The How-To Guide to Making Industrial Wine

wine production tanks

For those who haven’t heard, wine isn’t always just sun, soil and grapes. Over at Wired, Christopher Null breaks down the steps and additives used in the production of industrial wine (and some high-end wines as well). Need to get that opaque cabernet look? Add Mega Purple. How about more or less alcohol? Flip the switch on the reverse osmosis machine. Tannins too harsh? Stir in a little Velcorin or Gum Arabic.

While the more than 70 additives permitted by the U.S. government in the production of wine may still come as a surprise to some, it shouldn’t. Wine is an agricultural product that comes from a place and is either more or less processed depending on the goals and ideology of the producer. Just like industrial food, there is industrial wine produced with shortcuts and additives used to make the production process not only cheaper, but foolproof. Not surprisingly, that involves some spooky stuff. Head over for the breakdown of the most popular processes and additives used in the production of a liquor store wine near you. [Wired] [Image: Flickr/Mirko Tobias Schaefer]