The yeast Saccharomyces cerevesiae is a very important agent in the world of food and beverages. Its abilities have been exploited in the production of foods since ancient times before microbiology was known. Louis Pasteur was the first to demonstrate in the mid 19th century, the biological action of yeasts on sugars in the absence of air (fermentation).

Scanning Electron Micrograph of Saccharomyces cerevesiae, the yeast which brews

In baking, it is a leavening agent where it metabolizes fermentable sugars in the dough or cake mix, to produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas forms pockets /bubbles in the bakery preparation and gives it a soft and spongy texture which is fixed when baked.

In beverages, the yeast metabolizes sugars in the brew wort to produce both ethanol and carbon dioxide. This is what gives beer and champagne both its kick (alcohol) and frothy/bubbly nature (gas).

In sparkling wine, the ability of yeast to make gas during fermentation is what is captured in the serving bottle.
 

There are many terms used for French and Italian wines. Some of the names (or types) are protected Geographical Indication names e.g. champagne or prosecco. In the case of the latter types, these wines can only be produced in specific regions as is the case of champagne which  is from the champagne region in northeastern France near Paris. Champagne is a sparkling wine i.e. it is fizzy from trapped carbon dioxide gas produced by the fermenting yeast. Lightly sparkling wines from Italy may be called frizzante. A spumante is more highly bubbly. One of my favourite wines is Verdi spumante, a white light alcohol (5%), sweetish bubbly. Bubbly wines are commonly made from "white" wine grapes. Also available but rarer are red bubbly wines.

This is how I made a batch of sparkling red wine. Depending on the resultant degree of carbonation (how bubbly) it could turn out in the frizzante or spumante style.
 

• You are making a food product.
  Exercise maximum hygiene/sanitation in all your procedures.

• There is the possibility that the bottles used for wine production may explode under the excess stress created by the carbon dioxide released during fermentation. Choose stout bottles.

• Open capped bottles containing fermented brew with caution: The Contents may gush out like a fountain when pressure is released especially when the bottle has been disturbed from rest. One bottle of my red wine violently depressurized upon uncapping and the wine "Jackson Pollocked"  three walls of the dining room

The grape substrate used

• I did not grow a grapevine to produce wine grapes, nor did I buy wine grapes to express by treading.

• I bought red grape juice (white for next time). In this case it was UHT juice and so it can be used straight off without needing to heat sterilize.

100% UHT red grape juice from Turkey
 

Prepare the yeast inoculum

• Yeast culture to use.
  To make wine you should use a wine yeast because these have been selected for their abilities to produce alcohol and withstand it in the culture brew (no point if in making the alcohol you get killed by it). Wine yeasts should result in higher alcohol content in brews made with them than with baking yeasts (these are selected for their ability to make carbon dioxide.
  However, you will also succeed in making wine by using bakers' yeasts. You may just get lower alcohol content and a flavour that is different form what you might expect.
  I used a wine yeast:

• Make enough inoculum to effect a pitching rate of 15% to a 2 L brew.
  This makes the inoculum volume 300 mL.

• Take 30 mL of UHT grape juice.
  Reserve the rest in the refrigerator.

• Add a few grams of dried yeast culture powder to the 30 mL of juice in a sterilized container with a cover.
  Set the starter aside for 6 hours. This should cover the lag phase and let the yeast cells go into the growth phase.
  You should see the yeast activate and set off bubbles and foam before 6 hours has elapsed.
  There should also be a yeasty and wine smell.
  If the starter does not look active, the yeast culture which you have used is dead.
  Discard and start with a new yeast culture pack.

• After 6 hours, take another 270 mL of the grape juice and add the 30 mL of starter culture to it.
  Set aside for another 6 hours.
  After 6 hours (or more if more convenient), your starter is ready to start the wine brew.

• To 1700 mL of UHT grape juice, add 300 mL of the yeast starter previously made.
  Mix by swirling.
• Decant the inoculated grape juice into stoppered bottles.
  I used 500 mL IKEA "Korken" bottles.
  To avoid "exploding" bottles, it is advisable to use bottles no more than 500 mL in volume.
  Larger volumes will accumulate more gas (carbon dioxide) from fermentation which leads to high internal pressures which the glass of the bottle may not withstand.

The grape juice after inoculation and decanting into bottles
 

Fermentation

• Set aside in a warm place for about seven days (or more) to let the bottles brew.
  You should visually check the bottles for gas production.
  If you see tiny bubbles rising in the brew, it means that fermentation is progressing.
  The amount of bubbles indicates the amount of fermentation occurring.
  You may stop the fermentation at any time which you feel that enough gas has built up.
  Stop the fermentation by placing the bottles in a refrigerator.
  Leave them there for about three days.
  It will "cold crash" the fermentation and cause the yeast cells to settle to the bottom of the bottle. This will make for a clear sparking wine.
• When ready to pour and drink, tilt the bottle carefully so as not to disturb the yeast cells at the bottom of the bottle. Done carefully, you will obtain a clear sparkling wine in your glass to please your eyes and palate.

Enjoy your bubbly sparkling wine! Chin chin!

Other brewed delights

• Root beer
   
• Ginger beer