When you uncork a bottle and enjoy a rich glass at a wine tasting, you might not give much thought to how it got there. However, your favorite wind-down beverage went through a long journey to end up on your palate. Here is a brief summary of the steps involved in winemaking across the globe.

The 4 Steps of Making Wine

1. Preparing the Grapes

Once the grapes reach peak ripeness in the vineyards, they're harvested by the winemaker and their crew. They pull the grapes from the vines and deposit them into large bins, which are wheeled to the winery.

2. Crushing & Separating the Components

There, the wine makers can begin applying pressure to the ripe fruit, splitting the grapes so the juice runs. As the sugar in the juice merges with the yeast on the skin, it's converted into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Most white wines are made by excluding the skins and stems, leaving just the pale juices of the grapes behind. Red wines are made by combining the juice and skins. 

3. Fermentation

Once the juice is poured into the fermentation tanks or barrels, cultured yeast may be added to the juice. As time goes by, the yeast will start to break down the sugars in the juice, turning more and more of it into alcohol. In red wine tanks, the skins will rise to the top, maintaining contact with the juice in a process called maceration. 

4. Bottling

Finally, once the wine has been converted into alcohol, it's packaged in bottles. It will remain in these bottles for months to years, furthering the aging process. At a wine tasting, you might notice that older wines have more intense flavors and are priced higher than younger bottles.

If you’re enthralled by the winemaking process, head to Bella Vista Winery. This Maryville, IL, vineyard offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside for you and your group to enjoy while sipping wines made from locally grown grapes. They also offer deliveries so you can savor their wines at home. Learn more about their offerings online, or call (618) 228-9111 to schedule a wine tasting.