Salut/Hi Mark,

I've just read through this thread, and although I hesitate to disagree with
Josh, (and I don't really) I think he's left you with slightly the wrong
impression.

le/on Tue, 28 Sep 2004 13:55:01 -0400, tu disais/you said:-

>I was always under the impression that grapes, left to themselves,
>will rot and turn into wine.

Firstly, you describe two entirely different processes.

Left to themselves, grapes very probably WILL rot. If they do, they won't
turn into wine. (First process)

The rotting mass might just ferment a bit, since yeasts (the micro-organisms
responsible for turning sugar into alcohol) do occur naturally on grape
skins. (Second process).

However, a rotting oozing mess, with a low alcohol content, which is turning
vinegary almost as fast as it ferments, is a long way from wine.

The production of wine (as St Helier says) involves the deliberate
modification/interruption of the natural processes I described above. If
you are defining wine as the end result of any fermentation process that
contains alcohol, then you would have to include beer, bread and rum!
Clearly that definition won't do.

> However, a friend of mine recently told >me that wine must undergo a very specific fermentation process to make
>it "alcoholic," if that's the right word.

That's much closer to the truth, although as I said above, yeasts DO occur
naturally, and IF you were to pile up a load of grape bunches in a large vat
(especially if you were to crush them by stamping on them) you certainly
could get wine.

For a good description of the process, try almost any of Hugh Johnson's
books on wine. "The History of Wine" "Wine". Even the "World Atlas of Wine"
has some information.

--
All the Best
Ian Hoare
http://www.souvigne.com
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