chuangyilife.com: Gourmet > Fine Wine & Drinks > Red Wines | the art of living

RED!

Throughout its long history, red wine has been symbolic of life, like the blood surging in our veins.

It is the result of a long and difficult process, comprising firstly and importantly harvesting the grapes at the exact peak of their ripeness, followed by complex processes to create the exquisite result flowing in your mouth and throat: red wine.

Red wine is an ancient product, and one that invokes ideas of grapes, soil and climate, as well as the hard labour it takes to make. Wines differ, and combinations of different grapes and soil can produce a variety of tastes.

Similarly, wines produced from the same grape and in the same soil, but of different vintages can make for a stunning tasting experience.

Red wine features heavily in mythology, religion and legend, and it is sometimes offered as a gift during religious sacrifice. A drink of the Gods, both the Greeks and Romans had a dedicated deity to red wine, whilst for Christians it symbolises the blood of Jesus.

Red wine is a cultural product, and one that reminds us of quality and of the value of things. Good wine cannot be made quickly.

Harvest the grapes just a few days too early in the production of a Cabernet Sauvignon and your wine will have the aroma of green pepper. Too much heat during the fermentation process and your Pinot Noir will boil.

The slow process of maturation in barrels is a crucial one: the barrels add more components and flavour to the fermented juice. It is at this stage of the process that the wine builds on its primary aromas and develops secondary ones, bringing more complexity and diversity in the wine’s nose and mouth.

Even once bottled, the wine is still slowly changing and developing in its maturation. Some wines need just a few years, whereas some need decades. Wine, you must understand, is not a precise science.

All of this craft, cultivation and complexity make wine production and wine drinking an activity more about art and appreciation of value, than merely a drink to quench your thirst.

The Red section is about red wines you can find on our website. There are also interviews with winemakers, features about specific wine growing regions and various varieties of grapes.

Cheers!

See the List of Red Wines

Tags: Red