Wine is one of the most delicious and popular alcoholic beverage in the world. It can be served with any occasion, reunion, gathering, celebration, festivity or holiday and it comes in many varieties. However, wine doesn’t simply grow in a supermarket or specialized wine shop. The manufacturing process of wine is both complex and fascinating at the same time. From grapes to bottles, wine experiences a long and interesting journey. Let’s explore it below.
First of all, the grapes are picked
Grapes come in various colors and they taste differently, that is why there are so many varieties of wines available on the market today. Additionally, even the soil where the grapes grow can influence the taste and color of the wine. In most cases, vineyards start with white grapes which are more popular. Later on, some vineyards can also move into red grapes as well.
The first step is collecting the grapes, which is done either by manual labor or by using a machine. The grapes are collected in lugs or bins and they are transported to the crushing pad. Although collecting the grapes by hand requires more effort, this method is more efficient and it provides better results. You might also want to know that grapes can be plucked during both daytime and nighttime, to ensure that the sugar levels in the grapes are stable.
Secondly, the stems of the grapes are removed
When the grapes are collected, they also have their stems with them. The stems need to be removed to ensure that the taste of the wine is not affected. Removing the stem can be done manually by laborers or by using a specially-designed machine called suggestively the “destemmer”. This machine doesn’t only eliminate the stems of the grapes, but also gently crushes them.
The grapes are crushed again using a special press
The next step is to crush the grapes a little bit harder, to squeeze all their juice and separate it from seeds and grape skins. This process is done using a special type of equipment simply called the press. This machine can have various sizes, depending on the needs of the vineyard. After the grapes have been crushed, they juice is transferred into a separate tank where the sediment settles at the bottom. Afterwards, the juice is transferred again into another tank without the settled sediment. This process is called “racking” and it is essential before the fermentation process.
The skin of red grapes are also used in the fermentation process to make red wine
When making white wine, the grape skins are left behind and only the juice starts to ferment. When making red wine, the grape skins also enter the fermentation process. These skins are very important as they give the red wine its distinctive color. Without the grape skins, red grapes would also produce white wine with a slightly different taste and aroma.
Red and white wines are fermented differently
The winemakers might add yeast to help the fermentation process for both the red and white wines. During this process, the sugar in the grape juices is basically transformed into alcohol. When red wines are fermented, carbon dioxide might be released which makes the grapes skin rise to the surface of the tank. Winemakers push the grape skins back down again to make the skins stay in contact with the juice.
The next step is wine aging
There are many ways you can age a certain type of wine, depending on the flavor and taste you want to obtain. For example, some winemakers decide to age the wines for several years, others do it for several months instead. Similarly, some winemakers decide to age the wines in stainless steel containers, others go for traditional oak barrels. Even the age of the wooden barrels is important when it comes to aging wines and as said earlier, winemakers have tons of choices at their disposal.
Lastly, the wine is bottled
When the winemaker thinks that the aging process of the wine is complete, he can start bottling his precious wines. For example, certain types of white wines can be bottled after just a few months. Some types of red wines can be bottled only after an aging process of 2 years. Also, wine is bottled using specialized machines that can transfer the wine into bottles, insert the cork, place the label, and arrange the bottles into wine racks which are transferred to various establishments or wine cellars.
As you can see, the process of making wine is truly impressive and it might take some time until you are ready to savor the first glass of wine. If you are a wine collector then maybe you will find our wine cellar cooling units suitable for your wine storage needs. Our products can preserve the right temperature and humidity conditions in your wine cellar and they come at reasonable prices.
