Red wine has been known as the most important drink since ancient times. Among other things, he was already 400 BC. prescribed by Hippocrates for disorders of the cardiovascular system. The oldest reference to produce wine is an eight-thousand-year-old press plant near Damascus. Other signs (5th millennium BC) come from Iran and Mesopotamia. The red wine also had a special meaning very early in Christianity: At the sacrament celebration it was drunk as a symbol for the "blood of Christ".
Red wine is usually made by first fermenting the mash for a certain time. During this maceration for between 2 and 30 days, a more or less high proportion of the coloring matter (anthocyanins) contained in the skin’s dissolves in the alcohol. A few grape varieties have the necessary coloring in their juice right from the start. They are therefore often taken with the cuvée in order to give other red varieties a deeper shade of red.In addition to the colors, there are also tannins and flavorings in the berry shells. As a result, red wines contain more ingredients than white wines. For a harmonious bouquet, the maturation time of red wine is therefore longer than that of white wine. Therefore, very young, especially tannin-rich red wines often appear rough and closed.Tannin is the substance that can make red wines bitter and leaves a furry, contracting feeling in the mouth. The right amount can work wonders for the texture and taste of the wine. Tannins and acidity also have the positive property of being preservative, which means that wines with a high proportion of one or both substances remain in the bottle for many years.