Pod mashing

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The maceration ( double . Macération pelliculaire ) is an oenological method with the purpose of the receptacles of grape berries flavors, flavor precursors and phenols in the wine extract. The process is particularly used in white wine making. It is an adapted variant of the mashing that is used in the preparation of red and rosé wine . Dry white wines with continuous pod maceration are often described as balanced, round and with a pleasant mouthfeel. However, due to the increased aroma yield , they are not always rated as typical of the variety and less fine.

history

Until the early 1980s, contact between the must and the berry pods was considered undesirable in white wine production. In addition to missing color tones, the undesirable tannins of the berry peel can also pass into the must. On the other hand, many aromas and aroma precursors of the grape variety sit in the berry bowl. In 1986 Denis Dubourdieu , professor at the University of Victor Segalen Bordeaux II and owner of the Château Doisy Daëne estate, published the first test results of the pod maceration in the production of dry white wines.

application

The grapes are destemmed and lightly ground, as otherwise the leaching of the stem framework would lead to undesirable off-shades. The resulting mash is either slightly sulphurised or placed under a protective gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen . At a low temperature (5 to 20 ° C), the must remains in contact with the pods and seeds for 4 to 24 hours. The low temperature prevents the alcoholic fermentation from starting unintentionally during the pod maceration.

effect

The must is enriched with phenols through the pod maceration. Since the phenols are only partially soluble in water, the increase is moderate. In addition, it increases the content of amino acids , which have a positive effect on rapid fermentation.

The pod maceration also leads to a deacidification of the must. A higher proportion of potassium after mashing, especially together with the tartaric acid, leads to an increased formation of tartrates . The associated acid degradation is usually 0.5 g / l (based on sulfuric acid ), but can sometimes be over 1.5 g / l. (Attention: while in Germany the total acidity is calculated as tartaric acid, in France the acidity is given in g / l sulfuric acid. The conversion factor between the two values ​​is 1.53.)

The pod maceration is stopped before larger amounts of the bitter or coloring phenols get into the must.

The grapes must be healthy and fully ripe. Rotten berries degrade a variety of flavors. The technique is often used with the Sauvignon Blanc , Sémillon and Riesling grape varieties , but also with some Muscat grapes such as the Yellow Muscat . The use of very neutral grape varieties hardly improves the aroma. After the pods have been mashed, the mash has to be treated and pressed gently, as the structure of both the skins and the kernels are already slightly weakened. There are therefore special mash hoppers that enable subsequent, gentle juicing without pumping.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ oenology, Fondements scientifiques et technologiques . Claude Flanzy (editor and coordinator). Denis Dubourdieu published the article Indice des opérations préfermentaires sur la composition chimique et les qualités organoleptiques des vins blancs in 1986 in Connaissance de la vigne et du vin, volume 20, pages 53-76.
  2. ^ Jacques Blouin, Émile Peynaud , Connaissance et travail du vin , 4th edition, ISBN 2100492969 .

literature

  • Jancis Robinson : The Oxford Wine Lexicon . Hallwag, Gräfe and Unzer, Munich 2006, ISBN 978-3-8338-0691-9 .
  • Pascal Ribéreau-Gayon, Denis Dubourdieu, Bernard Donèche, Aline Lonvaud: Traité d'oenologie, Microbiologie du vin. Vinifications . 5th edition. Dunod, Éditions La Vigne, 2004, ISBN 2-10-007301-X .
  • Claude Flanzy (editor and coordinator): Oenology, Fondements scientifiques et technologiques . 1st edition. Lavoisier, Éditions Technique & Documentation, 1998, ISBN 2-7430-0243-3 .