How Is Red Wine Made?

It is an interesting process, you see. Firstly, the grapes are handpicked. They then go through a stage of physical processing. The grapes are tipped into a bin and taken to the winery, where they are transported to the grape-processing equipment by a screw mechanism.

Then, there is the destemming process. The bunch of grapes arriving at the winery is a mixture of stems and leaves and other parts of the plant – which might render a bitter taste to the finished wine. Hence, the stems and leaves are separated from the fruit. Post this, the grapes are usually lightly crushed. The crushing intensity can vary from light to hard as per the winemaker’s preference. The crushed mixture (also called the ‘must’) is pumped into a stainless steel (or concrete) vessel for fermentation.

This is where the separation of the solid and liquid phases happens. The skins of the fruits float to the surface and form a cap. The temperature is also controlled as fermentation releases heat, which, if not controlled, can impair the flavor.

Post this, the juice is extracted from the grapes (also called ‘pressing‘). And then, there is the second stage of microbiological transformation – also called malolactic fermentation – where malic acid in the grapes is converted into lactic acid under the influence of bacteria. The red wine is then decanted (a sulfur dioxide preservative is added for preventing bacterial spoilage).

And then it is aged before bottling (the period varies from a few days to several months) in stainless steel or concrete tanks. The wine then undergoes fining, where any faults (like excess tannins) are finally corrected. Filtration happens post this, where the wine is made completely clear by removing any yeast cells or bacteria that remain (this, again, depends on the winemaker’s preference). And in the end, the wine is filled in glass bottles with cork stoppers (called bottling).

All well – there goes the ton of research. The benefits (and a few contraindications) of red wine. But there’s another important question lurking around.

We saw white wine too has some benefits. And we have seen red wine is far better. But still, how else do these two types of wine differ?

Red Wine Vs. White Wine: Which Is Healthier?

The primary difference has to do with how the grape juice is fermented. For making white wine, the grapes are pressed, and the skins, seeds, and stems are removed before fermentation.

But in the case of red wine, the crushed grapes are directly transferred to vats, and they ferment with the skins, seeds, and stems (often the stems and leaves, if any, are removed). These grape skins lend the wine its color.

And since red wine is steeped with the grape skins (and white wine is not), it contains more beneficial compounds than white wine.

Certain types of white wine are made of white grapes while certain types of red wine are made of red grapes.

But in terms of nutritional content, red wine wins. Hands down. Antioxidants are more concentrated in red wine. Wine also contains ethanol, which has undesirable effects – it impairs fluid balance and has pro-oxidant effects. But the polyphenols in wine counter these negative effects. Since red wine has a higher concentration of polyphenols, it works better in negating the harmful effects of ethanol.

Where white wine seems to have the upper hand is in terms of lung health. Wine might contain certain nutrients that can help the tissues in the lungs function better. Though red wine also contains these particular nutrients, this relationship was stronger for white wine.

The benefits of red wine are simply unbelievable, to get all the benefits of wine grab one today. The best liquor store in Avon, CO are providing the best quality of wine as per your taste.