Index
1- What is natural sweet wine or mistela wine? Definition of mistela.
The wine naturally sweet is wine with a graduation of 15-16 degrees of alcohol, with a quantity of residual sugars ranging from 70-125 g / liter, which are the ones that give the sweetness.
How to make sweet wine: The process that makes the difference in the production of natural sweet wine is the addition of ethyl alcohol during fermentation (which may be more or less advanced), with the aim of stopping fermentation by inhibiting yeasts by the addition of alcohol. Said addition also favors the extraction of compounds that contribute to the final expression of the wine’s body. On the other hand, by adding alcohol to a partially fermented must, the preservation of the characteristic aromatic compounds of the variety is ensured.
2- What varieties of vine are used in the production of natural sweet wines?
Natural sweet wines are traditionally made in warm Mediterranean areas, and the most widely used variety is Muscat of Alexandria or Roman Muscat. You can also use other white varieties such as Pedro Ximenez, Malvasia, Macabeo and Garnacha Blanca.
3- How to make sweet muscatel or mistela wine?
The varieties destined to the elaboration of natural sweet wines, must be harvested with a high degree, minimum of 14º.
We basically have three different ways of making sweet natural or mistela wines:
– How to make sweet mistela wine: Technique without maceration:
It is carried out as a white winemaking to which alcohol is added.
The working scheme of this type of elaboration would be the following:
1- Squeezed.
2- Pressing.
3- Sulphited.
4- Partial fermentation.
5- Adding alcohol.
With this way of making sweet wine, light wines are obtained that should be consumed soon, maximum 2 years.
– How to make grape mistela: Technique with classic maceration.
The working scheme for this way of making natural sweet wine would be:
1- Squeezed.
2- Sulphited.
3- Fermentation with maceration of the solid parts.
4- Pressing.
5- Addition of alcohol.
This way of elaborating, produces natural sweet wines with more marked aromatic characters and greater body, which are refined during an aging of several years.
Wine alcohol due to its neutral character does not provide external aromas. The amount of alcohol added must not exceed 10% of the original volume. In this way, graduations between 15-22º are obtained.
4- Tasting note of the mistelas.
Clean and bright in appearance, with colors ranging from straw yellow to the darkest amber.
Sweet, unctuous, very pleasant wine, a unique, natural and very ours product.
Generally sweet in flavor, it is eaten as an accompaniment to desserts.
This liqueur drink can be taken alone or aged.
Alcoholic graduation between 13º and 23º, and minimum sugar content is 80g.
