This topic always sparks lively dinner-party conversations.
Before we delve into personal preferences—and what they might playfully reveal about you—let’s explore some of the differences between red and white wines and how those distinctions evolved.
Which Came First: Red or White Grapes?
Ampelographers, who study and identify grapevines, generally consider dark-skinned grapes to be ancestral. Wild Vitis vinifera, the ancestor of today’s cultivated wine grapes, typically produces small, dark purple or black berries.
White-skinned grape varieties appeared later through mutations that disrupted the production of anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for red, purple and blue colours in grape skins.
A fascinating example can be found within the Pinot family.
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc have extremely similar genetic backgrounds, but mutations affecting berry pigmentation have produced remarkably different grape colours and wine styles.
It was once commonly believed that Pinot Noir mutated into Pinot Gris, which then evolved into Pinot Blanc. Genetic research now indicates that Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc arose through separate somatic mutations of Pinot Noir.
Do Red Grapes Always Make Red Wine?
It seems logical to assume that red grapes produce red wine and white grapes produce white wine.
Well, yes—and no.
The juice inside most dark-skinned wine grapes is pale. Red wine receives most of its colour from contact between the juice and the grape skins during fermentation.
This means that dark-skinned grapes can also be used to make white wine when the fruit is pressed gently and skin contact is kept to a minimum.
A familiar example is Blanc de Noirs, meaning “white from black”. In Champagne, Blanc de Noirs is made from dark-skinned Pinot Noir, Meunier or both. Because the flesh and juice are pale, careful pressing produces a white sparkling wine.
There are some exceptions. A small group known as teinturier varieties contains coloured pigments in both the skins and the flesh, but most red wine grapes have pale pulp and juice.
How Red Wine Is Made
Red-wine fermentation generally takes place with the grape skins, seeds and sometimes stems present.
The skins provide anthocyanins, which give the wine colour, as well as tannins and other phenolic compounds that influence its structure, texture, flavour and capacity to age.
The length of skin contact varies according to the grape variety, ripeness and desired wine style. A lighter red may receive relatively gentle extraction, while a more structured wine may remain on skins for longer.
How White Wine Is Made
White grapes are generally pressed before fermentation, separating the juice from the skins and seeds.
Fermenting clear juice helps preserve freshness and produces a wine with less colour and tannin than a conventionally made red wine.
White wine can also be made from dark-skinned grapes, provided the juice is separated from the skins quickly enough to prevent significant colour extraction.
The difference between red and white wine is therefore determined by more than the colour of the grape. The winemaking method is equally important.
What Is Orange Wine?
White grapes can also be made into what is commonly called orange or amber wine.
Rather than pressing the grapes and fermenting only the juice, the winemaker uses a method closer to red-wine production. The white grapes ferment with their skins and sometimes their seeds and stems.
Skin contact may continue for days, weeks or months, depending on the desired result.
The skins contribute colour, tannin, flavour and texture, often creating a wine that is deeper in colour and more structured than a conventional white wine. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine describes this style as white wine made with prolonged maceration and notes that it may display an orange-amber colour and tannic character.
Orange wine may be made from white grapes, but it can possess the texture and structure that many people more readily associate with red wine.
It offers a distinctive tasting experience. My advice is to try it for yourself and keep an open mind.
How Acidity Influences Red-Wine Colour
Anthocyanin pigments respond to their chemical environment, including the wine’s pH.
At a lower pH—meaning greater acidity—anthocyanins tend to contribute brighter red tones. As pH rises, the colour may appear more purple or blue.
However, pH is only part of the picture. The final colour of a red wine is also affected by:
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the variety and concentration of anthocyanins;
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the amount of skin contact and extraction;
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interactions between pigments and tannins;
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sulphur dioxide;
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oxygen exposure; and
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changes that occur as the wine ages.
During maturation, anthocyanins react with tannins and other compounds to form more stable pigments. This helps explain why young red wines often appear purple or crimson, while older wines gradually develop garnet, brick and brown tones. Anthocyanins and the pigments derived from them are major contributors to the colour of red wine.
Acidity therefore influences not only how a wine tastes, but also how its colour is expressed.
What Does Your Preference Say About You?
Now, back to red versus white wine preferences—and a few playful, sweeping generalisations about what your choice might say about you:
Red-wine drinkers hold the glass by its stem; white-wine drinkers keep their pinky finger raised.
Red-wine enthusiasts love settling beside the fire; white-wine lovers prefer a sunny summer’s day.
Red-wine aficionados leave voicemails; white-wine drinkers send texts.
Red-wine fans relish a good book; white-wine devotees enjoy a good movie.
Red-wine connoisseurs gravitate towards the mountains; white-wine enthusiasts favour the sea.
Are any of these scientifically proven?
Absolutely not.
But they may make for an entertaining conversation over your next bottle.
Which Is Better: Red or White Wine?
That is the beauty of wine: there is no single correct answer.
Some people may despise Chardonnay but adore Sauvignon Blanc. Others steer clear of Pinot Noir but stock up on Sangiovese.
Some insist on drinking nothing but French wine, while others seek wines so heavily extracted and tannic that they practically numb the tastebuds, leaving the mouth as dry as—well, you get the idea.
Your preferences may also change with the season, the food, the company and your own evolving palate. You do not need to define yourself permanently as either a red-wine or white-wine drinker.
Ultimately, your preference is uniquely yours, and there is a wine out there to match it perfectly.
