Carbonic maceration: light, fruity red wine

Carbonic maceration is one of the most striking departures from traditional red-wine making: the grapes are not crushed but processed whole, with the bunches intact.

How is it made?

The intact bunches are put whole into a closed tank saturated with carbon dioxide. Inside the berries a fermentation of their own, driven by enzymes, begins, and at the end the grapes are pressed.

What is the wine like?

The wine is purple-red in colour, very fruity and low in tannin, and its aroma is often reminiscent of bonbons or banana.

Well-known examples

The best-known example is France's Beaujolais Nouveau (Gamay), but the method is also used elsewhere for light red wines meant to be drunk young.