Methods of Vinification to Preserve the Colour in Red Grape Passiti Wines. Aleatico: A Case Study

This chapter describes the techniques used in the production of red Passiti wines with the aim of achieving optimum results with respect to colour and varietal aroma expression. The work begins in the vineyard using various agronomic and agricultural techniques to arrive at technical solutions for the dehydration and processing of the grapes. The need to evaluate the process in its entirety is fundamental to achieving the best results; therefore the work needed in the vineyard cannot be separated from the skilful techniques employed during dehydration and vinification. The chapter describes the experimental work carried out on Aleatico grapes, as a case study, to obtain the maximum varietal and chromatic expression of the wine.