In the beginning, for me, winemaking was a romanticized notion of
putting grape juice into a barrel and allowing time to perform its magic
as you sat on the veranda watching the sunset on a Tuscan landscape. For
some small wineries, this notion might still ring true, but for the
majority of wineries commercially producing quality wines, the reality
of winemaking is far more complex. The persistent evolution of the wine
industry demands continual advan- ments in technology and education to
sustain and promote quality winem- ing. The sciences of viticulture,
enology, and wine chemistry are becoming more intricate and
sophisticated each year. Wine laboratories have become an integral part
of the winemaking process, necessitating a knowledgeable staff
possessing a multitude of skills. Science incorporates the tools that
new-age winemakers are utilizing to produce some of the best wines ever
made in this multibillion dollar trade. A novice to enology and wine
chemistry can find these subjects daunting and intimidating. Whether you
are a home winemaker, a new winemaker, an enology student, or a
beginning-to-intermediate laboratory technician, p- ting all the pieces
together can take time. As a winemaker friend once told me, "winemaking
is a moving target. " Introduction to Wine Laboratory Practices and
Procedures was written for the multitude of people entering the wine
industry and those that wish to learn about wine chemistry and enology.
