Differences Between Red & White Wine Grapes

The differences between grapes become apparent in the fermentation process.

Red and white wines have a distinctive taste and the differences between each wine and how it tastes is largely due to the grapes used and the aging process. To make wine, grapes are harvested, crushed and then yeasts in the grapes or artificial yeast are added by the vintner. This interacts with the sugar in the grape juice to produce alcohol. All grapes are put through this fermentation process to produce wine.

Tannins

Tannins are an important part of winemaking.

The tannins found in grapes are used as a defense system in plants. Tannins are much greater in red grapes. They have an astringent, fairly unpleasant taste that is off-putting to animals and insects. Grapes start off green and the tannins in the green, unripe grape are extremely unpleasant and the same color as the rest of the plant; insects and animals therefore avoid them. When the grape ripens and the plant wants the seeds inside it to be distributed, the grape becomes attractive, palatable, acidity decreases and sugar levels rise. The tannins in grapes are extremely important in the production of red wine.

Red Grapes

Black grape skins produce the color in red wine.

Red wines are made from black grapes, these grapes have a red or blue color. The actual liquid from a red or white grape is clear. The reason red wine is red is the skins from the grape are used in fermentation process. The skin contains tannins which produce the color of the wine. Tannins also help to preserve the wine for a longer period, therefore the aging process for a red wine is much longer. Red wine from black grapes also contain a chemical called resveratrol; this is what gives the health benefits of red wine. Resveratrol has been shown to be cardioprotective and chemoprotective, and is produced when the black grape skins are exposed to yeast.

White Grapes

White grape skins are removed before the fermentation process.

White wine is made mostly from white grapes but can be made from black grapes as well, as the juice in both grape types is clear. The skin pulp and seeds are generally removed from the grapes before the fermentation process; there are fewer natural chemicals, such as the resveratrol and tannins, which are an antioxidant in the resulting white wine from the grape. The health benefits of white wine are greatly reduced compared to red wines. Less tannin also means less natural preservative which is why the white grape is aged for a shorter period and attempts to age white wine for longer periods have generally failed.

Differences

Choosing the right wine to match the food you are eating is essential.

The difference between the white grape and the red grape in winemaking are first and foremost, taste. The taste of wine is determined by the grapes used, the length of the fermentation process, the light and temperature conditions used, the soil in which the vines are planted and the amount of alcohol in the finished wine. Red wine grapes, because of the longer aging process, have a deeper, richer, drier, more tart taste. Red wines also contain more complexity in their taste than white wine. White wines have a lighter, sweeter taste. Red wines will go better with stronger-flavored food as they have a strong flavor of their own, whereas white wines go better with fish, chicken, white meats generally and light meals and snacks.

References

• Wine Anorak: Tannins
• Wine Geeks: Wine Basics
• I Like Wine: The Differences Between Red and White Wines
• Difference Between: Red and White Wine