The vast majority of people, whether or not they are close to the world of wine, know what a winery is and believe they know most of its functions. However, the image that people generally have of them is always the same: a room full of barrels.
A winery, as you know, is the stage for the entire winemaking process that takes place in the different rooms that make it up. Each phase of the process must be controlled and interconnected so that the final result is the desired one. Below, we tell you about the different areas that a winery has and the processes that take place until a bottle of wine reaches your table.
The vineyard
We begin with the essential element for the elaboration of a wine, the origin of everything. In spite of being a differential element and of vital importance within the production process, not all wineries have their own vineyards and in their facilities. Familia Martínez Bujanda is the best example of what it means to have this element as an essential physical support to achieve the quality and identity of a wine.
When wineries do not have their own vineyards, they resort to grapes from external properties. However, it is preferable to have them, as it gives greater control over the vineyard, its care and production.
Grape reception area
In some wineries, the grapes are received at the sorting table and the best bunches are selected, which enter through the hopper; in others, the grapes enter the winery directly without passing through the table. Subsequently, destemming is carried out, which consists of separating the grape berries from the bunch and crushing, which is nothing more than the process of extracting the must.
Fermentation hall
This place has a series of tanks where fermentation takes place, that is, the transformation of the sugar in the must into alcohol. The material of the tanks has evolved over time: clay, concrete, stainless steel, wood or stone. Depending on the style of wine, one or the other will be used, taking into account the size and shape of the tank.
The work carried out in this tank room varies according to the type of wine; it is not the same process for whites as for reds.
Barrel room
The barrel room is one of the most recognisable and popular rooms in a winery. It is the place where wines are aged in barrels, usually French or American oak, for a certain period of time depending on the category of wine. The room must have optimum temperature and humidity conditions for the best preservation of the wine.
Bottling room
The final part of the process takes place here. The wine is bottled and corked for storage, in the case of wines that have been aged in the bottle, or for labeling, in the case of young wines that are already on the market.
Tasting room
Finally, and within the wine tourism experience of a winery, one of the most awaited rooms is the tasting room. This area is specially equipped to taste the different wines produced in the winery. It is the ideal place to taste, feel and distinguish all the qualities and nuances of a wine.
As you have been able to see, in a winery we find rooms perfectly connected with a specific mission when it comes to winemaking. In this blog post we have told you the essentials. We hope we have awakened your interest and we encourage you to live it in first person by visiting any of our estates, you will enjoy a full experience.