The subject of wine intimidates all. It is a journey, a challenge to our senses, an opportunity to indulge in the pleasure of the moment. This is wine…
Wine basically consists of two ingredients- grape juice or yeast. People also substitute other fruit juices for grapes.
The yeast which is added to the grape juice reproduces exponentially and ferments it by consuming all the sugar present in it, and converts it into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
The yeast falls down to the bottom of the container after consuming all the sugar. The wine is then poured in another container and left to mature.
Wines get their color by soaking their skins in the juices when they are left to ferment. The longer the skin is soaked the deeper is the color of the wine.
Then comes the taste. It might sound peculiar but the variety of grapes, the climate, temperature and technique in which they are grown and the yeast used for fermentation, all contribute to the taste of the wine.
And as for the difference between them, the white wine and the red wine have a significant difference in taste, as after the process, the white wine so produced is much lighter and fruitlike in taste whereas the red wine has a complex flavor and is much heavier.
The process of fermentation also differs. While making the red wine the skins, stems and the seeds are allowed to ferment along with the juice, which produce tannin that lend a dark rich color to it. While white wines have none of these and so the juice retains its original color.
The older the wine the tastier it is, but this can only be possible with red wines because the tannins present in it act as preservatives. The white wine can also be preserved by adding some amount of sulphites, which have antibacterial and preservative qualities.
Now that your wine is ready it needs to be served. Always remember to serve red wine at room temperature preferably in a balloon glass, while white wine is always served chilled in glasses with long stems to avoid contact with your fingers, lest you warm your chilled wine.
Wine contains antioxidants which keep you healthy.
And last but not the least.
Always serve the wine that compliments your food. Red wine is best enjoyed with red meat and rich cuisine while white wine goes with light food and white meats like fish and poultry.
Now that you have gathered all the information about wines, the best way to know the difference is to taste them. So go ahead.