Wine is an ancient drink that has been an important part of human societies for literally thousands of years. From its origins in ancient Greece, wine culture and the art of wine making spread throughout the ancient Mediterranean, Europe, and China. Today, wine is consumed on every continent in the world, and mainly produced in Europe, the Americas, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The process of wine making has evolved throughout the centuries, and today there are thousands of wineries producing hundreds of varieties of wine.
Harvest
Grapes form the foundation of wine, and the numerous varieties of grape each produce a different type of wine. These grapes can be crossbred and mixed as well, during the wine making process. The grapes must be harvested at the precisely the right time to produce the best wine, and many high quality wineries prefer to harvest their crop by hand, as machines can sometimes crush the grapes during the harvest.
Grapes generally become ripe from late August to late October, but skilled wine makers know when to harvest their grapes by color and taste.
Crushing and Pressing
After the harvest, machines crush the grapes (this process used to be done by foot-literally). To make white wine, the juice will quickly be separated from the seeds and skins of the grapes, which will add color and tannins the longer they stay in contact with the juice. Thus, red wine is left to ferment with the skins and seeds for a longer period of time.
Fermentation
The juice (and skins and seeds for red wine) is then transferred to large containers, or vats, and yeast is added to begin the process of fermentation. Fermentation can take anywhere from 10 to 30 days, and differences in the fermentation process (such as steel vats versus oak casks, and how soon the fermentation is stopped) can result in different flavors and characteristics for the wine.
Filtration and Aging
When fermentation is stopped, the wine is filtered (the amount of filtration can vary, and can be intentional) and clarified. Once the yeast and solids have been removed from the wine, it is distributed to bottles and cases to be aged. There are many variations in the aging process, including length of time aged, and what type of container (or bottle) the wine is aged in. All of this adds distinct characteristics to the wine.
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