Welcome to part 6 of our series Winemaking for beginners: From grape to glass. We have followed the grape from the vineyard through harvest and press, and we have seen how fermentation transforms sugar into wine. Now comes the question many people wonder about: why are some wines red, others white and some pink?
The answer has less to do with the colour of the grape than you might think, and more to do with what the winemaker does in the cellar. Let us look at the three big wine types and the small choices that shape them.
What you will learn
- How red wine, white wine and rosé each come about in their own way
- What skin contact means for colour and flavour
- How a soft, round wine comes about through an extra transformation in the cellar
- Why the style of a wine is largely decided after the harvest
How red wine is made
The secret behind red wine is the skins. It is in fact in the skin of the grape that both colour and a large part of the flavour are hidden. The juice from most dark grapes is actually almost colourless if you press it right away.
That is why the winemaker lets the juice ferment together with the skins. While fermentation is under way, the warm liquid draws colour and flavour compounds out of the skins, a little like when tea draws colour and flavour out into hot water. The longer the skins are allowed to steep, the more colour and structure the wine gains.
From the skins also come the tannins, the compounds that give red wine the slightly astringent sensation you may know from a strong cup of tea. It is this contact between juice and skin that makes red wine red wine.
How white wine is made
White wine is in many ways the mirror image of red wine. Here the winemaker wants precisely to avoid colour and tannins, so the juice is separated from the skins early, often right after pressing. It is the juice alone that ferments.
A fun detail: white wine can actually be made from dark grapes, as long as you keep the juice away from the coloured skins. The colour in the glass is therefore about method, not only about the grape.
Because white wine lacks the structure of tannins, it lives to a greater extent on freshness and fruit. The winemaker therefore takes extra care of the delicate aromas and likes to keep things cool and calm, so that the fine scents do not disappear along the way.
Rosé and its methods
Rosé lies somewhere in between, and that is exactly the point. It gets just enough contact with the skins to catch a pink tone, but not enough to become a full red wine.
The most widespread method is to let the juice from dark grapes rest together with the skins for a short time, often just a couple of hours. When the colour is as the winemaker wishes, the juice is separated off, and from there it ferments on almost like a white wine. The result is a wine with a little of the fruit of red wine and the freshness of white wine.
Rosé is a fine example of how much power the winemaker has. The same grape can become three widely different wines, depending on how long the juice is allowed to rest against the skins.
Malolactic fermentation and softness
When the ordinary fermentation is over, yet another transformation can take place, one that many never hear about. It is called malolactic fermentation, and it is not driven by yeast but by some friendly bacteria.
It sounds technical, but the idea is simple. Grapes contain a sharp, fresh acid that resembles the acid in a green apple. During this second fermentation, the bacteria turn it into a softer acid, more like the one you find in milk. The wine thereby becomes rounder and milder in the mouth, and it can take on a touch of creamy, buttery notes.
Almost all red wine goes through this transformation, because it gives precisely that soft, harmonious character we associate with a good red wine. With white wine it is a deliberate choice. Some white wines are allowed it, and become fuller and more creamy, while others are kept free of it to preserve a crisp, apple-fresh freshness. Again it is the hand of the winemaker that shapes the style.
In short
- Red wine ferments together with the skins, which give colour and tannins, a little like tea steeping.
- White wine is made from the juice alone, and can even come from dark grapes.
- Rosé gets brief skin contact, often just a couple of hours, and lands between red and white.
- Malolactic fermentation turns a sharp apple acid into a softer milk acid and gives a rounder wine.
- The style of the wine is largely decided by choices in the cellar, not only by the grape.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make white wine from dark grapes?
Yes. The juice in most dark grapes is almost colourless, so if you press quickly and keep the juice away from the coloured skins, you get a white wine. The colour in the glass is determined mostly by how long juice and skin are together.
Why do some white wines taste soft and others completely fresh?
This is often due to malolactic fermentation. If the white wine is allowed that transformation, it becomes rounder and more creamy. If it is kept free of it, it retains a crisper, more apple-fresh acidity.
Ready for the next step?
Now that the wine has finished fermenting and has acquired its basic style, the next journey begins: the time in the cellar. In part 7, Ageing: How wine develops flavour, we look at how the wine settles down, develops depth and finds its final form.
Take your time to taste your way through, preferably across red, white and rosé, and notice how skin contact and softness feel in the glass. And remember the simple truth behind it all: the best combination is the wine you like with the food you like. Feel free to drop by our selection and find something that tempts you.
