Red Wine Vs White Wine – A Beginner’s Guide
Are you new to wine and curioustoknowaboutitindetail?Whichwinewouldyou prefer? RedorWhite?Itcangetquiteconfusingwithouttherightfacts.Ourintentis to provide you with all the facts pertaining to red wine and white wine. Grab a cup of coffee because your doubts or questions if any are going to get answered Right from the colour of the grapes to tannins to food pairing, we have got it covered for you.
Difference between red wine and white wine starts with the colour of the grapes. Thegrapesofredwinesaredark-colouredandhavemorepigment.Sotheredcolour comes from where? On the otherhand,thewhitegrapesaregreen,yellowandstraw incolour.
The Fermentation Process
There is not much difference between red wine and white wine when it comes to winemaking. Grapes are fermented along with their skins for red wines whereas white wine undergoes fermentation process without the skins. So to answer the aforementioned question. The red colour in red wines comes from a pigment called anthocyanin which is found in the skin of the grapes. Since this pigment is the reason for the colour, white wines can be made using red grapes without the skin
The term for such wines is – ‘Blanc de noirs’. ThisFrenchtermmeans“whitewine from red grapes”. Champagne is a white wine which also uses two red grape varieties–PinotNoirandlesser-knownPinotMeunier.
The post-fermentation process influences the colour of red wines ranging from red to deep purple. Wines which flaunt deeper red colour have lowerpHandarehigher in acidity. The colour of white wines can vary from pale straw to deep gold. Red wine white wine differs in terms of ageing is – reds are usually aged in oak barrels andwhitesinstainlesssteel.
Alcohol Level in Red Vs White
Haveyoueverthoughtaboutthealcoholcontentinwine?Wheredoesitcomefrom? Generally, red wines have a higher alcohol content as compared to white wines It depends on the sugarcontentpresentinthegrapesatthetimeofharvest.Redgrapes are picked much later in the harvest period than the whites and have higher sugar content. The fermentation process converts this sugar into alcohol. If you allow the process to complete its course, you will get adryred.Stopthefermentationprocess early,theresidualsugarinthewinewillgiveyouasweetredwine.
Tannins also affect the sweetness level in the wines. They are natural compounds known as polyphenols that are present in the grape skins as well as in the seeds. They are bitter in taste and add complexity to the wine. Have you ever tastedblack tea? It has a lot of tannins too. The drying sensation that you feel after a sip is the result of the tannins. They are usually found in red wines. White wines have lower tanninsascomparedtothereds.
Worried about Calorie Intake?
Are you calorie conscious when it comes to wine? The calories in wine depend on two factors – alcohol and sugar But the primary sourceofcaloriesisalcohol Itcan happen that a dry wine with a high alcohol level has more calories than a low alcohol level, sweet wine. So it is imperative to pay attention to both the factors beforechoosingawine.
Wines with low alcohol and sweetness level have less calories While sweet and high alcohol wine have more calories Then, there are fortified wines such as Madeira, Marsala and Sherry which havehighalcoholcontent.Generally,redwines have more calories, owing to the alcohol and sweetness level in them than white wines. A 6 oz serving of white wine under 6% – 9% ABV ( Alcohol by Volume) willhave111–147cal.Whereasthesameamountofredwineunder11–13.5ABV willhave135–165cal.