Vinification

The process of turning grapes into wine, including fermentation, aging, and bottling.

FAQs

What are the main steps in vinification?

The main stages of white and rosé winemaking are:

• Harvest
• We keep the grapes in cooling room for 24hrs
• Sorting  
• Grape pressing in a pneumatic press
• Pre-fermentation settling
• Alcoholic fermentation
• Wine maturation  

The main stages of red winemaking are:

• Harvest
• We keep the grapes in cooling room for 24hrs
• Sorting
• Alcoholic fermentation with the presence of the grape skins (extraction)
• Pressing of the grape must in a vertical basket press
• Wine maturation

How does vinification affect wine quality?

Wine is primarily shaped in the vineyard; however, during winemaking, the goal of the enologist team is to reflect the character of the fruit in the produced wine. 

Key factors that can influence the resulting wine include:

• Grape pressing
• Sacharomyces cerevisiae that take control the fermentation
• Fermentation and maturation temperature
• Type of maturation vessel (stainless steel tank, barrel, etc.)

What techniques are used in Hatzidakis Winery's vinification?

At Hatzidakis Winery, during the winemaking process, we strive to apply techniques that are environmentally friendly while also highlighting each grape variety and the terroir of Santorini. For this reason, alcoholic fermentations are carried out using indigenous yeasts, the use of sulfites is limited, and the use of mechanical means is minimized. For example, the transfer of the must from the presses to the winery is done by gravity power.