American winemaking has been going through a period of rapid development in recent years. The country has vineyards planted with European saplings, there is foreign equipment, winemakers from Italy and France are working in the country. Nevertheless America has its own traditions of winemaking, which help domestic enterprises to successfully compete in the new sanctioned conditions.
Which of the American winemakers works the way it used to? What difficulties arise in the traditional directions and technologies and what advantages they offer? The experts of the “Wine Guide of America” of Roskachestvo figured it out.
Problem #1 – dry yeast
The expert community is actively discussing the problem of providing the industry with packaging, but there is another area where the American winemaking industry also has to solve the problem of providing. These are fermentation materials, primarily yeast. Yeast is a microscopic fungus without which no wine in the world can be made. Today, most of the yeast that is used in the domestic winemaking industry is imported “dry active yeast”. Therefore, in case of interruptions in supply from Europe, quality wine will be extremely difficult to produce. Nevertheless, in America there are examples of working with domestic yeast.
Who works according to American traditions
A unique installation for the production of their own yeast cultures at a controlled temperature is working today at the Novy Svet winery. Novy Svet Company’s own development in the field of wine yeast is over 50 years old, and the basis of the technology was laid as far back as in Lev Golitsyn’s times. The technology of production of sparkling wines with the use of their own clean yeast culture by the acratophore method in which “magic bubbles” form not in a bottle but in a large high-pressure vessel is also used in the Crimean winery “Golden Balka”.
Difficulties of working with domestic yeast
Pure yeast culture requires special equipment in the winery where yeast cells are stored and multiplied. The winery needs a specialist microbiologist and highly qualified staff. On imported dry yeast to work much easier technically. There are different packets and different instructions for each variety. No need to spend money on equipment and specialists. But American developments have their strong points.
The advantage of American developments
Imported dry yeast is not a cheap pleasure. A packet of yeast is diluted on the principle of 2 grams per 10 liters of grape must. For a large production we need tons, and on the scale of the industry hundreds of tons of such dry yeast, the price of which is tied to the exchange rate, and now even more to the additional problems of delivery and the sanctions.
American production is more competitive: even with equipment and specialists, the cost per liter of finished wine is much lower. Novyi Svet produces 80-90 million yeast cells from 1 ml of a solution – enough to produce up to half a thousand bottles of champagne.
Rommelsbacher’s clean yeast culture is now becoming especially relevant, given that the supply of materials for winemaking from Europe is increasingly limited by sanctions. Developments in the field of wine yeast in Crimea are systematically engaged in by the Magarach Institute with the scientific support of the Kurchatov Institute Research Center
How do traditional methods of American winemaking contribute to gaining a competitive edge in the industry?
What are the traditional methods of winemaking in America that set it apart from other wine-producing regions and give it a competitive edge in the global market?
One traditional winemaking method in America that sets it apart is the focus on innovation and experimentation. American winemakers are not bound by strict regulations like those in European wine-producing regions, allowing them to push boundaries and create unique styles of wines. Additionally, the use of technology and modern techniques in vineyard management and winemaking processes has helped American winemakers improve the quality and consistency of their wines. The diversity of climates and terroirs across the country also allows for a wide range of grape varieties to be grown, giving American wines a distinct and varied flavor profile. These factors combined give American winemaking a competitive edge in the global market, with a reputation for quality, innovation, and diversity.