Red: Post-Fermentation Maceration

Question 1

What is post-fermentation maceration?

Answer 1

• a method where the wine is left macerating on the skins for a period of time after fermentation
• might be a few days to a few weeks

Question 2

Why might a winemaker perform post-fermentation maceration on their red wines?

Answer 2

• further extraction of tannins
• polymerization of tannins, improving the tannin structure and texture
• improve the wine’s aging potential

Question 3

What styles of wines have post-fermentation maceration performed on them?

Answer 3

• premium and super-premium wines that are intended for aging

Question 4

Why is post-fermentation maceration not performed on high-volume, inexpensive wines?

Answer 4

• the process takes up tank space and time, which are not logistically desirable