Question:
Fred, I agree, except that I’d classify the last category as ‘craftsmanship’ instead of ‘artistry.’ Kirk – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Chemistry or Cookery? – depends. Or maybe the answer is – Yes. Making small batches with home utensils utilizing a variety of ingredients, such as many fruit wines for example, might be closer to cookery with a nod to chemistry for the purpose of ensuring stability. OTOH when working with one ingredient, that is one variety of grape, trying to obtain consistent product while that ingredient varies in a number of parameters from year to year, then add commercial sized quantities and one is driven much further into the chemistry arena. Then when extended still further into blends of varieties, small (50 gallon) barrel aging with barrel & oak variation, still maintaining year-to-year consistency and one approaches an art form. Oh, I forgot to mention the work involved in the vineyard to produce the best possible, consistent fruit to go into this cookery, chemistry, art form. Fred Greetings all! I would first like to tell you all how much I have enjoyed reading this NG, and thank you for the very informative FAQ, min-FAQ’s and responses to questions I’ve found here. Keep it up! A brief introduction: My name is Christopher, I am a rookie winemaker. I bought a wonderful old house that happens to have five Concord vines, two Macintosh apple trees, one Bartlett pear tree, one unknown variety of peach tree, rhubarb, Japanese quinces, English walnuts, raspberries, and an herb garden. I got into winemaking to be able to *do* something useful with my bountiful harvest. I’m on my fourth batch, and having a hell of a time! My wine is labelled ‘Lazy Acres Wine’. If you happen to sample a bottle, by all means let me know what you think. Now to my question: Do you folks feel that winemaking leans more towards Chemistry, or Cookery? I’ve seen the charts, the SG tables, the chemical formulae, & I’ve also seen sites & recipes that call for a pinch of this and a dash of that. My own personal style falls in the middle somewhere, but I’d be interested to know what you all think. Ant chemist types ever try the pinch & dash methods, or any off the cuff folks try a batch strictly by the numbers? I’m very interested. Yours digitally, Christopher
Response:
The chemistry is for sanitation, creating good wine, an art form. The better the wine, higher the art! And if you take your art seriously, you grow your own fruit! bravo, max
Well, I do grow my own fruit (mainly)…but I’d like to see the reaction you’d get from the many producers of world-class wines that purchase most, if not all, of their grapes from growers. Dan
Response:
t takes different sets of skills to grow good fruit, make wine, and fabricate good cooperage. Obviously, I buy my fruit – as well as my barrels
Yes, you are both absolutely correct. However, as long as winemaking is not a money making venture, one can afford to indulge. Seeing your vines through to bottled bliss, is a beauty which anyone professing to love the art form should not denie themselves. Lets just hope you have enough room for a small vinyard. Of course, everyone views art with a different eye, I just happen to see the process as being as important as the final product have fun, Max.
Response:
, still maintaining year-to-year consistency and one approaches an art form. Oh, I forgot to mention the work involved in the vineyard to produce the best possible, consistent fruit to go into this cookery, chemistry, art form.
The chemistry is for sanitation, creating good wine, an art form. The better the wine, higher the art! And if you take your art seriously, you grow your own fruit! bravo, max
Response:
The chemistry is for sanitation, creating good wine, an art form. The better the wine, higher the art!
You’re giving the chemistry part short shrift. It’s a _lot_ more than just sanitation. Have you ever taken an otherwise-undrinkable wine, performed an acid adjustment or fining on it, and transformed it into a jewel? Better wines through chemistry! Knowing just what chemistry and how much of it to use is where the art comes in. It’s unfortunate but true: Nature doesn’t always provide perfect fruit; She needs a little help from time to time. And if you take your art seriously, you grow your own fruit!
And, I suppose, you also cooper your own barrels! Joe Heitz once said, "If I spent all my time in the vineyard, I’d be a half-assed winemaker!" It takes different sets of skills to grow good fruit, make wine, and fabricate good cooperage. Obviously, I buy my fruit – as well as my barrels… 
Tom S
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