Winemaking is not only an art, but is also a science.  Wine can be made the exact same way year after year, but can have a different taste each year.  

Each grape variety has it own identifiable characteristics, but it is the winemaker who guides the winemaking process by using a variety of techniques to best express his or her style for each wine.

Here are the basics to the process:

Harvesting:    A defining time in the winemaking process.  Grapes are harvested during cool morning hours and then moved into open bins usually inside.  Grapes can be harvested by hand picking which believe  it or not, with a large and professional crew, can go quickly.  Mostly though, harvested is done by machine.

De-Stemming/Crushing:  Grapes are transferred from bins to a de-stemming/crushing machine where the stems are removed and the grapes are crushed.   Some grapes, in particular whites, may bypass this stemmer/crusher and go directly to the press for whole berry pressing.  The skin has a lot to do with the color the wine gets and so when the red grapes are in the de-stemming/crushing process, it is critical to keep the skins on.

Fermentation:  Fermentation is the process where grape juice and other ingredients join and result in a chemical reaction that makes wine.

The formula for the fermentation process is: sugar added to yeast yields alcohol and carbon dioxide.

The yeast, when added to grapes converts natural sugar from the grapes into ethanol and carbon dioxide.  The carbon dioxide is then released into the air, but the alcohol remains.

When the alcohol level reaches about 15% fermentation is done.

Aging: After fermentation, wine is aged in stainless steel vats or oak barrels where the wine will continue to develop until it is bottled.  After barrel aging and prior to bottling, wines are fined and filtereed to help  stablilize and clarifiying them.  

The ability of wine to age is influenced by grape variety, vintage, viticultural practices, wine region and winemaking style as well as other factors.

Raking is done at the aging stage of making wine.  It is the process of siphoning wine off of lees and into new, clean barrels.  This process is repeated several times during the aging process and the purpose of raking is to allow for stability and clarification.

Bottling: This is the last stage before the slow and relatively lengthy aging process.  Wines are bottled in a sterile environment and sealed with a cork or capped.  Bottles are then set upright to allow for settling.