How Is Wine Made?

Ever wonder how a simple vineyard of grapes is transformed into a delicious bottle of wine? The truth is that most people are clueless when it comes to the wine making process. While learning the process of wine making isn't required to enjoy a glass, it does allow you to appreciate the beverage just a little bit more. Whether you consider yourself an enthusiast or just an occasional drinker, you should familiarize yourself with the process. If you are interested in learning more, keep reading for a more in-depth look at how wine is made.


Harvesting

The process of wine making begins at the vineyards. When the grapes have ripened to ideal levels, workers begin harvesting them. It's important to note that there's a fine line between ripe grapes and overly ripe grapes. Using grapes that are left on the vine for too long will result in poor quality production that could even end up ruining the wine. The bottom line is that grapes need to be just right before they are harvested.

Grapes can either be harvested by machine or by hand. The primary advantage to using a machine is its ability to remove a greater amount of grapes in less time. The disadvantage, however, is the fact that machines aren't able to distinguish between spoiled and non-spoiled grapes; therefore, some bad ones will likely get thrown into the mix.

Crushing and Pressing

Once the grapes are harvested, they are placed into a large container where they are crushed down to a pulp. In the past, this was performed by workers stomping on the grapes using only their bare feet. Today, there are now large metal machines that press the grapes with extreme pressure to release the maximum amount of liquid possible.
If red wine is being produced, the skins will remain during the fermentation process. If white wine is being produced, the skins will be filtered out before moving to the next step. This is essentially the primary difference between red and white wines.

Fermentation

Fermentation is the process where basic sugars are turned into alcohol; and as you can expect, this is a key step during the wine making process. Fermentation can occur naturally because grapes have both sugars and yeast. Allowing the crushed grapes to sit out in the open for a given period of time will result in alcohol production. Although, some wineries choose to add granulated sugar to their crushed grapes for a more sweeter taste.

Storing

Now that the wine is complete, it's ready to be stored for later use. Depending on the size and reach of the winery, this is usually done by pouring the newly created beverage into large oak barrels where it remains until bottling. Oak is an ideal material used to store wine because it doesn't alter the flavors or chemical makeup of the product. Smaller wineries may skip this step and choose to store their wine directly in bottles instead.


About The Author:

Crystal is a content contributor for Wine Refrigerator Now. Crystal likes to write about fun wine tastings, new restaurants, and much more. She visits WineRefrigeratorNow.com to order the best wine chillers available.

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Crystal