Differences in Making A Red:

• Black grapes picked, destalked and crushed
• The resultant mass of juice, skin, pips, etc are put into a vat to ferment
• Fermentation begins about 20°C and allowed to rise to 32°C (warmer temps improve extraction of color and tannin)
• Temperature control needed since fermentation ceases at 35-38°C
• Often less SO2 used with red as compared to whites (higher tannins take over the antioxidant function the SO2 has)
• As the fermentation occurs, CO2 is formed and causes the must solids to rise to the top of the tank creating a “must cap”
• The cap must be mixed to keep optimal juice to skin contact and to prevent exposure to air (creating potential off odors and flavors due to microbial growth)
• Color, flavors and tannins are extracted from the skins
• When to pull off the juice and press the pomace depends upon the style of wine being made
• The longer the extraction, the more color and tannins will be in the juice
• To a large part, the tannin levels determine how long the wine will need to age before drinking
• Extended maceration: continued skin contact beyond the point that alcoholic fermentation has ended : this produces desirable changes that make the wine more palatable at an early age but will not diminish the ability of the wine to improve with bottle aging
• Fermentation takes 1-3 weeks –>maceration takes 6-12 days
• Juice pressed and placed in vats or barrels (here it will undergo malolactic fermentation and ageing)
• Malolactic fermentation in red wines is much more common than in white
• Plays a more important role in development and complexity
• Encouraged in cooler growing areas
• Discouraged in warmer regions where wines have a natural lower acidity
• During the early stages of aging, after fermentation, reds are exposed to air to help reduce off odors and to provide the necessary oxygen for normal aging