Washing Soda A caustic cleaning agent which is useful for cleaning stubborn deposits.

Water and Wine Quality Certainly the presence of magnesium Sulphate in hard water will improve a wine. Other than this, little or nothing is known about the effects of local water supplies on wine quality. The only other fact available is that major competitions tend to be won by winemakers from hard water areas. No scientific reasons have been advanced for this as yet.

Water Content of Wine is between 85% and 90% of the total composition

Water, Gases in All gases normally in air are present in solution in water. For the winemaker, the only one of import is oxygen, which is usually in sufficient quantity to stimulate the yeast to establish a healthy colony. Boiled water does not contain oxygen, so that without aeration the yeast cannot multiply.

Water, Hard is characterized by the presence of calcium and magnesium bicarbonates and sulphates

Water, Rain Is very soft and, if collected in a country area, almost sterile (presuming a sterile container). Its use in winemaking must be in conjunction with sufficient magnesium sulphate in the additives to ensure sufficient concentrations of both radicals

Water, Salts in All water contains chlorides; most water has some nitrogen. See Water, Hard.

Water, Soft contains little or no calcium or magnesium salts. The latter must be supplied to the ferment as Epsom Salts

Weights and Measures See Appendix XII.

White of Egg See Albumin ; See Egg White.

White Turbidity A term for the white haze associated with iron contamination. See Diagnosis of faults ; See Iron.

White Wine should not show any signs of pinkness, redness or tawny shades in its color. They tend to be low in tannin, so that they mature quicker than reds. Also, they pass their peak sooner.

White Wine, Range of Color White is a poor term to use of the color of a wine. To be more accurate, white wines vary from colorless to pale yellow to amber in color, and may have a hint of green in them, particularly when young.

Wild Yeasts See Apiculate Yeasts ;

Wine Diseases See Diagnosis, Appendix XI.

Wine Kits A self-contained package of dried fruits, concentrate or semi-concentrate and required additives to make (usually 6 gallons US) of wine at home. Basic equipment such as a starter kit or Mini-Pub fermenter is required. See Vintner-s Wine Kits   See Vintner-s Deluxe Starter Kit;   See Mini-Pub.

Wine Log A detailed record of winemaking activity for a particular wine.  See Wine Log

Wine Style or Type See Classification of Wines.

Wine Thief A tube, plastic or glass, with a bulb at the top end. The bottom end is placed below the surface of a wine to be tasted and when full the open end is occluded by the forefinger. The thief is withdrawn containing a sample of wine. The advantage of using such a piece of equipment is that a wine is little disturbed in sampling. The sample is then allowed to flow into a glass or hydrometer jar for tasting or reading the S.G.

Wine, Classification of is by color, body, sweetness and style. See Classification of Wine.

Wine, Definition of The Shorter Oxford Dictionary defines wine as The fermented juice of the grape used as a beverage. It then goes on to define it as being in wider use, usually with a qualifying word as A fermented liquor made from the juice of other fruits or from rain, flowers, the sap of trees, etc. Thus despite the insistence of many, wine is not only made from the grape.

Wire Ties See Muselets.

Wood Maturing See Cask Maturing.

Woody Taste The taste of a wine stored in a new cask which has not been properly conditioned.

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