(WineFolly) - A winemaker’s touch can greatly affect the resulting flavor of wine. Besides regional differences in grapes, there are several things people do in the cellar to make better wine. Aging wine in oak is perhaps the most well known wine making technique but there are many more. You may come across these terms the next time you visit a winery. By knowing about them, you’ll understand the winemaker’s goals and even the styles of the wines before you taste them.

 We talked with a Washington red wine making specialist, Landon ‘Sam’ Keirsey, about some of the most important wine making processes:

Harvest date

Maceration Time (a.k.a. ‘Skin Contact’)

Fermentation Temperature

Punchdowns vs. Pumpovers

Oak vs. Steel Tank

Corks vs. Screwcaps