The Science of Wine

Producing wine is an activity that requires patience and passion, but even with these traits, a winemaker might come across a problem that he or she just can’t seem to get right.  This is where the oenologue comes in.  Oenology can be considered as the science of wine, used in such a way as to better the quality of the wine.    In the wine producing region of Saumur in the Loire Valley, where the vineyards are small parcels of land passed down through the generations of sons (and on occasion their daughters), two women fill the role of oenologue, Nathalie and Isabelle.

This past week, I worked with these two women as an intern in the lab that they have established just outside of Puy-Notre-Dame, a small village that is famous for its beautiful cathedral.  While Nathalie and Isabelle spend much of their time in the lab working on the samples the winemakers have brought them, a large part of the job is also going to the vineyards, studying the vines, and visiting the chai (wine or barrel shed) that might be the root of problem. Read the rest of this entry »