🍷 Pomace

Pomace, also called marc, is the solid part of the grape left after crushing or pressing. It includes skins, seeds and stems, the little branches of the bunch. A bit of juice, colour and aroma still stays in them.

In red winemaking the pomace stays in the juice during fermentation so that the wine gets colour and tannins. White wine is usually pressed right away, so the pomace leaves earlier. After that it is not simply thrown away. Strong spirits are distilled from it: chacha in Georgia and grappa in Italy. The seeds go into oil, and what remains is used as feed or fertiliser.

Pomace shows how little is wasted in winemaking. Its acids and tannins are well known. If water is poured over it, the result is a weak drink called piquette. So pomace is seen as a valuable raw material rather than waste.