Carbonic Maceration
Added 2022-06-14 01:54:16 +0000 UTCThere is nothing quite like a chilled juicy red on a warm summers day, especially if your not a beer or gin drinker like myself.
Uncomplicated Nouveau styles are becoming increasingly popular and are usually produced using a winemaking method known as Carbonic or Semi-Carbonic maceration. But what is this wine mumbo jumbo, What is Carbonic Maceration?
๐ทCarbonic maceration is a winemaking technique, often associated with the French wine region of Beaujolais๐ซ๐ท
๐Whole clusters of hand picked grapes are placed in vats, which are then sealed and filled with CO2 to remove the oxygen. This triggers a process within the grapes known as intracellular fermentation. Once alcohol levels reach around 2% abv, the grape skins split and release their juice.
๐The resulting wine is fruity with very low tannins. This is wine for the season and should be consumed with a slight chill soon after release as these wines lack the structure for long-term aging. In some cases with Beaujolais nouveau, the period between picking and bottling can be less than six weeks!
๐จ๐ปโ๐พ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐พWinemakers in the Languedoc and Rhรดne wine regions will occasionally use the technique on rustic and tannic grapes like Carignan, especially if they are to be blended with other varieties.
๐ช๐ธPrior to the late 1700s, it was the dominant winemaking method in Rioja.
๐ฆ๐บNew world winemakers wanting to produce Nouveau style wines will apply this method to Grenache, Pinot Noir, Shiraz but really anything is possible! Iโve tasted an Aussie Semi-Carbonic Aglianico, I wonder what the Italians think about that?! ๐๐๐ฎ๐น
