Pour yourself a glass of red wine. Now, look at it. What do you see? What color is it?
If someone else has a different one in their glass, compare the two glasses. Now what do see? Are they different shades of red?
What Makes Red Wine Red?
The pigment anthocyanin is what gives your red wine its color. Many other fruits and flowers have this same pigment. Think of cherries, blueberries, plums, hydrangeas, orchids, hibiscus, and more.
In grapes anthocyanin is in the grape skins, not in their juice. When winemakers soak the grapes with the skins on…the juice turns red.
Are All Red Wines the Same Color?
There are different shades and hues of the juice from red grapes. Next time you have a glass of red wine, tilt it slightly over a white background. Use a piece of copy paper if you’re worried about spilling it on your good white tablecloth. Check out the edge of the wine in your glass. Younger wines will tend to look red to violet, with possibly a blue hint.
If yours looks redder, it probably has a lower pH. This means higher acidity. If it’s more violet colored, this is a more average pH. If it’s blueish with a hint of dark pink, the pH will most likely be over 3.6. This one is lower in acidity.
Do All Grapes Have the Same Look?
There are subtleties within this range depending on the grape variety. These show up in your glass of red wine. Some grape varieties have different levels of intensity, or color. That color can be enhanced by the tannins in the wine.
What Else Affects the Red Color?
Keep in mind wine is sensitive to high temperatures. Your red wine color can be affected by those temps.
Wines also lose pigment as they age. That is why an older red wine may look paler in color when you look at it in your glass. It doesn’t mean it won’t be good, however.
Look for more information about wine at https://www.forkscorksandbrews.com/corks/