Must
OIV: Liquid product obtained from fresh grapes, whether spontaneously or by physical processes such as: crushing, removing stems from grape berries or crushed grapes, draining, pressing.
In oenology and viticulture, **Must** is the fundamental raw material of wine. It represents the freshly obtained product of grape processing before fermentation and contains the complete biochemical matrix that determines the potential alcohol, aroma profile, structure, and style of the finished wine. The composition of must reflects grape variety, ripeness, terroir, and harvest conditions, making it a critical analytical and regulatory reference point in winemaking.
Technical Definition
Must is the unfermented or partially fermented liquid–solid matrix obtained exclusively from the crushing, pressing, or maceration of fresh grapes (*Vitis vinifera* or other permitted *Vitis* species), consisting of grape juice, naturally occurring sugars, organic acids, phenolic compounds, nitrogenous substances, minerals, aroma precursors, and may include suspended solids such as skins, pulp, seeds, and native microorganisms.
Must is characterized analytically by measurable parameters including sugar concentration (°Brix, °Oechsle, or g/L), titratable acidity, pH, yeast-assimilable nitrogen (YAN), and phenolic content, and it serves as the substrate for alcoholic fermentation leading to wine.
Must
OIV: Liquid product obtained from fresh grapes, whether spontaneously or by physical processes such as: crushing, removing stems from grape berries or crushed grapes, draining, pressing.
In oenology and viticulture, **Must** is the fundamental raw material of wine. It represents the freshly obtained product of grape processing before fermentation and contains the complete biochemical matrix that determines the potential alcohol, aroma profile, structure, and style of the finished wine. The composition of must reflects grape variety, ripeness, terroir, and harvest conditions, making it a critical analytical and regulatory reference point in winemaking.
Technical Definition
Must is the unfermented or partially fermented liquid–solid matrix obtained exclusively from the crushing, pressing, or maceration of fresh grapes (*Vitis vinifera* or other permitted *Vitis* species), consisting of grape juice, naturally occurring sugars, organic acids, phenolic compounds, nitrogenous substances, minerals, aroma precursors, and may include suspended solids such as skins, pulp, seeds, and native microorganisms.
Must is characterized analytically by measurable parameters including sugar concentration (°Brix, °Oechsle, or g/L), titratable acidity, pH, yeast-assimilable nitrogen (YAN), and phenolic content, and it serves as the substrate for alcoholic fermentation leading to wine.
