Among the various techniques for red wine vinification, carbonic maceration holds a special place. Unlike the traditional method, it does not rely on extraction through contact between the juice and the skins in the vat, but on an internal fermentation, occurring within the grape itself.

An inverted approach to winemaking

To understand carbonic maceration, one must compare it to traditional vinification:

• In traditional vinification: Grapes are often crushed or de-stemmed to release the juice. Fermentation occurs in the liquid phase within the vat.

• In carbonic maceration: The process requires whole bunches and intact berries. This is where hand-harvesting becomes imperative to ensure that every grape arrives at the winery without any damage.

How does it work? Intra-cellular fermentation

Once the whole bunches are carefully placed in a vat saturated with carbon dioxide (CO2​), a fascinating phenomenon occurs:

1. Anaerobiosis: In the absence of oxygen, each grape berry triggers its own internal metabolism. Enzymes convert sugar into alcohol without the immediate intervention of yeasts.

2. Aroma production: This intracellular fermentation creates unique aromatic precursors.

3. Berry bursting: After a few days, internal pressure causes the berries to burst. The released juice then completes its fermentation in a more conventional manner.

The profile of carbonic maceration wines

Why choose this technique at Domaine du Père Auguste? It allows us to craft radically different red wines, focused on immediate pleasure:

• Explosive aromas: One finds typical and luscious notes of pear drop (candy), banana, kirsch cherry, and very intense small red fruits.

• Incomparable suppleness: Since the juice spends very little time in contact with skins and seeds, tannin extraction is very low. The wine is silky, smooth, and free of bitterness.

• Softened acidity: The berry’s internal metabolism consumes part of the malic acid, resulting in wines that are naturally rounder and less sharp.

These are wines for sharing, ideal for enjoying slightly chilled, expressing all the vibrancy of the grape variety (such as Gamay) from a very young age.

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