Scientific research prove that a responsible red wine consumption is beneficial for humans as it fights the effects of mouth bacteria, improves the cognitive function, cleans the palate and reduces the risk level of growing some cancer types or heart diseases.
Red wine is rich in antioxidants such as resveratrol. The red wine path in the past was remarkable when it was used as a medication, antiseptic for wound recovery and digestion controller.
Red wine comes from purple grapes musts. According to the aging period taken on barrel and bottle it gives rise to a young or one-year wine, crianza, reserva and gran reserva.
Wine creation requires a minimum knowledge of the production process:
- Once arrived to winery, it comes the moment of crushing by breaking the grape skin to release the juice.
- Destemming process arrives afterwards, when grapes are removed from bunches.
- Having ended this stage at one side this is the moment of fermentation performed by yeast, which turns sugar must into alcohol, and flavoring when it gets in touch with solid grape parts such as the skin and seed.
- The next step is known as pumping over, where new wines are placed from tanks into clean vessels.
- With racking, the wine gets a preservative added to have those undesired suspended lees off the wine.
- If desired great quality wines will improve by the crianza aging. This process is performed in oak barrels.
- Finally the stage of bottling arrives and the wine will be ready for market purposes.
Main red grape varieties are:
- Cabernet Sauvignon: world famous red grape variety.
- Merlot: a subtle grapevine capable of getting an important structure.
- Pinot Noir: a worldwide very exclusive variety.
- Syrah: a full-bodied grape.
- Tempranillo: Spain’s most extended variety.
- Red Garnacha: Spain’s most planted grapevine.
- Monastrell: red grape variety across the world. It is the second most important variety after Tempranillo in Spain.