It is far easier to spray herbicides in the vineyards than farm by hand. We work with people who believe in making the best possible wines- they farm naturally for quality- so they don’t mind a little extra work. In fact, we believe that farming that relies on people instead of chemicals or machines to do the majority of the work is better for the flavor of a tomato, the taste of wine and the health of the planet.

The list of additives in wines is truly daunting, especially because they are hardly ever listed on the label. Generally speaking, they are all used as a way to improve an inferior product and cheat time. The result is a wine-like beverage, not wine. And most products available on the market today are merely beverages made from grapes because people are unwilling to do the work to make them a true wine, a time capsule. Here are five used frequently in industrial wines. Please note that industrial does not refer to scale but a process- there are thousands of “boutique” products made with industrial methods.

1. Yeast- In healthy vineyards with living soils there are plenty of natural yeasts. These native yeasts are also present on the grapes at harvest in a healthy vineyard. The majority of winemakers add commercial yeasts either because their vineyards are not part of a living ecosystem or because commercial yeasts can add particular flavors to a wine (like passion fruit in Sauvignon Blanc.)

2. Enzymes- Enzymes are proteins added to industrial wines to improve the color, improve the aroma and to assist in clarification/ make filtration easier.

3. Tannin- Tannins are often added to industrial wines in the form of powder. Often used in combination with things like oak chips or oak staves.

4. Tartaric acid or malolactic bacteria are used to adjust the acid levels in a wine out of balance. This manipulation is unnecessary in wine as it is possible for wine to proceed through a malolactic fermentation without manipulating it to do so.

5. Enrichment additives- while tannin and oak fall into this category, many industrial wines are still made with the addition of sugar. Alternatively, many industrial winemakers pump oxygen into the wine, ostensibly to speed the aging and maturation process to make a wine more approachable.

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A few photos thanks to @TinyBites are available on Flickr.

First
sunchoke vichyssoise, guanciale, Renato Fenocchio Olive Oil
Martin Arndorfer Riesling die Leidenschaft 2005

Second
wild smoked salmon, russian salad, caviar
Marc Tempe Pinot Noir Altenbourg 2004

Third
braised saltspring lamb tortelloni, parsnip, pecorino
Claus Preisinger Heideboden Red 2005

Sweet
caramelized apple “tiramisu,” apple salad, moscato zabaglione
Agricola Marrone Moscato d’ Asti 2007