Red Wine vs. White Wine - Which is better?

Wine is a product of fermented grape juice. Before fermentation, grapes are handpicked and crushed together to be stored in large vats. The natural sugars present in the grapes, during fermentation, produce alcohol. Many winemakers like to add yeast, so they have more control over the fermentation process.

Whether you're a white or red wine fan, it's all about the taste you prefer of the natural wine in your glass and the aroma. But the differences between the two go far beyond what color they are, and since we're already on the topic of color, let's start with that.

The Color

Most people naturally assume that red wine is made from red grapes and white wine is made from white grapes, which is entirely inaccurate; red wine is made from blue grapes. Any and all types of grapes used to make red wine are blue, more or less. The few grape varieties with slight red skin are the ones that are used to make white wine.

Vinification Process

The vinification or winemaking process is different for both white and red wine. It's pretty simple when it comes to white wine. The grapes are handpicked and selected carefully, after which they are pressed. The juice and nectar that ooz out are known as a must. This must is then put in barrels to be fermented and turned into delicious white wine.

You must have guessed by now that if you repeat this same careful process with blue grapes, you will get red wine instead, but that, surprisingly, is not true.

The juice, from even the darker grapes, is clear, but the red wine's characteristic red color comes from the grapes' skins. So when red wine is being made, the grapes are crushed and mashed together to create a rough, pulpy substance. This mash is then fermented, which allows the colorants from the skin and the central pulp to be released slowly and transferred to the primary liquid. The process of pressing to get the liquid to ooze outcomes after fermentation.

Different Methods

Red wines are adored for their rich and soft flavors with a very light, velvety touch, while all white wines contain a big punch of zesty fruit notes and intense floral aromas. To achieve this intricate difference in the two wines, winemakers choose two different methods in their process, and the most significant difference between the two is the straightforward oxidation process. Oxidation allows the wine to be oxidized, making it lose its fruity and floral aroma and giving it a nice nutty flavor with extra rich smoothness.

To ease the proper oxidation of the wine, winemakers use oak barrels because these barrels allow proper breathing that fills the wine with oxygen. Consequently, winemakers find that tanks of stainless steel work ideally to reduce oxygenation and help retain the wine's floral aroma and fruity taste.

Health Benefits

Since red and white wines are primarily made from fresh, natural grapes, they contain many of the grapes' health benefits, if not all. However, many of the fruit's benefits are lost during the fermentation process, but white wine is famous for improving lung and heart disease.

While white wine helps prevent heart diseases, red wine isn't too far behind either. Red wines share many health benefits with white wine, but since they are made from more of a pulpy mixture containing grape skin, they are packed with antioxidant properties. One of the most famous antioxidants found in red wine is resveratrol. Resveratrol has a very positive effect on the blood vessels and helps eliminate the presence of any clots. They also help in the body's natural repair process.

Another vital component found in red wine is polyphenols. Polyphenols lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They also fight harmful bacteria to keep the stomach healthy and strengthen the immune system.

Both wines contain flavonoids and antioxidants, which can soothe and calm people. Wines can help people relax in stressful situations if taken in measured quantities.

Nutritional Value

White wines contain fewer calories than red wine, but red wine is packed with more vitamins and antioxidants that white wine lacks. Regarding nutrients, red wine has a definite edge over white wine.

Taste Categories and Types

There can never be only one type of red wine or white wine. Both are distributed into different taste categories and types. White wine consists of earthy tones and unoaked, aromatic, and oaky whites.

• Earthy tones are drier and can be unoaked or very likely oaked. Mâcon and some other French wines consist of this taste profile.
• Unoaked white wines are light and crisp and contain no sweetness or oaky flavour. They are famous in Italy (like Soave and Chablis)
• Aromatic, from the name, suggests that they are packed with flavour and floral aromas. Many German white wines, like Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, fall in this category.
• Most Chardonnays and a few French wines make up the rich, oaky white category of the white wines.

On the other hand, red wines are mostly centred on their presence or lack of fruitiness with a hint of spicy accents. The taste that is left in the wine depends on how long the winemaker allows the skin to remain intact with the central pulp of the grape. This gives it its characteristic tannic and firmer touch.

Conclusion

Whether you drink red or white wine depends on your taste and the occasion. Both contain a wide variety of smells, flavours, and richness, and they both have added health benefits. But if you really had to pick one that is healthy and tastes delightful, it would have to be red.