The world of red wine can sometimes seem vast and complex for the novice. Indeed, its spectrum is particularly rich: from smooth red wine to powerful red wine and even oaky red wine, there is a multitude of styles. To top it all off, a great diversity of grape varieties exists, making the overall understanding all the more difficult for the beginner.
To shed light on the subject, we will provide you in this article with all the keys to better understand red wine. We will explain its origins, its production method, and discuss the main styles you will encounter during tasting.
Follow the guide!
The origins of red wine
According to the archaeological evidence we have, the first wines produced by humans were made over 8,000 years ago in the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, etc.). However, the creation of red wine as we know it today is much more recent.
Indeed, for many centuries, the predominant wines were primarily white and rosé.White wines were often more of an orange hue, while rosés did not resemble our current Côtes-de-Provence but were rather clairets, a sort of intermediate between rosé and red.
Moreover, depending on the culture, wines were long mixed with plants (thyme, rosemary, etc.), spices, or even honey. In Greek culture, it was even customary to dilute wine with water to measure intoxication!
In any case, although some red wines already existed during Antiquity (notably in Egypt and Greece), it was only from the 13th century that red wine began to be truly appreciated. Initially in France, by the elites, and then, during the 14th century, it spread to the rest of Western Europe.
In the 17th century, a turning point occurred: for centuries, clairet had dominated the global wine trade, but popular demand (notably from Paris) shifted towards more colorful, tannic, and structured wines. At that time, these wines were perceived as more nourishing and had the reputation of giving strength to workers. The main producing regions of these wines were Burgundy, the Southwest (Gaillac, Cahors, Pyrenees) and Spain.
Century after century, lightly colored red wines would thus give way to versions more intense both visually and in taste.
Today, the volume consumption of still wines (without bubbles) in France is divided into 46% red wine, 34% white, and 20% rosé : red wine has thus become king. However, it should be noted that its consumption has been declining in recent years in favor of other colors, as consumers are currently seeking more freshness and lightness in their glass...to be continued.
Fresco depicting grape harvest in ancient Egypt
The production of red wine
Now that the origins of red wine are clearer to you, let's tackle its production.First of all, it is important to understand that red wine owes its color to its berries. Indeed, it is inside the grape skins that we find the coloring pigments (anthocyanins) which will give the wine its final color. To go further, here are the main steps in the vinification of a red wine.
Harvesting
This is of course the first step in making any wine. This phase involves harvesting the grapes when they reach maturity, either manually or mechanically.
Destemming (or de-stalking)
This is the first step in the winemaking process.It consists of separating the berries from their stem (a woody and vegetal structure forming the skeleton of the grape cluster).
While this operation is optional, it is very commonly practiced because the stem contains many unpleasant vegetal tannins.
Crushing
The grape berries are then burst to extract the juice: this is crushing.
Maceration
Once crushed, the grapes are then placed in containers (stainless steel tank, barrel, vat, etc.) so that the juice comes into contact with the skins, thus giving the wine its color: this is maceration.This stage generally lasts between 1 and 3 weeks depending on the grape variety and the type of wine the winemaker wishes to produce.
During maceration, punching down or pumping over is also performed. The solid parts (skins, seeds, etc.) rise to the surface, forming a cap of pomace . The winemaker will then set it in motion, either by pumping the juice from the bottom of the tank to the top using a pump (pumping over), or by pushing the pomace into the tank with a stick called a punch. Through this action, the winemaker will promote better extraction of aromas, color, and tannins .
Alcoholic fermentation
Here is another key moment in the production of red wine (and all wines, for that matter). Thanks to yeasts that are naturally present or added by the winemaker, the sugars present in the grapes will convert into alcohol.
This is the moment when grape juice becomes wine! This step occurs during maceration and generally lasts between 4 and 20 days.
Racking and pressing
After fermentation, we "rack," which means we empty the vats to recover the produced wine, which we call here the "free-run wine".
Then, the solid parts (the pomace) remain.These skins and seeds also contain juice, so the winemaker will press them gently to avoid extracting too many tannins or less noble aromas. This results in "press wine", which is more colorful and powerful.
These two wines will then be blended by the winemaker in proportions deemed ideal to create the desired wine.
Aging
After blending the press wines and free-run wines, comes the aging period. This resting period is very important because it is during this time that the wine develops, stabilizes, and becomes more harmonious.
Breeding can be done within a wide variety of containers, but the most common remain stainless steel tanks, oak barrels, foudres (large wooden containers), and to a lesser extent, amphorae.
Breeding is a stage with a highly variable duration. Indeed, it lasts barely a few weeks for Beaujolais Nouveau, while it can take two to three years for the production of great aging wines.
Racking and Bottling
After aging, the wine is racked: it is transferred from one container to another to remove the lees (dead yeast) as well as other unwanted deposits ..
Bottling the Wine
We are now at the end of the production process. After a possible filtration carried out to clarify the wine, thus eliminating the last unwanted solid particles, our wine is finally bottled.
Following this "bottling", the winemaker generally keeps the wine in the cellar for a few weeks to stabilize it definitively, then finally puts it officially on sale.
In certain appellations, particularly in Spain within the DOCa Rioja or the DO Ribera del Duero, the producer may be required to keep the wine in the cellar for a few additional months so that it ages in the bottle before being sold.
Pumping over operation during the maceration of a red wine
The different categories of red wine
Now that you are fully familiar with the entire process of making red wine, let's look at its main styles. Indeed, while it is possible to classify wines in many ways (region, appellation, price, grape variety, etc.), we have chosen here to discuss the main categories of red wine that you will encounter during your tastings.
Supple wines
Supple wines are characterized by a certain fluidity on the palate as well as a light aspect. They are therefore easy to drink and generally have low tannins to precisely enhance this accessible side. This type of red wine is ideal for an aperitif and pairs very well with charcuterie boards or cheeses.
In the supple wine category, one might think of a Gamay from Beaujolais, a Cabernet Franc from Loire, or even a Pinot Noir from Burgundy.
Fruity wines
As their name suggests, the aromatic profile of fruity wines primarily evolves on...fruity notes. For red wines, aromas of strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, cherry, and blackberry are the most common markers. Fruity wines are often smooth wines intended to be consumed young for immediate pleasure.
If the wines previously mentioned in the category of smooth wines are also fruity wines, one might also consider a young Syrah from the Rhône Valley, a Trousseau from the Jura, or even a Merlot from Languedoc or the Bordeaux region.
Friendly wines
Friendly wines encompass the characteristics of the two previous categories. Thus, they are generally smooth, fruity and are to be enjoyed with friends with a focus on immediate pleasure.
The Languedoc-Roussillon, the Loire, the Southwest, or even the Rhône Valley can be excellent regions to find this style of wine.
Powerful wines
Powerful wines are the opposite of smooth wines. These are vintages expressing a lot of character as well as a certain strength on the palate.This type of red wine often features imposing tannins and is best enjoyed during meals, typically with intense dishes like meat.
Think of Grands Crus from Bordeaux or certain reds from Provence, Languedoc, or Corsica.
Oaked wines
Oaked wines are simply wines that have been aged in barrels. This aging process imparts the wines with tannins as well as oak aromas and a variety of spices like vanilla, cinnamon, clove, or even coconut.
The intensity as well as the style of these spices will be determined by several factors such as the type of wood used, the age of the wood (new wood or barrels of several years), the aging duration as well as the toasting of the barrel.
If Bordeaux wines are well known for their woody aromas, this type of cuvée exists in all regions of France and the world.
Age-worthy wines
Age-worthy wines are cuvées that can positively evolve in the bottle over several years and sometimes even several decades.
In its youth, an age-worthy red wine is generally characterized by a certain tannic power as well as a beautiful acidity, both of which greatly contribute to the good longevity of the wines. Furthermore, prolonged aging in wood (or amphora) favors the good evolution of certain wines, accustoming them to being in contact with oxygen from the beginning of their life.
Although there is no official aging duration to qualify a wine as age-worthy, at
Great age-worthy wines are present in all regions of France and the world.
Sweet wines
Sweet wines are wines containing residual sugar. In the vast majority of cases, this sugar comes from the harvested grapes. This is the case, for example, with Sauternes in Bordeaux, certain Vouvray in the Loire, or even Maury and Banyuls in Languedoc-Roussillon.
An official sweetness scale defines wines ranging from dry to sweet, including semi-dry and mellow.If you would like more details, feel free to read our article on the difference between a sweet wine and a dessert wine!
Cellar of an estate containing oak barrels and vats
The best red wines
Although it is complex to provide an exhaustive list of the best red wines,
