The Differences Between a Winery and Wine Cellars
- In general, a winery is any facility that produces wine for consumption. This involves mixing and mashing fruit types, normally grapes, contributing necessary substances to the fermentation process and storing wine for fermentation in large containers, usually wooden casks. A winery does not necessarily contain or even own a vineyard, where the grapes are grown, or bottle the wine for sale. A winery is responsible only for the creation of wine from fruit.
- There are several types of wineries in operation. Large wineries often have their own vineyards and bottling productions. These are usually characterized as commercial or large-scale wineries. Small wineries that own their own grapes and sell their wine on the premises are usually referred to as micro-wineries or farm wineries. These wineries require special licensing from their state liquor board regarding a limit on total annual production. Many large and small wineries are also tourist destinations, offering guests the chance to sample wine in different stages of fermentation, from grapes to finished product.
- A wine cellar is place to store wine which contains optimum or near optimum environmental conditions to allow wine to age properly. Wine is in a constant stage of fermentation. At controlled temperatures, between 53 and 57 degrees F, that fermentation process will work to improve the flavors and quality of the wine. Cooler temperatures will retard the process and warmer temperatures will cause the wine to spoil. Other factors including humidity, temperature fluctuation, excessive movement and direct light that heats up wine are also taken into account when creating a wine cellar.
- There are two basic types of wine cellars: cooling and passive. Cooling wine cellars use active processes to artificially create an ideal environment for wine. These appliances can include air conditioners, humidifiers and ventilation systems. Passive wine cellars are areas whose natural environmental conditions are already set up to store wine in optimum conditions. Passive cellars can include underground rooms, basements and caves that feature the dark, cool and humid temperatures perfect for storing wine.