Red wine

1. Red Wine Production

During the harvest, the grapes are crushed—that is, pressed to release their juice—and destemmed (or de-stemmed)—that is, separated from their stems—before being placed in vats. However, this initial step does not apply to young red wines, which are placed in vats as whole clusters, as is the case with Beaujolais.

Next comes fermentation, which is an essential step in defining the wine's character.

The must obtained from crushing and destemming is transferred to vats. These large containers are generally oak barrels, or stainless steel or concrete vats. The vatting period lasts anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the terroir and the choices made by the producers. It is during this period that alcoholic fermentation of the grapes takes place, driven by the yeasts naturally present in the pulp, to which specific yeasts tailored to each vintage may be added. Temperature control is essential for the proper fermentation of the grape must.

During this same fermentation period, the tannins in the must and the pigments present in the grape skins will impart a red color to the juice through the process of maceration. A series of steps will be taken to guide and control the maceration, thereby influencing the wine’s future character.

The fermentation process is then brought to an end by racking the wine. The juice is actually collected by simply letting it flow out, yielding what is known as “free-run wine.” The liquid remaining in the vats, known as marc, is then either distilled to produce brandy or pressed to obtain a “press wine,” which is more tannic and may, depending on the winemaker’s practices and methods, be blended with the “free-run wine.”

The wine will be transferred to other tanks at a lower temperature for malolactic fermentation, a process that converts malic acid into lactic acid, which stabilizes the wine.

The wine is then aged in the cellars. Aging is the period—which can vary in length—during which the clarified and stabilized wine undergoes a number of processes designed to enhance its qualities and preserve its unique character: aging in oak barrels or casks in a cellar or wine cellar, topping up, racking… Blending is also a crucial stage in the life of a wine; in appellations where multiple grape varieties are permitted, it involves combining different types of grapes to create the final blend. Blending can take place after aging or before barrel aging. This is followed by bottling, which allows wine enthusiasts to continue the aging process in their own wine cellars.

2. Red Wine Grape Varieties

There are many varieties of grapevines from red wines which, for some, define the unique character of a wine region. Cabernet Franc is very widespread and is widely used in Bordeaux wines, particularly Fronsac and Saint-Émilion, as well as in the Loire Valley for Chinon and Bourgueil. Merlot is also widely used in the Bordeaux region, particularly in Pomerol and Moulis-en-Médoc. Grenache Noir is often included in wines from Roussillon and Languedoc, as well as in certain wines from the Rhône Valley. Gamay is the sole grape variety used for Beaujolais, just as Pinot Noir is the primary grape variety for red wines from Burgundy. Of course, this list includes only a very small fraction of the red grape varieties. Others include Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault, Folle Noire, Mondeuse, Malbec (or Côt), Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Zinfandel. Certain grape varieties are used more specifically in certain foreign countries. This is particularly true of Barbera and Sangiovese in Italy, and Tempranillo on the Iberian Peninsula and in Argentina.

3. Red Wine Regions

All of France’s wine-growing regions produce red wine. Therefore, a region cannot be defined solely by the color of its wine. Some appellations d’origine contrôlées produce exclusively red wine, such as Pommard, Volnay, and Gevrey-Chambertin—to name just a few in Burgundy—as well as Margaux, Pomerol, and Saint-Émilion—notably among Bordeaux wines; Côte-Rôtie and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, among others, in the Rhône Valley; Cahors and Madiran in the Southwest; and finally Saumur-Champigny in the Loire Valley. These appellations are merely examples and obviously do not preclude the quality of red wines that may be produced in appellations with a more varied production or in those exclusively producing red wines that have not been mentioned.

4. A Few Legendary Red Wines

Many estates have made a terroir legendary—or vice versa. In Bordeaux, Pétrus is one such example. A wine made famous by its quality and appreciated by the world’s elite, its reputation is all the more remarkable given that there is no Château Pétrus—only a winery where the pursuit of excellence is taken to such extremes that in years when the quality of the grapes is insufficient, no wine is released from the vats. The Bordeaux region is not lacking in legendary wines, and on the same level of excellence and history are undoubtedly Château Haut-Brion, Château Margaux—notably the 1961 vintage—and the other First Growths of the official 1855 classification. Burgundy also boasts a domaine that is inaccessible to most: Romanée-Conti, which produces a red wine of exceptional quality from the eponymous climat located in the Vosne-Romanée appellation. It is thus the climats, just as much as the producers, that make up the legend of Burgundy: La Tâche, Richebourg, Grand Echezeaux...

5. Red Wine and Food Pairings

The pairing of red wines with food obviously cannot be summed up in just a few lines. Even if this is a generalization, one thing to note is that it is sometimes worthwhile to pair dishes or foods with wine based on their region of origin. While this rule is not absolute, it can lead to some truly interesting pairings. For example, Bresse poultry pairs well with a Beaujolais or a Burgundy. Similarly, a goat cheese from Provence is best enjoyed with a Bandol from the same region. It must be acknowledged, however, that pairings are not always straightforward, and certain guidelines should inform the selection of red wines. Tannic red wines pair well with red meats and certain cheeses, which help soften their tannins. They should, however, be avoided with spicy dishes. Fruity wines pair well with white meats and charcuterie. Full-bodied wines from the Southwest, Provence, or the Rhône Valley, as well as Italian Barolos, pair well with slightly sweet foods but will overwhelm the subtlety of refined dishes. The choice of wine should, of course, also be guided by experience and personal taste.