The Differences Between Red and White Wine

The executive vice president and chief strategy and network officer for CHRISTUS Health in Dallas, Texas, Paul Generale handles new acquisitions and ventures for the not-for-profit health system, along with leading strategy, managing services, and overseeing employees. In his free time, Paul Generale enjoys deep-sea fishing and is also a wine enthusiast.

There are many varieties of wine, but the basic difference is in the color: red or white. Both types are made from grapes, but with red wines, the red grape skins are left on during the fermentation process. This gives red wine its color. Meanwhile, white wine grapes have their skins removed, so the resulting product appears lighter in color.

This is not the only difference between white and red wine. In fact, red wines are typically aged in oak barrels, while whites age in stainless steel vats. The differing production methods come out in the taste of the two. While white wines are more acidic and have floral aromas and fruit tastes, red wines are known for rich and velvety textures that result from the additional oxygen incorporated into the process via the oak barrels.

The differences in taste mean that red and white wines pair best with different foods. Fatty foods, like pork chops and hamburgers, pair well with red wine. However, people who aren’t big red-meat eaters may prefer white wine as accompaniment for meals. White wine pairs easily with white meats, like chicken, turkey, and fish, along with cheeses and green vegetables.