Governo
In short
Governo is a traditional Tuscan winemaking technique used to restart or complete fermentation by adding partially dried grapes to the must.
In plain words
Winemakers save some grapes and let them dry out slightly. If the main wine batch stops fermenting too early, they add these dried grapes back in. This provides fresh sugar to keep the yeast working.
A simple example
A winemaker notices a batch of red wine is not fermenting properly. They add a portion of dried grapes to the vat to boost the sugar levels and finish the process.
Why it matters
It helps prevent stuck fermentation, which can ruin a batch of wine. It also allows winemakers to control the final sweetness of the drink.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse this with Appassimento, which is the process of drying grapes specifically to make sweet wines like Amarone.