Effects of a prefermentation cold soak on extraction of color and phenolic compounds during red wine making were examined. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wine made on a small-scale test with a cold soak at 10°C for 2 days resulted in higher A₅₂₀ (red color), A₄₂₀ (yellow color), and A₅₂₀ at pH 0.25 (anthocyanin concentration) than the control wine without the cold soak. There was no significant difference in A₂₈₀ (index of total phenol concentration) with or without the cold soak. To exclude microorganism activities, a non-fermentation test was performed with addition of 10 mg/l of cycloheximide, 500 mg/l of chloramphenicol, and 200 mg/l of potassium pyrosulfite to crushed grapes. A nonfermentation cold soak at 10°C for 2 days without ethanol followed by soaking at 25°C for 6 days with 5 or 10% ethanol showed higher A₅₂₀, A₄₂₀ and A₅₂₀ at pH 0.25 than the control kept at 25°C for 8 days with ethanol and another control with a cold soak after addition of ethanol. There was no significant difference in A₂₈₀ with or without the cold soak, or with or without ethanol during the cold soak. Thus, keeping crushed grapes for 1 or 2 days without ethanol seemed to be effective for good color extraction during fermentation without excessive extraction of phenolic compounds.