How is Red Wine Made?

Firstly, you need vines to produce grapes! Depending on the appellation (or wine region) there may be certain varieties which can or can’t be grown. Climate also plays a big role in deciding on the vines. There’s no point planting a warm climate variety, such as Shiraz, in a cool climate region, like Burgundy. Vines usually require at least three to five years to start producing wine-ready grapes.

Once the seeds have been sewn and vines are packed with awesome grapes, it’s time to pick them! The harvest season usually falls between late summer and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, whilst in the Southern Hemisphere it usually falls between February and April. Techniques for picking grapes will depend on the vineyard landscape and desired quality of wine – usually by hand versus machine.

Time to get messy. Whilst many vineyards have moved away from traditional pre-machine pressing techniques, many still get their hands and feet dirty (quite literally). After harvested grapes have been picked they are then usually put through quality control before being crushed – some wineries may split the very best grapes from the others and vice versa. Once sorted, they are crushed and then crushed some more!

This is where things start to get scientific. Crushed grapes are then placed into fermentation tanks where yeast grows and consumes the natural sugars, turning into alcohol. Most importantly for red wine production, the skins are left on, adding the colour, flavours and textures we associate with red wines. Grapes are occasionally stirred using techniques referred to as punching down or pumping over during this process. For red wine, grapes are fermented at a high temperature of 20-32 degrees for a minimum of five days.

After roughly five to seven days of fermentation, the grapes are ready to be pressed. Some smaller scale wineries may do this by hand, however most will use machines to press the grapes, extracting the juice and separating the pulps and skins.

For many, this is the exciting part of red wine production and a far more important stage than it is with whites, rose and some sparkling wines. Maturation adds complexity to wines, largely through contact with oak. For the most part, wines are matured in large oak vats, oak barrels or in stainless steel tanks. Ageing of red wines can range from a few months to a few years before being bottled. More expensive wines will typically be matured for longer in higher quality oak barrels.

A key part of winemaking which is often overlooked is the blending process. This is a vitally important stage for winemakers to make a name for themselves and to create unique, perfectly balanced wines. Red wines from Bordeaux for example, are largely all blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties, with small percentages of local varieties sometimes added. Here at Virgin Wines, many of our bottles are unique blends we’ve put together.

As part of the maturation process, wines often have fining agents added in order to achieve clarity and bottle readiness. Organic wineries tend to leave this process out altogether or use natural alternatives, as fining agents are mostly animal based. Likewise, wineries who want to achieve full-bodied wines may also leave this process out. Red wines, particularly those of a higher quality, are likely to be bottled with a cork – contact with corks and oxygen further develops flavour and complexities in wine, particularly if they are aged long periods in the bottle. Screw caps, whilst not always an indication of lesser quality red wines, are usually for those best suited to drinking young.

Chin chin! Your red wine is ready for drinking and more importantly, your enjoyment.

Find Out More

Check out our handy Wine Basics section for everything you need to know about different wine types and tips for getting the most out of your wine.