Editing Fortified wine (section)

==Production==
[[File:ValdiviaJerez65.jpg|thumb|left|[[Sherry]] barrels aging]]

One reason for fortifying wine was to preserve it, since [[ethanol]] is also a natural [[antiseptic]]. Even though other preservation methods now exist, fortification continues to be used because the process can add distinct flavors to the finished product.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Types of Fortified Wines You Might Enjoy Before or After Dinner |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-a-fortified-wine-3510908 |access-date=23 December 2018 |website=The Spruce Eats}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Antonello |first=Biancalana |title=DiWineTaste Report: Tasting Fortified Wines |url=http://www.diwinetaste.com/dwt/en2003113.php |access-date=23 December 2018 |website=DiWineTaste}}</ref>

Although grape brandy is most commonly added to produce fortified wines, the additional alcohol may also be [[Neutral grain spirit|neutral spirit]] that has been made from grapes, grain, [[sugar beet]]s or [[sugarcane]]. Regional [[appellation]] laws may dictate the types of spirit that are permitted for fortification. For example, in the U.S. only spirits made from the same fruit as the wine may be added.<ref>{{Cite web |title=26 U.S. Code §5382 b(2) |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/5382 |access-date=10 February 2022 |website=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}}</ref>

The source of the additional alcohol and the method of its distillation can affect the flavour of the fortified wine. If [[Neutral grain spirit|neutral spirit]] is used, it is usually produced with a [[continuous still]], rather than a [[pot still]].<ref name="Oxford pg 279" />

When added to wine before the [[fermentation (wine)|fermentation]] process is complete, the alcohol in the distilled beverage kills the [[yeast (wine)|yeast]] and leaves [[residual sugar]] behind. The result is a wine that is both sweeter and stronger, normally containing about 20% [[alcohol by volume]] (ABV).

During the [[Ethanol fermentation|fermentation]] process, yeast cells in the ''[[must]]'' continue to convert sugar into alcohol until the must reaches an alcohol level of 16–18%. At this level, the alcohol becomes [[toxin|toxic]] to the yeast and stalls its metabolism. If fermentation is allowed to run to completion, the resulting wine is (in most cases) low in sugar and is considered a dry wine. Adding alcohol earlier in the fermentation process results in a sweeter wine. For drier fortified wine styles, such as [[sherry]], the alcohol is added shortly before or after the end of the fermentation.

In the case of some fortified wine styles (such as [[late harvest wine|late harvest]] and [[Noble rot|botrytized wine]]s), a naturally high level of sugar inhibits the yeast, or the rising alcohol content due to the high sugar kills the yeast. This causes fermentation to stop before the wine can become dry.<ref name="Oxford pg 279" />{{clear left}}