Do I need to wash grapes for making wine: rules and features

The process of making wine at home has a number of nuances. Compliance with all the features will help to prepare a quality drink with high taste and aromatic characteristics. One of the questions that beginner winemakers face is whether the grapes need to be washed to make wine or can they be used immediately after harvest.

Do grapes need to be washed before making wine

The question of the need to wash grapes is ambiguous, so it is worth understanding it in detail. When harvesting grapes, you can notice a whitish coating on each berry, which is the habitat of yeast fungi involved in the process of alcohol fermentation.In order for the fermentation of an alcoholic beverage to proceed correctly and at a suitable intensity, the must must contain the maximum possible amount of fungi. For this reason, when picking berries, it is important not to erase the coating and not to remove microorganisms. Accordingly, in order to preserve plaque, many prefer not to wash the grapes.

In addition to yeasts, other varieties of microorganisms live on the surface of grapes, which can adversely affect the quality of the finished product. Getting into the raw materials for making wine, parasites provoke the development of mold, obesity and other wine diseases. Negative processes occur if the parasites are in suitable conditions for their life.

Different winemakers have their own point of view on the preparation of berries and often wash the grapes. There are also experts who strongly do not recommend washing the crop. Ultimately, the result of preparing an alcoholic beverage at home is unpredictable, so experimentation is often necessary.

Advantages and disadvantages

When deciding whether to wash the harvested berries, it is also recommended to study the list of positive and negative points. Key benefits of prewashing berries include:

along with erasure, the destruction of harmful microorganisms that can adversely affect the course of fermentation;
berries can be sprayed on the vine 2-3 days before picking, and then immediately put into processing, which will preserve beneficial yeast;
For novice winemakers, pre-washing helps reduce the risk of wine disease, making the entire brewing process easier.

Of the shortcomings, one can single out the loss of the original taste and aromatic properties.

It is also a disadvantage that it takes a lot of time to wash a large amount of the harvested crop.

How to wash grapes for wine

If, after comparing the pros and cons of washing grapes before preparing an alcoholic drink, it was decided to prepare the berries, it is important to follow the instructions. The harvested crop is prepared in the following way:

Inspect all berries and discard spoiled specimens.
Clusters are placed in a colander and washed with cool running water. If this washing is not enough to remove dust and dirt, you can use a solution of s alt or baking soda.
After washing, let the water drain completely from the colander and spread the crop on a cloth or paper towel to dry naturally. You can also gently wipe the berries with a clean towel.
The berries are separated from the ridges and proceed to the direct preparation of wine.