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Learning about wine and wine making can deepen one's appreciation for the complexity and diversity of this beloved beverage. It can also be a fun and rewarding hobby, allowing one to create their own unique blends and discover new and exciting varieties.

How do I make red wine?

1. Start by selecting your grapes. You can use any variety of red grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir.

2. Crush the grapes to release the juice. This can be done by hand or with a grape crusher & destemmer.

3. Transfer the crushed grapes and juice to a fermenting vessel, such as a plastic food-grade container or a glass carboy.

4. Add yeast to the juice to begin fermentation. You can purchase wine yeast from a winemaking supply store. This will convert the sugars in the juice into alcohol.

5. Allow the wine to ferment for about 7-10 days, or until the specific gravity of the wine reaches around 1.010. A hydrometer can be used to measure this as often as needed.

6. Once fermentation is complete, press the grapes into a secondary fermenter using a fruit press, leaving behind the skins.

7. Initiate malolactic fermentation using a malolactic bacteria that can be found at your local winemaking supply store. This is a process where tart malic acid in wine is converted into a softer, creamier lactic acid.

8. Let the wine age in the secondary fermenter for several months, or until it reaches your desired taste. This is also the time where you can rack the wine into an oak barrel for better flavor development.

9. Once the wine is aged to your liking, transfer it to a bottle and cork it.

10. Allow the wine to age in the bottle for a few months before enjoying it.