| Harvesting Your Red Wine Grapes - The first | | | | called pomace) is pressed. |
| step in making red wine is to have the grapes | | | | Pressing squeezes the remaining juice out of the |
| perfectly ready to be picked. They need to be | | | | pomace. If you do it too hard, or too many |
| harvested not only at the proper time in their life | | | | times, you get low quality wine. You can save the |
| cycle, but also at the right time of day to ensure | | | | pressings separately from the free-run or it can |
| the acids and sugars are all at the right balance | | | | be combined. This pressed wine will take longer to |
| for the wine. | | | | become clear and ready for bottling. |
| Red wine grapes should contain enough sugar to | | | | Secondary Fermentation - The juice, now wine, |
| be considered ripe and be able to attain the | | | | needs to settle after this ordeal and continue to |
| alcohol content you are aiming for. They must | | | | ferment out all the residual sugars. During this |
| also have the right balance of acids. This means | | | | time, the wine should be stored in glass carboys |
| "hang-time" on the vine until the grapes have met | | | | fitted with fermentation locks. |
| the proper quality factors. A sugar content of 24 | | | | Fermentation locks keep oxygen out of the wine |
| Brix at harvest will give you about 12% alcohol. | | | | while allowing the carbon dioxide from |
| De-stemming and Crushing - This step in making | | | | fermentation to escape. Without them, oxidation |
| red wine removes the stems from the grape | | | | will occur and the wine will spoil into vinegar or |
| bunches, and crushes the grapes (but does not | | | | something worse. In the lack of oxygen, the wine |
| press them) so that the juices are exposed to | | | | undergoes subtle changes that affect the flavors |
| the yeast for fermenting. This will also expose the | | | | of the resulting wine. |
| skins so they can impart color to the wine while in | | | | Malo-Lactic Fermentation - Many red wines need a |
| the primary fermentation. | | | | non-alcoholic fermentation to remove excess |
| This step in making red wine can be done | | | | acidity. This secondary fermentation will turn the |
| manually by squeezing the grape bunches over a | | | | tart malic acid (of green apples) into the softer |
| grate with holes to allow the grapes and juice to | | | | lactic acid (of milk). A special malo-lactic bacteria is |
| go through while leaving the stems behind. I've | | | | added which allows malolactic fermentation to |
| used old Coke crates, perforated plates, and | | | | occur. This is done during the secondary |
| other means to accomplish this. (Depending on the | | | | fermentation. Wines are held at about 72F during, |
| type of wine, the stems could be left in for a | | | | or at least at the end, of the secondary |
| more tannic flavor or removed). This mix of wine | | | | fermentation to favor this activity. The yeast |
| is called must and is put into a fermentation vat. | | | | that has settled to the bottom during the |
| You can always "stomp" the grapes and remove | | | | secondary fermentation also favors this process. |
| the stems afterwards - the old fashioned way. | | | | Racking and Clarification - Moving the wine from |
| There are crusher/destemmer machines that can | | | | one container to a new container by siphoning |
| be purchased if you have a lot of grapes to | | | | allows you to leave solids and anything that might |
| crush. If you are going to adjust the acidity, this is | | | | cloud the wine, behind. This clears the wine and |
| the time to do this. | | | | prepares it for bottling. Fermentation locks must |
| Primary Fermentation - The must is held in a vat | | | | be employed with each racking to keep the wine |
| that can be made of food grade plastic, glass, or | | | | from spoiling. Wine is racked at least once but |
| stainless steel for fermentation. In whichever | | | | more may be needed to assist clarification. |
| container, the sugars inside the grapes are turned | | | | Cold Stabilization - During one of the aging stages |
| into alcohol by yeasts. The yeast used should be | | | | between rackings and bottling, the wine can be |
| specific for red wine. This fermentation process | | | | placed in the cold of refridgeration to be stabilized. |
| typically takes from 3-4 weeks. | | | | This cold period will make the cream of tarter |
| How long the must (juice and grape solids) is | | | | settle out of the wine and reduce the acidity |
| allowed to sit, picking up flavor, color and tannin is | | | | further. The wine is then racked off the cream of |
| up to the wine maker. Too long and the wine is | | | | tartar during the next racking. I suggest you do |
| bitter, to short and it is thin. Temperature is very | | | | this early in the racking and aging process of |
| important during this stage - it also affects flavour | | | | making red wine. |
| and color. | | | | Aging - The wine is stored for anywhere from 9 |
| Punching Down the Skins - Skin and other solids | | | | months to 2 1/2 years to give it the correct |
| float to the top as fermentation proceeds. The | | | | amount of flavor. Oak barrels can be used for |
| carbon dioxide gas given off by the fermentation | | | | aging but they are very expensive. Nowdays, |
| process pushes them to the surface of the | | | | when making red wine at home, oak chips are |
| developing wine. The rising skins are called the | | | | used. The amount of time you age your wine |
| "cap" and need to be pushed back down to stay | | | | with oak depends on the flavors that you wish. |
| in contact with the must. This should be done a | | | | At the end of the aging period, you will be ready |
| couple of times a day. As you punch down the | | | | to bottle. |
| cap, you will notice that the wine is taking on | | | | Fining or filtering - At the end of the aging period |
| more color from the contact with the skins. | | | | it helps to remove anything that may be making |
| End of Primary Fermentation(?) - The winemaker | | | | the wine cloudy. This can be accomplished with |
| must decide if the must has fermented long | | | | various fining agents (like sparkalloid), with filtering, |
| enough. This will take a few days to a week. | | | | or both. This makes the wine crystal clear for |
| Much of this decision depends on how much color | | | | bottling and will prevent any sediments from |
| you want in your red wine. Generally, the wine | | | | forming during bottle aging. |
| has not completely fermented at this time. There | | | | Bottling - This is done carefully so that the wine |
| still should be some residual sugar that will need to | | | | does not come in contact with air. Finer wines |
| go through further fermentation. | | | | may be stored for several years in bottles before |
| Remove Free Run and Press - At the end of the | | | | they are drunk. But I suggest that a minimum of |
| primary fermentation, the must is put into the | | | | 6 months to a year lapse before drinking. |
| wine press. The best quality wine is made just | | | | So there are the steps in making red wine. |
| from the juice portion of the must. Many wine | | | | Properly done, you will have a wine that will not |
| makers allow this to run off and save it for the | | | | only give you drinking pleasure, but will make you |
| best red wines. The rest of the drier must (now | | | | the envy of your family and friends. |