Wine is the Abstraction of Grape Juice

Wine is the abstraction of grape juice.  Archeological sites have recorded its production for over 8500 years.  It is mentioned early and often in both Old and New Testaments of the Bible.  Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine.  There has never been a time in history when so much good wine was available on such a continental scale, at such competitive prices.

Wine actually can make itself in each individual grape.  As the grape ripens and enlarges, it stretches and thins its skin.  At some point the naturally occuring yeasts on the outside of the skin can slip through the enlarged pores of the grape skin and begin to metabolize the grape sugars.  The sugars are converted into alcohol, CO2, and heat.  The CO2 is allowed to vent to the atmosphere (unless you're making sparkling wine) and the heat is controlled by cooling jackets that surround each tank and can be controlled to within 1-2 degrees.

White wine is processed by running the grapes through a machine called a "stemmer/crusher" that destems the grapes and slightly breaks the skins.  This "must"; skin, juice, and seeds is then pumped into the "press" where the juice is separated from the skins and seeds.  The juice is then pumped into a temperature controlled stainless steel tank and inoculated with a desired yeast strain and allowed to start a long cool fermentation.

Red wine is processed by running through the "stemmer/crusher", then being pumped directly into its designated fermentation tank.  Red wines are fermented with the skins and seeds.  This is what accounts for the color and depth of flavors that most red wines exhibit.  Reds typically are fermented at warmer temperatures than whites.  Fermentations below 70F are not generally encouraged because it takes so long and the wines can have problems with "stuck fermentation", nor over 90F because the more delicate aromas and bouquet can be damaged. 

Blush wines like White Zinfandel or Cabernet Blanc are essentially white wines made from red grapes.  The grapes are run through the stemmer/crusher than lightly pressed and the juice is cool fermented like white wines.  The pale color reflects the red grape heritage.  These wines are typically fruity, semi-sweet, and are delicious with spicy dishes ranging from Tex/Mex to Thai.

For long term storage, wines should be stored in a cool, dark, quiet place.  Heat, direct sunlight, and motion are the three worst enemies of wine.  Reds can generally stand more abuse than whites.  Ideally you should serve reds at 55F and whites at 45F.  Most wines, both red and white, are ready to serve when they are released from the winery.  If you want to collect and age your own reds, look at top producers from the regions you are interested in and be prepared to store them between 55-70F.  Temps over 70F may speed up the natural maturation process.  In general, the larger the bottle format, ie 750ml vs 1.5L, the longer the wine can age in a positive way.  So, if you are wanting to hold a wine for 30-50 years, go for the biggest bottle you can afford!

When tasting wine the easiest approach is to Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Swish, and Swallow.  By swirling the glass you are concentrating the smell into the top of the bell shaped glass.  Humans only register four tastes in the mouth; sweet, sour, salt, and bitter.  Everything else is in the nose.  The trick is to train your memory to remember smells.  Sip the wine into your mouth and swish it around.  You want to cover every tactile surface area in your mouth and on your tongue.  Does the wine taste fruity, like berries and cherries, or jammy, or does it taste like figs and raisins?  Then, when you swallow, do it deliberately and then breathe in.  How does the wine finish?  Is it crisp and cleansing, preparing your palate for the next bite of food?  Or is it flat; like water?

Good wine is what tastes good to you.  Most of us can be perfectly happy and drink very good to excellent quality wine for $8-15 a bottle.  You can certainly spend more if you're looking to impress someone, but unless they are serious wine drinkers, why waste it on them?  You can also get very acceptable wine for less than $8/bottle.  I'd rather drink less but better.  I'll be happy to try to answer any wine related questions you have.