Editing Must (section)

==Winemaking==
The length of time the pomace stays in the juice is critical for the final character of the wine. When the [[winemaker]] judges the time to be right, the juice is drained off the pomace, which is then pressed to extract the juice retained by the matrix. [[Yeast in winemaking|Yeast]] is added to the juice to begin the [[Fermentation in food processing|fermentation]], while the pomace is often returned to the [[vineyard]] or [[orchard]] for use as [[fertilizer]]. A portion of selected unfermented must may be kept as [[Sweetness of wine#Süssreserve|Süssreserve]], to be added as a sweetening component before bottling. Some winemakers create a second batch of wine from the used pomace by adding a quantity of water equivalent to the juice removed, letting the mixture sit for 24 hours, and draining off the liquid. This wine may be used as a drink for the employees of the winemaker or as a basis for some [[pomace brandy|pomace brandies]]. [[Grappa]], however, must by law be produced only from the pomace solids, with no water added.

===Balsamico===
[[File:Aceto Balsamico.jpg|thumb|Bottle of traditional balsamic vinegar from [[Modena]], Italy, containing grape must]]
The must is also an essential ingredient for the production of [[balsamic vinegar]]. Two traditional varieties of this vinegar ([[traditional balsamic vinegar]]) from Italy is protected through the European [[protected designation of origin]] system (PDO). A cheaper mass-market variety ([[balsamic vinegar of Modena]]), also from the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia, is protected as an European [[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union|protected geographical indication]] (PGI).

For the PGI variety, selected bacterial colonies or the lenta in superficie (slow surface) or lenta a truciolo (slow wood shavings) methods are used for acetification, and then there is a maturation phase. Both the acetification and the maturation take place in precious sessile oak (''[[Quercus petraea]]''), chestnut, oak, mulberry, and juniper barrels. After a minimum maturation period of 60 days, a group of expert technicians will test the resulting product analytically as well as [[organoleptic]]ally (via taste, aroma, the palette and other senses).<ref>{{cite web |title=Balsamic Vinegar |publisher=Italia Regina |url=http://italiaregina.it/balsamic-vinegar-buy-online |access-date=6 June 2017}}</ref>

The two PDO traditional varieties have stricter rules. The must can only be concentrated by heating, and not by any other method. The minimum maturation period is higher at 12 years.

===Mead===
This term is also used by meadmakers for the unfermented honey-water mixture that becomes [[mead]]. The analogous term in beer brewing is [[wort]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}