Thread: Wine?
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Old Thu, Jan-08-04, 19:07
Ryan Evans's Avatar
Ryan Evans Ryan Evans is offline
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I read the article you linked to, but I have to fundamentally disagree with the author. The author doesn't take into account the fact that a winemaker can stop the fermentation process at *any* time by raising the level of Sulfur Dioxide in the must. I can't remember the chemistry behind it off the top of my head, but it does stop the yeast from converting the remainder of the sugar.

With fortified dessert wines, they get the same effect by raising the alcohol level with brandy or cognac or whatever they're fortifying with. Most yeast can't survive in an environment where the alcoholic concentration is above 15%.

So, she's really making a blanket statement that she can't back up. Are there some dry white zin's on the market? Probably. But can you be sure that the one that *you're* drinking has no sugar in it? Nope.

For those who aren't wine people, here are some definitions:
Fermentation - the conversion of sugar to alcohol by yeast
Sulfur Dioxide - Chemical used in the production of most wines. Usually represented on a wine label by the phrase "Contains sulfites"
Must - What the mix of grapes, seeds, liquids, and yeast is called during fermentation

~Ryan

(Yes, I know too much about wine )
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