The wine may have too much pectin, too many bacteria, taste flat or sulphurous or even moldy. Crystals might form if the temperature is too low or secondary fermentation might result from keeping the wine at too high a temperature. Nevertheless, due in no small measure to the Internet, there are now a number of websites devoted to helping the amateur winemaker to produce wines that can rival those produced by the wine masters. All it takes is a bit of practice.
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