High School Winery

Grape buds start to swell.

Leaves are spreading from buds.

Leaves are spreading tightly.

Our school is introducing "Smart Cultivation System".

We train the grape vines in the morning because stems are soft.

We train the grape vines from south to north, considering the influence of wind.

There are flowers of grapes. Observation of flowers is important.

We try to make 17 true leaves from one mother branch. This is the best number of leaves to make good grapes, considering the efficiency of photosynthesis.

Students manage their own grapes. Everyone tries to grow their grape trees seriously.

Rain-cut is conducted for the prevention of diseases.

Coloring starts from the top of grape bunches.

We confirm the best period of grape harvest. The contents of analysis are specific gravity, pH, total acidity and sugar percentage.

The purpose of hanging nets is to protect the grapes from birds such as starlings.

This is the picture of grapes which are ready to harvest.

The sugar percentage is about 18. When we eat grapes at the right time to harvest, seeds are crispy.

We store grapes in refrigerators right after harvest and process them in the next practical training.

This is the the start of processing.

Grapes are moved to tanks by pump.

We add yeast after "skin contact" and let it stand for 30 minutes in 40°C hot water. This is for activation of yeast.

We add yeast into the center of tanks.

We stir uniformly. Alcohol fermentation begins.

Superfine sugar is necessary to brew it to 12 % alcohol content, and it becomes the energy for for alcoholic fermentation.

This is a picture of a mechanical oscillator densitometer for alcohol. We measure the specific gravity and the temperature with this device everyday.

Addition of lactic acid bacteria is essential for Malolactic fermentation. This is effective to mellow wine.

We squeeze Merlot with revolving squeezer.

The purpose of deoxidation is to remove tartaric acid. This is conducted under the condition of low temperature. (-4°C for three weeks)

We measure the alcohol content. This is conducted by floating method. After this, we measure it with a mechanical oscillator densitometer for alcohol. The result was 12.2 degrees this time.

Only sweet white wine requires this heating process. This is the picture of plate heater. This machine can kill the yeast in wine by heat at about 63°C.

This is wine bottling by bottling machine.

We put 24 bottles in each container.

Red wine will become finished products after one-year aging in barrels and one-year aging in bottles.