Over the past several decades, consumer interest in the fine vintage wines produced by small "boutique" vintners across the United States has grown to rival that of many European estates. This attention continues to intensify, especially for the truly good wines that are reasonably priced. Consumers are, however, unforgiving especially wine enthusiasts. Second-class wines do not succeed just because a vintner is new. The methods and controls essential to vintners in the production and marketing of top-grade wines have advanced. This second edition of Winemaking has updated and, in some cases, completely revised the material associated with these disciplines. Fine wine is much like other art forms, as it is the infinite variability of factors pertaining to the subject that renders it so complex-and able to attract buyer's attention. Hundreds of different vine varieties are cultivated around the world, and no doubt an even greater number of fruit and berry cultivars. Andwith the addition of such factors as terroir (soil and climate attributes) changing every vintage season, varied vineyard cultivation and harvesting techniques, advancing production technology, dynamic markets, and overall operational philosophy, one can easily understand the enormous breadth and depth of variation that exists. This diversity generates an unimaginable number of different wine possibilities."

The very first winemaster may have been a cave man who discovered the magic of fermentation by tasting the result of some crushed grapes having been left inadvertently for a few days. Wine will, literally, make itself. In simplest terms, yeast cells will collect on the outside of grape skins in the form of bloom and, when exposed to the natural sweetness inside the fruit, fermentation of the sugar into carbon dioxide gas and ethyl alcohol will commence. During the millenia that have transpired since the cave man, the state of the art has evolved into five generally accepted categories of classification. Table wines are usually dry (made with no appreciable amount of fer mentable sugar remaining) or nearly so, and contain less than 14% alcohol by volume. They can be white, pink or red and are the result of uncompli cated processes of fermentation, clarification, stabilization, aging and bot tling. The term table wine suggests the use for which these wines are intended-at the table with food. The overwhelming majority of the wine produced in the world is in this category. Table wines range from the obscure and ordinary to the most expensive classics known to man."

Over the past several decades, consumer interest in the fine vintage wines produced by small "boutique" vintners across the United States has grown to rival that of many European estates. This attention continues to intensify, especially for the truly good wines that are reasonably priced. Consumers are, however, unforgiving especially wine enthusiasts. Second-class wines do not succeed just because a vintner is new. The methods and controls essential to vintners in the production and marketing of top-grade wines have advanced. This second edition of Winemaking has updated and, in some cases, completely revised the material associated with these disciplines. Fine wine is much like other art forms, as it is the infinite variability of factors pertaining to the subject that renders it so complex-and able to attract buyer's attention. Hundreds of different vine varieties are cultivated around the world, and no doubt an even greater number of fruit and berry cultivars. Andwith the addition of such factors as terroir (soil and climate attributes) changing every vintage season, varied vineyard cultivation and harvesting techniques, advancing production technology, dynamic markets, and overall operational philosophy, one can easily understand the enormous breadth and depth of variation that exists. This diversity generates an unimaginable number of different wine possibilities."

During the past several decades considerable interest has developed in the United States for the wines that are produced in small wineries across our nation. This in terest continues to intensify, especially for the truly good wines that are reason ably priced. Consumers are unforgiving. Second-class wines will not be accept able just because a vintner may be newly established. The functions that must take place in the small estate-type wine cellar and the controls that can be realistically exercised by winemasters are essential in the creation of superior products. Although wine can be a comparatively simple food to produce, it is a very vast topic. Perhaps much the same as with other art forms, it is the infinite variability offactors at the root ofthe subject that renders it so complex. There are hundreds of different vine varieties cultivated around the world, and doubtlessly an even greater number of fruit and berry cultivars. Combined with such factors as soils, climates and mesoclimates (which may change with each vintage season), culti vation techniques, harvesting criteria, and overall operational philosophy, one can easily understand the enormous breadth and depth of variation which exits. This diversity, along with more than 5 years of enological development, generates a number of different wine possibilities that can only be conceived as something vastly exponential.