Extract red wine from grape skins.
Red wines are created through a process called extraction, which is the removal of color and flavor from wine grapes. The skins of wine grapes hold the color for making wines because the pulp is colorless. The skins contain compounds like tannins -- a compound that reacts with proteins to create the dry and puckery sensation when drinking red wine -- and anthocyanins -- red and purple colored pigments which are important in the formulation of red wines. The key to making red wine is to extract just the right amount of color and flavor from red wine grape skins into the fresh wine juice known as must, which is process known as maceration.
Instructions
1. Collect a large quantity of wine grapes. The formulation of wine demands a lot of grapes for fermentation.
2. Crush and de-stem the wine grapes. This is usually accomplished with the use of a machine called a crusher-destemmer. Once the process is finished there will be a liquid mass with the skins and stems collected at the surface. Stems can only be left in the mix if they are ripe, otherwise the wine formulation will be bitter.
3. Keep the liquid grape mass moist. If the crushed grapes were left alone the skins and stems will form a barrier surface which will grow bacteria, eventually smell of vinegar and spoil. This is prevented by plunging the liquid with a machine, a special pole, or feet as seen in old wine-making documentaries. A machine can also be used to hold the surface skins and stems below the surface, or juice from below the surface can be funneled to pour over the surface. Plunging is the most used method because it is more efficient at extracting colors and tannin.
4. Determine the time of separation. Fermentation will make the alcohol levels rise which will further aid in the extraction of color and tannin from the skins into the juices. This process of maceration will complete when fermentation has ended.
5. Drain the wine from the skins and stems so that they can be pressed. The remaining mix of stems, seeds, skins and juices after the wine has been removed are put into a press which extracts the remaining juices from the skins and seeds. This is a precise process. Applying too much force to the press will release bitter compounds from the seeds and grape skins that will ruin the quality of the wine.
6. Choose whether to combine the wine and pressings. They can be left as separate wine formulas or combined together to create different flavors. The decision rests with the winemaker.
Tags: skins stems, wine grapes, from skins, grape skins, below surface, color flavor, color flavor from