vinified

Vinified is an adjective used in viticulture and enology to describe wine or grape must that has undergone vinification—the process of converting grape juice into wine through fermentation. The term encompasses the full set of steps from crushing and pressing the fruit to fermenting the juice and, in many cases, aging or clarifying the resulting wine.

Vinification involves decisions about temperature, duration, and the vessels used, such as stainless steel, oak, or concrete. These choices influence the wine’s flavor, aroma, texture, and structure. Techniques may include controlling fer­mentation temperature, managing must clarity, and selecting yeasts or nutrients to shape the finished wine. Some wines are vinified with skin contact to extract color and tannin, while others are pressed immediately to yield lighter styles.

In labeling and tasting notes, vinified is often used to indicate production method or style, for example a wine vinified in stainless steel or one vinified from pressed juice with limited or extended skin contact. It can also distinguish wines whose juice has been fermented versus grape juice that has not yet undergone fermentation.

Etymology and usage: the term derives from the French vinifier, “to make wine,” rooted in vinum, the Latin word for wine. Vinification has evolved from traditional, often spontaneous fermentation to modern, controlled processes aimed at consistency, safety, and stylistic expression in diverse wine regions.