CONTENT
- 1.- Harvest
- 2.- Destemming
- 3.- Crushing
- 4.- Maceration and fermentation
- 6.- Pressing
- 7.- Malolactic transformation
- 8.- Breeding
- 9.- Bottling
Wine is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages around the world, but few people know the process of producing red wine . While each company relies on its own experience and uses its knowledge for its production, there are essential steps to making red wine as we all know it.
On this occasion we will dedicate a post especially so that our readers know from step one to the last in the process of producing red wine .
Surely on more than one occasion you have seen in images, videos or advertisements some parts of the process, such as grape harvesting . However, today we will see each step in more detail.
Keep reading and discover everything that lies behind the production of Mexican red wine. of the best quality. If you are looking for examples of red wines in the country with unmatched aromas, we invite you to review the catalog that El Cielo wines has prepared for you.
1.- Harvest
The grape harvest is the name given to the collection of grapes at their exact point of ripeness. This must be well controlled since it will be vital for the final result of the wine. For example, the period from July to October are the ideal months for grape harvest in Mexico .
Aspects such as the sugar level of the grapes depend on the moment of ripeness at which they are harvested. This factor can have consequences on the alcohol level as well as on the fermentation at other stages of the winemaking process .
2.- Destemming
After selecting and harvesting the best bunches, the next step to continue with the production of red wine is destemming . Destemming is the activity of separating grape by grape from the rest of the bunch , this is also called stemming .
The aim of this is to collect the best grapes from the branches and leaves and to eliminate those in poor condition which, if they remain in the following stages, can contribute undesirable flavours during the maceration of the must , something that is avoided so as not to spoil the flavour of the juice.
3.- Crushing
After destemming , the grapes are crushed and passed through a crushing machine that breaks the skin of the fruit (called the grape skin ) until it reaches the must , located inside.
Although this action requires a certain level of force, it is important not to be too thorough in order to avoid breaking the grape seeds. If they are broken and mixed into the liquid, it could become more bitter.
4.- Maceration and fermentation
Maceration is a process of exchanging compounds between the solid and liquid parts , and it defines some of the characteristics that everyone knows about wine, such as color, consistency, structure, and more. This is mainly due to the contribution of the skin and its contact with the must.
Later, with the same mixture, the yeasts that are on the skin of the grapes carry out the fermentation part. The sugar from the grapes is fermented for 10 to 14 days until it obtains ethyl alcohol. For everything to turn out correctly, the ideal is that the temperature does not exceed 29°C.
6.- Pressing
Now, once the maceration and fermentation have finished, the decanting stage continues, which consists of transferring the liquid to another container so that the fermentation now takes place more slowly.
Finally, once the entire fermentation process is complete, pressing takes place. This consists of applying strong mechanical pressure on the mixture obtained, which produces the final product called pressed wine .
7.- Malolactic transformation
At this point, the wine has a highly acidic character for any palate, and this characteristic will need to be controlled, and to do so, it must undergo another process called transformation or malolactic fermentation . Its duration is around 15 to 21 days, enough time for the malic acid to become lactic acid .
8.- Breeding
The result of the fermentation is now stored in white oak barrels , which can be French or American and depending on their level and toasting technique, they will be the aromas that they will contribute to the wine.
In addition to providing tertiary aromas to the wine such as spices, wood or leather, it also gives it the possibility of long storage. This storage generally lasts between 6 and 18 months.
After this, the cleaning process continues, which is divided into two parts called racking and clarification . Racking consists of changing the tank several times to remove accumulated solid elements and prevent contamination. Then, clarification eliminates impurities from the wine.
9.- Bottling
To finish with the red wine production process , we will briefly talk about the bottling stage . The wine will be bottled and will continue its evolution in a reducing atmosphere, it can be aged to find a point of equilibrium and acquire new properties.
That's all from our side, we hope that the information we shared with you today about the process of making red wine has interested you as much as it has us. If you have any questions about this topic or would like to purchase our products, do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to assist you.