How to make red wine? The stages of winemaking

The red wine production is the result of a set of rules that are scrupulously followed. The first step is to select the grapes during the harvest. For the vinification of red wine, the harvested grapes will always be black. How is red wine made? Here are the main steps in the winemaking process.

The arrival of the fruit in the cellar and the destemming of the wine

After harvesting, the fruit is stored in the cellars: this is where the wine is made and where the bottles are stored. The grapes harvested (by hand or mechanically) are first sorted. Towards the end of September, the first stage of winemaking begins: thedestemming (or destemming), which involves separating the grapes from the stems (stalks), which could give the future wine an undesirable taste.

The pressing of wine

This is the second stage of winemaking. It involves placing the grape bunches in a machine that crushes the fruit to extract the juice without breaking the seeds. The seeds are important because they contain tannins, which are essential for winemaking. In the past, grapes were crushed by foot in large containers.

Wine maceration

When the crushing stage is complete, the grape juice harvested through this process is stored in temperature-controlled vats. The phenomenon of alcoholic fermentation then occurs and gradually transforms the fruit juice into wine. During fermentation in vats, the yeasts naturally present in the fruit, as well as those added to activate fermentation, transform the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The juice must be kept at a certain temperature (ideally 30°C) to ensure the transformation. This process results in the formation of what is known as "marc cap", which consists mainly of seeds, residues, and pieces of pulp. This marc contains tannins, pigments, and aromas. These are then gradually released into the must. Maceration can take more or less time, depending on the type of red wine desired.

Malolactic fermentation of wine

The malolactic fermentation is a second fermentation that transforms the malic acid in wine into a much milder acid. This step is essential for red wines, but not necessarily for white wines.

Racking and punching down the wine

The technique of reassembly is an extraction method used to remove substances (particularly tannins) during the production of red wine. These substances can then be recovered in the wine. The process involves pumping the juice from the bottom of the vat to bring it to the top, in order to aerate the wine. The pump chosen for this operation must be perfectly suited to the vat and the future wine. 
The pigeonholing, meanwhile, is used to work the fruit. This ancient technique, which involves pushing the floating matter above the must down to the bottom of the vat, primarily facilitates maceration. The back-and-forth movement of the stick in the vat allows the grape components to diffuse into the must, which oxygenates it. In the past, pigeage was traditionally done by hand using a stick, but today it is often done using mechanized machines.

The draining and pressing of wine

Draining is a step that consists of ending maceration by collecting the juice at the bottom of the vat. Next, we proceed to pressing : the pomace is pressed to extract the juice it still contains.

Wine aging

The stage oflivestock farming consists of placing the wine in barrels or vats for several seasons. Depending on the type of container in which it is placed, the wine will not have the same taste. This storage will therefore allow the wine to evolve. The winemaker can choose theassembly, which is the final stage consisting of blending several vintages from different grape varieties or plots. Thelivestock farming generally lasts less than 36 months. 
This stage is essential in the winemaking process because it serves several purposes. First, it purifies the wine and removes impurities. Second, aging also allows the wine to mature and develop its aromas. It is also thanks to this stage that blends can be made before bottling. We can distinguish between two types of farming : in tanks or barrels. 
• Tank aging: This method is both fast and economical. Hygiene is maintained and the wine's aromas are not masked, unlike with barrel aging. Different types of tanks can be used: concrete, steel, or fiberglass.  
• Barrel aging: a guarantee of quality? The oxidation created by this type of container allows the wine's aromas to develop more than in vats. This type of aging is often considered a guarantee of quality, however, barrels are much less economical: they take up space and their cost remains very high.

Bottling wine

This is the final stage of winemaking. It involves leaving the wine to rest in new vats to allow it to stabilize. This stage allows the wine to refine once again, thanks to the emergence of new aromas. The winemaker can choose to leave it to age further or put it up for sale.