How is red wine made?
How is Red Wine Made?
In short, red wine is made by harvesting, crushing, fermenting and bottling red grapes. But there is so much more to it. It’s one of the oldest drinks in the world, yet the process of making it remains rooted in a few essential steps. Each stage in the journey from grape to glass has a purpose, shaping the flavor, color, and character of the wine you eventually enjoy.
Step 1: Harvesting the grapes
The process begins in the vineyard. Red grapes are picked once they reach the right balance of sugar, acidity, and tannins. If harvested too early, the wine can taste sharp and green. If harvested too late, the flavors become heavy and the alcohol too high. Timing is everything. At Neleman, harvest usually takes place in September and October, depending on the grape variety and the weather that season. While machine harvesting is quicker, hand-picking allows us to select only the healthiest, ripest bunches, which is essential for quality.
Step 2: Crushing and destemming
Once the grapes are collected, the stems are usually removed before fermentation begins. Stems are high in tannins, and leaving too many in the mix can make the wine harsh and bitter. Destemming ensures a smoother, cleaner taste. After destemming, the grapes are lightly crushed. This breaks the skins just enough to release juice and pulp, while keeping the skins intact for fermentation. Some wineries avoid this step for a different style of wine, but it’s the most common practise.
Step 3: Fermentation with skins
Here is where red wine starts to take on its distinctive character. The juice, skins, and sometimes seeds all ferment together. Natural yeasts convert the sugar in the grape juice into alcohol, creating heat, aromas, and bubbles of carbon dioxide. This stage usually lasts between one and two weeks, but can extend up to three, depending on the style of wine desired. Fermentation with skins is what gives red wine its deep color, tannins, and complex flavors. The longer the wine spends on the skins, the more structured and full-bodied it becomes (like our Casas Del Rey Bobal Robusta for instance.)
Step 4: Maceration
During fermentation, the grape skins float to the top of the tank and form what winemakers call the “cap.” To extract color and flavor evenly, the cap must be mixed back into the juice. There are several ways to do this, sometimes by punching down the skins back, or spray the wine back over their skins by pump-overs. Maceration may last just a few days for a light, fruity red, or up to a week for a rich, age-worthy wine. This stage is all about building the balance between fruitiness, tannins, and structure.
Step 5: Aging
After the maceration process, winemakers will separate the solids from the liquid and choose to take certain steps based on their desired style. Young red wine is rarely ready to drink immediately. Aging helps it develop harmony and depth. Some wines are kept in stainless steel tanks, preserving fresh fruit flavors. Others rest in oak barrels, which can add spice, vanilla notes, and a rounder texture. A modern way of riping is in eg-shaped concrete tanks of which Neleman has 4. The ageing period can range from a few months for light reds to several years for structured, complex wines. The choice of vessel and time spent ageing play a major role in defining style.
Step 6: Bottling
Finally, the wine is clarified, filtered, and bottled (usually). Other winemakers choose not to filter or clarify the wine for a more natural touch. Some wines are bottled young for a juicy, easy-drinking style, while others may continue to age in bottle before release. Once sealed, the wine is ready to be sold. At Neleman we filter as minimum as possible. Our wines can in fact be defined as natural wines.
Common Questions About Red Wine
When is the best time to harvest red wine grapes?
Red grapes are best harvested in late summer or early autumn, when sugars and acidity are balanced. Winemakers test the grapes daily to decide the perfect moment.
Why are red grapes destemmed before fermentation?
Stems contain bitter tannins that can make wine taste overly astringent. Destemming removes these, ensuring a smoother texture and cleaner flavors.
How long does red wine ferment with the skins?
Fermentation with skins typically lasts 7 to 12 days. Short fermentations make lighter, fruitier reds, while longer ones create wines with deeper color and more structure.
Why is red wine aged in oak barrels?
Oak barrels allow tiny amounts of oxygen to soften tannins and add flavors like spice, toast, and vanilla. They help the wine develop complexity over time.
What is maceration in red winemaking?
Maceration is when grape skins stay in contact with the juice during fermentation. It extracts color, tannins, and aromas, which give red wine its body and richness.
Suggested reading: Get to know the Tempranillo Grape
