After drinking wine for so many years, have you ever thought about what exactly is in wine? Those wonderful aromas, complex tastes, the secrets from a grape to a drop of wine, are all here...

Water

Water is the most important component of wine. The carrier of all ingredients in wine, the water content in wine accounts for about 85%. In Europe in the 19th century, water was often contaminated by cholera and typhus. Wine was regarded as the healthiest and most hygienic drink and became a substitute for drinking water.

In the late 19th century, experts recommended using wine to disinfect water and mixing the water with wine for 6 to 12 hours before drinking, a practice that continued in parts of Europe until World War II.

Alcohol

The most important alcoholic substance in wine is naturally alcohol. Alcohol is the main influencing factor of wine and one of the important components of wine flavor. Generally speaking, the alcohol content in wine is not high, about 8.5-16. The maturity of the grapes, brewing method, etc. will affect the alcohol content.

In addition to alcohol, wine also contains other alcohols, the one with the highest content is glycerol. Glycerin is a by-product of yeast fermentation and helps improve the taste and texture of wine, giving it a sweet and rounded feel. Dessert wines will have a higher glycerol content.

In addition, methanol, higher alcohols and other polyols will also appear in wine. Some of them are brought by the grapes themselves, while others are by-products of fermentation. The green smell in wine and the mushroom smell caused by Botrytis cinerea infection are all related to alcohol substances. The main source of methanol is grape pectin. Without treatment, the methanol content in wine can easily exceed the standard. This is one of the reasons why it is not recommended to brew your own wine. ?

Sugar

Even dry wines inevitably have residual sugar. The sugar in wine not only comes from grape fruits, but also some polysaccharides from yeast and other microorganisms.

European Union regulations require that wine with a residual sugar content of less than 4g/L can be called dry wine. These sugars can soften the taste of wine, balance the acidity in the wine, and also contribute to the body of the wine.

Acid

The acid in wine is an important flavoring substance and also constitutes the skeleton of white wine. There are six types of acids in wine, with tartaric acid accounting for the largest proportion. Acetic acid is the only volatile acid in wine. A small amount of acetic acid can enhance the complexity of wine, while an excess of acetic acid is a sign of bacterial spoilage of wine. The acidity of wine is related not only to the grape variety, but also to the environmental climate and brewing method.

As aging progresses, the acid in the wine will gradually weaken. Acidity is an important basis for judging the aging potential of white wine.

Phenolic substances

When it comes to the health benefits of wine, phenolic substances must be inseparable. They not only give wine a special color and flavor, but are also beneficial to human health. They have bactericidal, antioxidant and vitamin properties, and can prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Of all phenolic substances, tannins are the most familiar to us. It is the source of astringency in wine, the skeleton of red wine, and supports the structure of red wine. Tannin is also an important basis for judging the aging potential of red wine.

Aromatic substances

The aromatic substances in wine are the main source of aroma. Compared with other substances, the concentration of aroma components is very low, but this does not affect their performance. role.

Aroma substances can come from grape varieties, fermentation or aging, and they are an integral part of the flavor of wine.

Protein and amino acids

Protein and amino acids are important components of life and naturally appear in wine. Red wine has less protein content due to the presence of tannins, while white wine contains various proteins, mostly derived from grapes. The presence of unstable proteins is also one of the reasons for the turbidity and deterioration of white wine.

Minerals

There are small amounts of non-organic salts in wine, such as potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, etc.

However, they are not the source of minerality in wine. Scientists sometimes use metal content to determine which specific vineyard a certain wine may have come from, which is of great significance to tracing the origin of the wine.

Sulfur dioxide

Sulfur dioxide and sulfites are common preservatives in food. In wine, sulfur dioxide not only inhibits bacteria, but also acts as an antioxidant. In addition, sulfur dioxide is also one of the by-products of yeast fermentation, so absolutely sulfur-free wine does not exist.

As for the content of sulfur dioxide, different countries have different standards. Overall, the content of sulfur dioxide in 1 liter of wine is about 80-200 mg, most of which can be emitted by decanting and shaking the glass, and very little actually enters the human body.

In addition to the above, there are also small amounts of other substances in wine. Under their harmonious effect, the wine has the delicious taste you see.