From Grape to Glass: How Wine Is Actually Made
Understand the five steps of winemaking from harvest to bottle. Learn how winemaking choices create different wine styles and what to look for in your glass.
Understanding winemaking makes every glass more interesting.
Wine is simple: grapes ferment, alcohol happens, you drink it.
Wine is also complicated: thousands of decisions between vineyard and bottle shape what ends up in your glass.
This guide walks you through the winemaking process, not with textbook jargon, but with the practical knowledge that helps you understand why wines taste the way they do.
Five major steps. Let’s go.
The 5 Steps of Winemaking
HARVEST → CRUSH → FERMENT → AGE → BOTTLE
Every wine in the world follows this basic sequence. The variations within each step create the infinite diversity of wine styles.
Step 1: Harvest
What happens: Grapes are picked from the vineyard.
Why it matters: When grapes are harvested determines the wine’s fundamental character.
The Ripeness Decision
| Harvest Timing | Sugar Level | Acid Level | Wine Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early | Lower | Higher | Crisp, lighter, lower alcohol |
| Mid-season | Balanced | Balanced | Classic, food-friendly |
| Late | Higher | Lower | Rich, fuller, higher alcohol |
Early harvest = more acidity, less sugar, lighter wines (think crisp Sauvignon Blanc)
Late harvest = more sugar, less acidity, richer wines (think bold Zinfandel)
How Grapes Are Picked
By hand: Workers select bunches individually. Slower and more expensive, but allows for quality selection. Used for premium wines.
By machine: Mechanical harvesters shake grapes off vines. Faster and cheaper, but less selective. Used for volume production.
Night Harvest
In warm regions, grapes are often picked at night when temperatures are cooler. This preserves freshness and prevents premature fermentation. If a wine label mentions “night-harvested,” that’s why.
Taste connection: That bright, fresh character in your favorite white wine? It started with a decision about exactly when to pick.
Step 2: Crush
What happens: Grapes are processed to release their juice.
Why it matters: How grapes are crushed, and whether skins stay in contact, defines whether you get white, red, or rosé.
The Color Secret
Here’s something that surprises most people: almost all grape juice is clear.
The color in red wine comes from the skins, not the juice. That’s why:
| Wine Type | Skin Contact | Result |
|---|---|---|
| White wine | None or minimal | Clear juice fermented alone |
| Rosé | Brief (hours to days) | Light pink color extracted |
| Red wine | Extended (days to weeks) | Deep color and tannins extracted |
White wine process: Grapes are pressed immediately. Juice separates from skins before fermentation.
Red wine process: Grapes are crushed but skins stay in the tank. Fermentation happens with skins present, extracting color and tannin.
Ros\u00e9 process: Red grapes get brief skin contact, then juice is drained off and fermented like white wine.
Whole Cluster vs. Destemmed
Destemmed: Most wines. Stems are removed before crushing. Cleaner fruit flavors.
Whole cluster: Some wines include stems during fermentation. Adds spice, structure, and herbal notes. Common in Burgundy and Beaujolais.
Taste connection: That tannic grip in Cabernet? It came from extended skin contact. That silky Pinot Noir? Probably gentler extraction.
Step 3: Ferment
What happens: Yeast converts sugar into alcohol and CO2.
Why it matters: Fermentation is where grape juice becomes wine. The choices made here shape flavor, texture, and style.
The Basic Equation
Sugar + Yeast → Alcohol + CO2 + Heat
Yeast eats sugar and produces alcohol as a byproduct. When sugar runs out (or alcohol kills the yeast), fermentation stops.
Yeast Choices
Commercial yeast: Reliable, predictable results. Winemaker selects specific strains for desired characteristics.
Wild/Native yeast: Naturally occurring yeasts from the vineyard and winery. Less predictable but can add complexity. Popular in natural and traditional winemaking.
Fermentation Vessels
| Vessel | Effect on Wine | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | Preserves fruit purity, no added flavors | Crisp whites, fresh rosés |
| Oak barrels | Adds vanilla, spice, texture | Rich whites, most reds |
| Concrete/Clay | Subtle texture, neutral flavor | Traditional styles, natural wines |
Temperature Control
Cool fermentation (white wines): Preserves delicate aromas and fresh fruit character. Think floral Riesling.
Warm fermentation (red wines): Extracts more color and tannin. Think bold Shiraz.
Malolactic Fermentation (MLF)
A secondary fermentation where sharp malic acid (think green apple) converts to softer lactic acid (think cream).
- With MLF: Rounder, creamier, buttery (oaked Chardonnay)
- Without MLF: Crisp, fresh, tart (Chablis, Sauvignon Blanc)
Taste connection: That buttery richness in California Chardonnay? Malolactic fermentation. That racy acidity in Sancerre? No MLF.
Step 4: Age
What happens: Wine matures before bottling, developing complexity and integrating flavors.
Why it matters: Aging transforms wine from a collection of flavors into a unified whole.
Aging Vessels
| Vessel | Duration | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | Weeks to months | Preserves freshness, no added flavor |
| Oak barrels | Months to years | Adds vanilla, spice, toast, tannin |
| Bottles | Years to decades | Further integration and development |
The Oak Question
Oak is one of the most influential winemaking choices. Here’s what it does:
Flavor compounds from oak:
- Vanillin → vanilla notes
- Lactones → coconut, woody notes
- Eugenol → clove, spice
- Furfural → caramel, butterscotch
Structural effects:
- Controlled oxygen exposure softens tannins
- Micro-oxygenation integrates flavors
- Extended aging adds complexity
New Oak vs. Used Oak
New oak barrels: Strong flavor impact. Vanilla, toast, spice clearly present. Expensive (up to $1,000+ per barrel).
Used oak barrels: Subtler influence. Provides oxygenation and texture without dominant oak flavors. More economical.
No oak: Stainless steel or concrete aging. Pure fruit expression, no oak influence.
Barrel Size Matters
| Barrel Type | Size | Oak Influence |
|---|---|---|
| Barrique | 225L | Strong oak impact |
| Puncheon | 500L | Moderate oak impact |
| Foudre | 1000L+ | Subtle oak impact |
Larger barrels = less surface area contact = gentler oak influence.
Taste connection: That vanilla-coconut note in your Rioja? American oak aging. That subtle spice in Burgundy? French oak. That pure citrus in your Albariño? Stainless steel, no oak.
Step 5: Bottle
What happens: Wine is prepared for bottling, then sealed and labeled.
Why it matters: Final adjustments and closure choices affect how wine will age and taste.
Pre-Bottling Decisions
Blending: Most wines are blends. Even single-variety wines may blend different vineyard blocks or barrel lots.
Fining: Removes particles for clarity. Common agents include egg whites (for tannins), bentonite clay (for proteins), or no fining at all (natural wines).
Filtration: Removes remaining yeast and bacteria. Tight filtration = stable, clear wine. No filtration = potentially more texture but less stability.
Sulfites: SO2 is added to most wines as a preservative. Protects against oxidation and spoilage. Nearly all wines contain some sulfites.
Closure Types
| Closure | Oxygen Transfer | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Natural cork | Allows micro-oxygenation | Age-worthy wines |
| Screwcap | Nearly airtight | Fresh, drink-young wines |
| Synthetic cork | Variable | Mid-range wines |
| Glass stopper | Airtight | Premium still wines |
Cork’s role: Natural cork isn’t just tradition. It allows tiny amounts of oxygen to enter over years, helping wine evolve. That’s why age-worthy wines typically use natural cork.
Screwcap’s advantage: Consistency. No cork taint risk. Wine stays exactly as intended. Perfect for wines meant to be drunk young and fresh.
Bottle Aging
Some wines continue developing in bottle before release:
| Wine Type | Typical Bottle Age Before Release |
|---|---|
| Fresh whites, rosés | Weeks to months |
| Most reds | 6 to 18 months |
| Reserva/Gran Reserva | 2 to 5+ years |
| Premium Champagne | 3 to 10+ years |
Taste connection: That mature, integrated character in aged Rioja? Years of bottle aging before you even bought it.
How It All Connects
Every wine tells a story through its winemaking:
| Wine Style | Key Winemaking Choices |
|---|---|
| Crisp Sauvignon Blanc | Early harvest, stainless steel, no MLF, no oak |
| Oaky Chardonnay | Ripe harvest, barrel fermented, full MLF, new oak aging |
| Light Pinot Noir | Whole cluster, gentle extraction, used oak |
| Bold Cabernet | Extended maceration, new oak, long aging |
| Fresh Prosecco | Tank method, no oak, bottled young |
| Complex Champagne | Bottle fermented, long lees aging, years before release |
Quick Reference: What Winemaking Creates What Flavor
| Taste/Texture | Likely Winemaking Cause |
|---|---|
| Vanilla, toast | New oak aging |
| Buttery, creamy | Malolactic fermentation + oak |
| Crisp, fresh | Cool ferment, stainless steel, no MLF |
| Tannic, grippy | Extended skin contact, new oak |
| Bubbles | Second fermentation (in tank or bottle) |
| Fruity, simple | Young, unoaked, early release |
| Complex, evolved | Extended aging (barrel and/or bottle) |
Why This Matters
Understanding winemaking helps you:
- Read between the lines on labels: “barrel fermented” and “unoaked” now mean something
- Predict what you’ll like: If you love buttery Chardonnay, you want MLF + oak
- Appreciate the craft: Every bottle represents thousands of decisions
- Talk to sommeliers: You can ask informed questions about how wines are made
Wine isn’t magic. It’s agriculture plus chemistry plus countless human choices. Knowing the process makes every glass more interesting.
Explore the World of Wine
Sommo helps you understand the wine in your glass. Scan any bottle to learn about its origin, grape varieties, and winemaking traditions. Our interactive learning modules cover everything from grape to glass.
Because the more you know about wine, the more you enjoy it.
