Wines can be Good for Your Health and Well-Being

Wine Connoisseur

Wine taken in moderation, can be good for your health and well-being. If you keep within recommended guidelines, the odd glass of wine can be great with a meal and can be part of your overall diet.

Most of us know that wine comes from grapes that are aged. But have you ever wondered what helps the grape age properly and why red wines need more time to age than white wines?

The process of aging starts immediately after the grapes are picked, crushed and pressed. The grapes are then put into an oak barrel or steel vat, with some winemakers preferring to add oak chips to the vat. During the aging process acids, sugar and tannin interact. By having more tannin present the winemaker is able to age the wine for a longer period without fear of oxidation.

This along with temperature, light conditions, and alcohol complete the aging process. Wines age faster with a warmer temperature. So the winemaker tries to maintain a cool stable 55-65 degree temperature in a dark area as the ideal aging atmosphere. A big fluctuation in temperature or light conditions on a daily or weekly basis is detrimental to a good wine.

Now why are red wines aged more than white wines? A simple explanation is that all grapes are white inside, which means that red wine needs to allow the exterior skin to mix with the interior when being crushed to give it the red color. This mixture contains tannin, which also aids the aging process significantly. You also get tannin from the oak sides of the barrel. Compounds within these, known as phenolics, allow the wine to age longer while keeping the wine from oxidizing.

So the red wine is able to age longer and develop a more full flavored bold taste.