Chapter 27 - White winemaking in cold regions with short maturity periods in Northwest China

Abstract

White wine is generally made from white grape varieties that are usually pressed to get must by using a pneumatic presser. Only high-quality must is used in the making of white wine and it should be clarified before fermentation. The clarified must is often fermented at low temperatures, usually, around 16℃–18℃ for a period of 20–30 days, during which time the must sugar is converted into alcohol to make wine. In China, the consumption of white wine is much lower than that of red wine, hence white wine production only accounts for 12% of the total wine production compared to red wine. Chinese wine production regions can be roughly divided into 11 major zones, with the majority located in Northern China. Due to the cold temperatures in winter, vines in Northern China are usually buried during winter and unearthed in spring to survive the cold and dry winter. This practice is commonly known as buried viticulture. Only a few of the major grape varieties, such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Italian Riesling, Vidal, Semillon, Ugni blanc, and Longyan grape (a Chinese variety), are now widely planted and used in the production of white wines. This chapter reviews the chemical composition of grapes and wines, including sugars, organic acids, phenolic compounds, and volatile compounds. Furthermore, winemaking technologies and some innovations in white wine making in China's cold regions have been described.