How To Make Red Wine

To begin making this type of wine you need to pick some black grapes and put them into a crusher, which will gently break the grapes’ skins.  Whether or not you use the stalks will depend upon what type of red wine you are making.  Once you decide upon this, you will then place the grapes, and if you are using the stems, them too, into a fermentation vat.  This takes several weeks for you to complete.

If you are creating a soft wine, then the whole grapes should be fermented in sealed vats.  Herein carbon dioxide will become trapped and help to ferment the grapes under pressure.  This is usually a quick process that will only take a couple of days.  Herein you will be creating a less robust wine that also has less taste and color.

Whatever amount of grapes are left, will go through a press in order to be crushed so that they can create a tannic wine.  Usually this will then be added to a free run wine in order to add a bit more flavor to the blend.  Then both the press wine and the vat wine will be combined before being transferred to tanks or barrels for a second fermentation.  This second fermentation is what takes the longest amount of time.  However, herein is also where the quality and the taste of this wine comes from.

The Final Stages Of Making Red Wine

All of the different types of fine red wine will need to spend at least a year in the barrels fermenting. Real vintage red wine spends a lot more time in the barrels.  In fact, they can may even spend up to several years therein.  In the final process you will need to add egg whites in order to suspend the yeast and other solids that are found in the downwards.  This is done before the wine is racked, filtered and eventually bottled.  Then, once it is bottled, it is shipped off and sold.  Of course, vintage red wine must be stored in the bottle before it is offered for sale. The more robust and more expensive types of vintage red wine benefit from the most time aging in the bottle, unlike the simpler types of red wine.

Wine Gift Baskets

One of the most popular ways to give wine gifts today is in a wine gift basket, usually consisting of a container with one or two bottles of wine and appetizers, like crackers, bread, and cheese or tapenade spreads. Gift baskets come with one or two bottles of wine, and the food included in the wine gift basket is usually paired to the wine: chocolate with red wine; savory crackers and spreads with Chardonnay, and brie or fruit with Riesling wines or other sweet wines.

Wine of the Month

Another creative and popular way to give a gift of wine is to give the recipient a membership in a wine of the month club. This is such a popular gift because it keeps on giving all year long. Every month, your recipient will receive a new variety of wine selected especially for their household, at a cost to you of just a few hundred dollars. You can specify whether your recipient will receive red wine, white wine, or a combination of both. Your recipient will have an opportunity to reorder any wines they like through the wine of the month club.

Wine Gift Assortments

When one or two bottles of wine are not enough, a gift assortment is another creative way to give the gift of wine. Whether you give two bottles – one red and one white – or a dozen bottles that were selected in a wine of the month contest, wine stands on its own as one of the best, most wanted gifts ever.

Red or White

Of course, the simplest wine gift of all is a single bottle of an excellent vintage. Do try the wine you are giving before you give it as a gift to make sure it meets your expectations as to taste and quality.

If there is a story behind the wine you give, be sure to tell the recipient about it. Wine lovers enjoy hearing the tale of seeking out a winery off the beaten path, finding a unique tasting room, and buying excellent wine from an unusual source.

Try Them Before Buying

Before you go out and buy a bottle of wine, try to attend a wine tasting if you’re able. If not, then go to your favorite restaurant that serves wine. Often times, they will allow you to taste various types of red wine so that you can choose the kind you’d like to order. There are several types of red wine. There is Pinot Noir, Cabaret, Merlot, and a few others. You don’t have to get an expensive bottle of wine, you can get a nominally priced bottle and it will at least give you an idea if you like it or not. Most people find that they have a favorite type of red wine. So try them all out and pick your favorite.

Red wine goes great with certain types of meals. If you go to a fancy restaurant, for instance, you will sometimes find wine recommendations next to some food items on the menu. That means the wine goes perfectly with that type of food. These foods include pastas, and other foods with red sauces, beef, chocolate and more. Of course, some reds go with certain foods while others do not. If you’re curious about wine food pairings, look them up on the internet or contact your favorite restaurant and ask them about the foods that go perfectly with your favorite type of red.

When you go shopping for a bottle of wine, you may find that the price varies wildly. Some brands are more expensive than others because they’re either imported or they are of a brand that is of a higher quality than the others. If you’re trying to save money, go with a bottle that’s a little more in your price range. You’ll still get a great bottle of red wine and it makes a great gift if you are ever invited over to someone’s house. The older the bottle, the more expensive it will be, but if you’re just looking for a bottle on the fly, then, when it comes to red wine, any bottle should do.