Elaboration of Wine

The elaboration of red wine is an ancient process that has evolved over time. It normally consists of the following phases:

1. Harvesting in the Northern Hemisphere. The grapes are harvested between the months of September and October, in their ideal state of ripeness.

2. Destemming. The grape is separated from the rest of the bunch to eliminate substances that may alter its taste and aroma.

3. Crushing. The grapes are passed through a crushing machine to break the skin of the grape (skin) and extract the must.

4. Maceration. The maceration of the wine is essential for the extraction of aromas, tannins and colour. It consists of storing the must and the solid remains of the grape in the same tank for 10-15 days

5. Alcoholic fermentation. It is a biological process that takes place in the absence of oxygen produced by the yeasts present in the grape skins, converting the natural sugar content into alcohol.

6. Devatting. The resulting liquid is transferred to another tank for pressing and disposal of solid waste.

7. Malolactic fermentation. This process reduces the acidity of the wine and increases its smoothness and aromas. It also improves the stabilization of the wine, preventing it from spoiling over time. This type of fermentation is essential for red wine.

8. Racking and clarification. In this phase the wine is cleaned of impurities and any solid sediments left over from the previous phases are removed.

9. Ageing in the barrel. The wine is placed in oak barrels, transferring properties to it and modifying its character. See details below.

10. Ageing in the bottle. The ageing of the wine continues in the bottle, in the absence of oxygen, allowing the wine to stabilise.