We’ve already learned how red wine is made. Is making white wine really all that different?

There are certainly a lot of similarities in the process of making red and white wine. But there are some significant differences too. Just like with red wine, there are dozens of decisions winemakers need to make throughout the process. And just like red wine, once you understand the various steps to making white wine, you appreciate those winemakers and the many decisions they make even more.

So grab a glass (of white wine this time) and let’s make some wine.

Step 1: Pick the Grapes

Just as with red wine, the first big decision winemakers make is when to pick the grapes. Sugar levels increase and acidity decreases as grapes ripen. So winemakers are looking for that perfect moment to harvest.

White wine grapes generally are harvested earlier than red wine grapes, although there are exceptions. White wines are usually made to have fresh acidity, bright fruit flavors, and low levels of sugar so the grapes are harvested as soon as they have achieved the right balance of sugar and acidity. For red wines, in addition to the sugar, the winemaker wants the skins and seeds to mature, which usually means leaving the grapes on the vine longer. Remember, red wine grapes are fermented with the skin and seeds.

Once the grapes are picked, they’re off to the winery.

Step 2: Sort, De-stem, and Press

When the grapes arrive, they may go through a sorting process to remove the MOG (material other than grapes) like leaves, damaged grapes, and anything else we probably don’t want ending up in our Chardonnay, just like the treatment red wine grapes get.

Next, the stems are usually removed.

Unlike red wines, most white wines aren’t fermented with their skins, so after the grapes are de-stemmed, they head almost immediately to the press.

And when I say “press,” don’t picture squeezing every last drop out of the grapes. Modern wine presses are surprisingly gentle. The goal is to extract clean, fresh juice while minimizing harsh compounds that can come from the skins or seeds.

The juice is then separated from the skins, seeds and pulp.

Which brings us to one of the biggest differences between red and white winemaking.

Step 3: Keep the Juice Away from the Skins

Here’s something that surprises a lot of people: The juice inside most wine grapes, whether they’re red or white, is basically clear.

So how do we make white wine? 

It’s relatively simple. We separate the juice from the skins before fermentation. That’s the opposite of what happens when making red wine, when we press the juice off the skins after fermentation.

By removing the skins early, the winemaker preserves the wine’s lighter color and generally creates a fresher, brighter style with little or no tannin.

The freshly pressed juice is often allowed to sit for several hours so tiny bits of grape solids can settle to the bottom of the tank. The clearer juice is then transferred to a clean fermentation vessel.

Step 4: Fermentation

Now it’s time to make wine.

As with red wine, yeast is added to the grape juice, where it consumes the natural sugars and converts them into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Grape sugar + yeast = alcohol + carbon dioxide

Unlike red wine, this fermentation usually happens with just the juice.

One thing many white winemakers pay close attention to is temperature. White wines are often fermented at cooler temperatures than red wines because cooler fermentations help preserve delicate fruit and floral aromas.

Depending on the wine, fermentation may take place in stainless steel tanks, concrete vessels, or oak barrels.

Step 5: What about Malolactic Fermentation?

Now the winemaker has another decision to make: Should the wine go through malolactic fermentation?

This isn’t the fermentation that creates the alcohol. Instead, it is the process of converting sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid.

Think of it like this:

Malic acid → tart green apple

Lactic acid → softer, creamier acidity

Here’s where white wines differ from red wines. Nearly all red wines undergo malolactic fermentation. Many white wines do not.

For example, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling almost never go through malolactic fermentation because winemakers want to preserve their crisp acidity. On the other hand, many Chardonnays do undergo malolactic fermentation because it creates a richer, creamier texture.

Step 6: Let it Age

Just like red wine, white wine needs some time to mature. And just like reds, where the winemaker puts it can make a big difference.

Stainless steel is the most common choice for white wines because it doesn’t add flavors to the wine. It’s perfect for preserving fresh fruit, floral aromas and bright acidity.

Concrete is also relatively neutral but can allow tiny amounts of oxygen interaction and can contribute to a wine’s texture.

Oak is an option as well. Not every white wine sees oak, but those that do can develop flavors like vanilla, toast, baking spices, caramel and even a buttery richness. Oak also allows tiny amounts of oxygen to interact with the wine over time, which can increase complexity and soften the wine’s texture.

That’s why a crisp, stainless-steel fermented Sauvignon Blanc tastes so different from a barrel-aged Chardonnay.

Step 7: Blend It…Or Don’t

This step is exactly the same as with red wine. Sometimes wines made from different grapes are blended together and sometimes wines made from the same grape are blended.

Maybe one lot of Chardonnay came from Vineyard A and another from Vineyard B. Maybe one tank has brighter fruit while another has richer texture from barrel aging. The winemaker can combine them to create the final wine.

Or maybe one vineyard produced exactly what the winemaker wanted and no blending is needed at all..

It’s time to get it in the bottle.

Step 8: Clean it Up and Bottle It

Before bottling, we need to make sure the wine is clear and stable. Given enough time, particles suspended in the wine settle to the bottom of the tank or barrel. But winemakers generally don’t want to wait that long so they use various techniques to remove unwanted particles. How much they do varies enormously. Some wines are heavily filtered. Others are bottled with minimal filtration—or none at all.

Finally, the wine goes into a bottle and gets a cork, screw cap or another closure, along with its label.

Some wines are ready to drink almost immediately after bottling. Others spend additional months, or even years, aging before they’re released. 

Here is another point at which red and white wines generally differ. White wines are often aged in the bottle anywhere from three to nine months before they are released for sale. Premium white wines go longer – from nine months to two years. Red wines are generally aged in the bottle between one and two years before release, and up to five years for some premium red wines.

And then, finally, someone buys the bottle, twists the screw cap or pulls the cork, pours a glass and enjoys the finished product.

Step 9: Drink It

Ahhhhh!