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In the days of the Roman Empire 'amateur' meant 'lover' and was used to refer to a person who engaged in something from a love of doing it, rather than for any financial gain. Such people were regarded as the highest of experts because they honed their craft motivated by nothing more than joy for their work. Despite the fact that wine professionals continue to imbue their work with both passion and skill, amateurs, with the help of modern technology and knowledge passed down over hundreds of years, can generally now produce similar results. The chemistry behind the fermentation process was poorly understood until the beginning of the last century but, nevertheless, the process of fermentation has been in use for more than 5,000 years. Left to its own devices a wine grape will ripen until the skin splits and the juice naturally ferments by itself. Today, however, this process is guided by a combination of both art and science. Grapes are placed in a press in which they are turned into must which is a mixture of skin, pulp and juice. Natural yeast (found on the skin close to the stem) and additional yeast reacts with the sugars in the juice and produces ethanol (alcohol), carbon dioxide and heat. This process will continue until either the sugars are depleted or the yeast is killed off by the products of the reaction. As a result of work carried out by Pasteur and others we are now able to control the process to produce exactly the result we want. For people who are not fortunate enough to have a vineyard close to hand, concentrated wine juice can now be purchased relatively cheaply. Just add acids, yeats, sugars and nutrients (to feed the yeast) to a suitable container like a carboy or other jug and let the mixture sit for a few days at approximately 75 degrees fahrenheit (24 degrees centigrade). Specific recipes are generally provided with the concentrated wine juice giving specific quantities and details of how to ferment the wine. In a few days, strain the liquid off the pulp and let it ferment at about 65 degrees fahrenheit (18 degrees centigrade) for a few weeks until bubbling (gas production) stops. Then, siphon the wine from the sediments (lees) and store the bottles on their sides at 55 degrees fahrenheit (13 degrees centigrade) for six months for white wine and up to a year for red wine before tasting. Naturally, it sounds easier than it is in reality but it is most certainly not beyond the ability of the amateur. Nowadays, the process is closely monitored and frequently adjusted daily and, thanks to cheap refractometers to measure the concentration of sugar, hydrometers, thermometers, temperature controlled cabinets and a range of other items the job is much simpler than once was. Naturally things can and do go wrong as nature takes its course. Fermentation might not start, it may start and then mysteriously stop prematurely, the wine may be too sweet or cloudy or filled with sediments. The wine may have too much pectin, too many bacteria, taste flat or sulphurous or even moldy. Crystals might form if the temperature is too low or secondary fermentation might result from keeping the wine at too high a temperature. Nevertheless, due in no small measure to the Internet, today there are numerous websites devoted to helping the amateur winemaker to produce wines which can rival those made by the masters of wine. All it takes is a little bit of practice.
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