Wine making, also known as winemaking or vinification, is not typically referred to as brewing. The term brewing is more commonly used to describe the process of making beer. While there are similarities in the fermentation process between wine making and beer brewing, the specific techniques and terminology used in each are quite distinct.
In wine making, the primary focus is on the fermentation of fruit juices, most commonly grapes. The process begins with the harvesting and crushing of the grapes to extract the juice. This juice is then fermented with the addition of yeast, which consumes the sugars in the juice and converts them into alcohol. This fermentation process typically takes place in large containers such as tanks or barrels, allowing the yeast to convert the sugars into alcohol over a period of time.
The key difference between wine making and brewing lies in the ingredients and the absence of a steeping process involving solids. In beer brewing, the process starts with mashing, which involves soaking grains (such as barley) in hot water to extract sugars. This sugar-rich liquid, known as wort, is then boiled and fermented with yeast to produce beer. In wine making, there is no mashing or steeping process with solids; instead, the focus is on fermenting the extracted fruit juice.
Furthermore, wine making often involves additional steps beyond fermentation, such as aging and clarification. After fermentation, the wine may be aged in barrels or tanks to develop desired flavors and characteristics. Additionally, the wine may go through processes such as fining and filtering to remove any sediment or impurities before being bottled.
Personally, as a sommelier and a brewer, I have found that the terminology and techniques used in wine making and brewing can be quite distinct. While both processes involve fermentation, the ingredients, methods, and terminology differ significantly. The focus in wine making is on the natural sugars present in the fruit juice, whereas brewing primarily involves the breakdown of starches in grains to create sugars.
To summarize, wine making is not typically referred to as brewing. The processes and techniques involved in wine making are distinct from those used in brewing beer. While both processes involve fermentation, wine making focuses on the fermentation of fruit juices, while brewing involves mashing grains to extract sugars.