🍷 Carbonic maceration
A method where whole bunches begin fermenting inside the berries in a tank of carbon dioxide.
Carbonic maceration is a way of making red wine in which whole bunches are sealed in a vessel filled with carbon dioxide. The grapes are not crushed. Fermentation begins inside the berries themselves, without yeast.
How does it work? In a sealed vessel air is driven out by the gas. Without oxygen the berries start to ferment from within, and a little alcohol forms in them. Then the berries burst, and the remaining juice is fermented in the usual way. This kind of maceration gives little tannin and a lot of fruity aroma.
The wine is light and bright, with notes of banana, cherry and chewing candy. It is drunk young. The best-known examples are Beaujolais Nouveau and Italian Novello.
The method is tied to Beaujolais in France, where it is used for the Gamay grape. It is also used in Spain. It is one of the kinds of wine by production method, and it shows how much a technique can change the taste from the same grapes.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Carbonic maceration → kind of → 🍷 Types of wine → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Carbon dioxide
- Part of
- 🍷 Types of wine
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ French wine, 🗺️ Spanish wine
- Related to
- 🍇 Gamay
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Beaujolais nouveau, 🍷 Vino novello
Frequently asked questions
What is carbonic maceration?
A way of making wine from whole bunches in carbon dioxide, where fermentation starts inside the berries.
What wine does carbonic maceration give?
A light, bright, fruity wine with notes of banana and cherry and little tannin.
Which wines are made this way?
For example Beaujolais Nouveau and Italian Novello, from Gamay and other grapes.
What to read next
- 🗺️ French wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
- 🍷 Vino novello — A young Italian wine sold from late October.
- 🗺️ Spanish wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
Similar
🍷 Vin nouveau · 🍷 Alcohol-free wine · 🍷 Vin cuit · 🍷 Kalimotxo · 🍷 Bag-in-box wine · 🍷 Piquette
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
Sources
- Wikidata Q1752677
- Wikipedia (en): Carbonic maceration
- Wikipedia (de): Kohlensäuremaischung
- Wikipedia (fr): Macération carbonique
- Wikipedia (it)
- Wikipedia (es)
- Wikipedia (pt)
- OIV, International Code of Oenological Practices