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Carbonic Maceration

Thought I'd start a new thread to get non Stanely Cup fans into the fray. In breif, Mark L. stated that he was'nt aware of Auzzie shiraz or blended wines using CM. In return I stated that I thought Rosemount was doing it with some of their products & Yellow Tail was deeply into it. Can anyone confirm or deny these speculations? Also, I noticed a (in my opinion, deeply disturbing) trend in the California producers to use partial CM in many of their products. This came to light @ this year's Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival. Several Nappa & Sonoma producers were showing Cabs & Merlots with what they called 'partial whole berry fermentation' ... are they afraid of the CM lable? I understand that this makes their wines softer, more aproachable young, consumer freindly etc... But, when I spend reasonable to large money on a California Cab ... I want TANNIN baby!!! Rip my face off & make me cellar you for years, pucker power Tannins!!! Any opinions?

En Vino Veritas Mathew

Reply to
Mathew Kagis
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i would doubt too many wine companies would be using CM for their cheaper ranges. CM takes up a lot of tank space for a lot of time and would be considered an uneconomic practice by the bean counters. whole bunches could be added to a macerating must. whether this is considered partial CM is in the eye of the beholder. neil

Reply to
Neil R.

This was my take on it also. Not really CM, but leaving a (small?) percentage of whole clusters in the must.

Andy

Reply to
JEP

OK, if this is what producers are calling 'partial whole berry fermentation' so be it. My question remains (especially in the case of higher priced California products) Why do it?...see post below for my objections.

Cheers Mathew

Reply to
Mathew Kagis

Because what you (or I) want our young wine to be is not necessarily what will sell the best. There are a lot more people who want run to the store for a bottle to drink with dinner tonight than there are who are willing to age a wine for 5-10 years.

Andy

Reply to
JEP

I am aware of the drink now market. I'm just wondering wy this trend to soften, previously age worthy California Cabs has sprung up now? Does it haqve something to do with the glut in the grape market dow there? or just a desire by the producers to grab a larger share of the table wine market?

Mathew

Reply to
Mathew Kagis

"Hey Chuck! I thought the D-block cab was all picked & crushed."

"It was."

"Well, Enrique just pulled up with the bobtail loaded with 30 lug boxes picked off the end rows. Shall I have him bring em round to the crush pad?"

"The crusher's all cleaned up. It's not worth messin' it for a few hundred pounds of grapes. Just dump the lug boxes right in the top of tank 604 without destemmeing. We'll call it Partial Carbonic Maceration. Marketing will love it."

-Bruce

Reply to
Bruce Edwards

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