Making wine isn't magic... but it's pretty close.
And while we could talk about yeasts, fermentations, and other laboratory terms, today we're going to explain it simply, as if we were holding a glass, which you could if you come to try our wine flights and meet us at BACO.
1. The grape matters. A lot.
It all starts in the vineyard. The grape variety, the climate, the soil, and even the sun's orientation influence what the wine will be like. Because yes, a Tempranillo from La Rioja is not the same as one from Argentina.
2. The harvest: picking at the right time
The grapes are picked, by hand or by machine, depending on the winery's philosophy. There's tension here: if you pick too ripe, the wine will be sweet; if you pick too early, it can come out green. Balance is key.
3. Treading them... or destemming them
Forget the bucolic image of treading grapes (although it still happens in some cases). Today, grapes are usually destemmed, meaning the grapes are separated from the rachis. Then they are crushed to release the must.
Destemming.
And what is that?🍇 Basically: removing the skeleton from the grape
Destemming consists of separating the grapes from the rachis. It's tough, bitter, and doesn't usually add anything good if it stays in contact with the must for too long. That's why most wineries remove it before fermentation.
🤔 Why is it done?
To avoid green or bitter flavors in the wine.
To achieve a smoother texture, without harsh tannins.
- To better control fermentation and the final quality of the wine.
Do you want to taste the difference in the glass between a young destemmed wine and one with rachis? In our introductory tastings, we teach you to notice these details with real examples.
We await you in BACO's Tasting Room!
4. Fermentation: when must becomes wine
Here science comes in: yeasts (natural or added) convert the sugars in the must into alcohol.
- For red wines, the must ferments with the skins, which provide color and tannins.
- For white wines, only the juice is usually fermented.
- Some young wines undergo carbonic maceration, where the whole grapes ferment inside the tank. This is the secret to their explosion of fruit.
5. Aging... or not
Some wines are bottled after a few months: they are fresh, direct, easy to drink.
Others are aged in oak barrels (and then in the bottle). There they gain body, complex aromas, structure.
There are Crianzas, Reservas, Gran Reservas... or wines without labels that are simply delicious.
6. Filtering, bottling, and toasting
Before going out into the world, the wine can be filtered, clarified, and stabilized. Then it is bottled and... voilà: you have something that took months (or years) to make and only seconds to make you smile.
What about sparkling, sweet, or fortified wines?
That's another chapter. At BACO, we explain it in tastings, in reels... and in the store. Stop by and we'll tell you about it among bottles.
