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Red wine is among the most
popular of all wines available. Even though most wines are made
using the same methods and equipment there are a variety of red
wines available. Making red wine is an art form all to itself
that more people are enjoying in their homes. There are some
wineries that even make red wine out of black grapes.
The first step in making red wine is to pick the grapes. Many
wineries have places set up within their orchards to allow
customers to pick their own grapes to make their own wine. The
grapes are then put into a crusher. The crusher is a piece of wine
making equipment that gently breaks apart the grape skins so they
can be removed. The grape stalks are also removed during this
process. The long process of fermentation is next. This is done in
a fermentation vat, and is sometimes done with the skins and
stalks depending on the red wine being made.
The fermentation process can take several weeks. Depending on how
you are making red wine this batch, you will vary the fermentation
time and the temperature. The higher the temperature used, the
fermentation will draw more tannin and color out of the grapes.
Whole grapes can also be used in the fermentation process. Soft
wines are made using sealed vats and whole grapes. They are kind
of "pressure cooked" by all the carbon dioxide that is
trapped in the sealed vats during the fermentation process. This
is a quick process and can normally be completed in just a couple
of days. This shortcut will lower the quality of the wine. The
shorter fermentation process will prevent some of the flavor and
color from coming out of the grapes. Making red wine more bold is
caused by the longer fermentation which brings out more of the
color and tannin.
The grapes left over will be put through a
press to be crushed into a tannic wine. Free run wine is often
enhanced with this tannic wine to raise it's quality level by
adding more color, structure and flavor to the wine. The vat and
press wine are then combined and undergo a second fermentation
process in either tanks or wooden barrels. This second
fermentation process will be longer than the first. This longer
process is the step that really brings out the flavor and color to
make a high quality wine.
Barrel aging is the next step in making red wine.
A one year minimum is required, although some types of the highest
quality red wines spend several years aging in the barrels. After
the aging process the wined is racked, filtered, bottled and sent
around the world to be enjoyed by wine lovers everywhere. Wineries
will sometimes hold back several bottles of wine to be aged for a
long period of time. This will add value to the bottle of wine
when it is auctioned off or sold in the future.
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