Juiced: How to Make Mass-Produced Wine Taste Great

(Wired) - Winemaking may conjure images of sun-­dappled vineyards and grand châteaus. But a typical ­bottle of Napa Cabernet owes more to lab-coat-­wearing chemists than to barefoot grape stompers. Like most foodstuffs, wine has been thoroughly industrialized. ­Million-­gallon batches are cooked up in ­behemoth factories in Australia or California’s less-dreamy-­sounding Central Valley and made of grapes that come from just about anywhere. And vintners are under constant pressure to find new ways to save money—California grape prices have shot up 46 percent over the past decade. That leaves ­little room for error. If something goes even slightly wrong in a 350,000-­gallon tank, winemakers can’t afford just to dump it. So they’re turning to science—high tech machines and chemical additives—to doctor their product into something more drinkable. Here’s a look at the secret ingredients and behind-the-scenes manipulation that go into crafting the perfect pour.

The Economics of Mass-Market Wine

The cost to produce wine has risen 17 percent in the past decade. From high grape prices to storing and shipping all those barrels, the wine business is more expensive than ever.