This time, during which the broken skins are in contact with the juice, determines much about the colour, flavour, tannin content and aroma of the resulting wine. Different kinds of maceration may be distinguished:
* Pre-fermentation Cold Maceration is the period of time used to extract colour and flavour prior to the start of fermentation. This time period can be extended by chilling the macerating fruit to prevent fermentation.
* Extended Maceration is the extra time that the red wine is in contact with the skins after primary fermentation has completed.
* Carbonic maceration is the fermentation of whole clusters of unbroken grapes in an atmosphere saturated with carbon dioxide, which prevents fermenation. This method is used to increase the fruitiness of a wine.
Only whole clusters are used in carbonic maceration! Destemming the grape leaves a little hole in it where the stem was attached, I guess.
Of course carbonic maceration is the winemaking method used in vins nouveaux such as Beaujolais Nouveau. Maurizio Gily with a nice description of the process:
The bunches of grapes are placed whole (without stemming or crushing) into vats, saturated in carbon dioxide and left for 5-10 days preferably at a high temperature (25-30°). In this environment the enzymatic processes cause the skins to lose their substance; at the same time the colour moves from the skins to the fruit flesh, the malic acid is partly degraded and certain aromas develop (strawberry, caramel). After carbonic maceration the grapes are pressed (after destemming and crushing in some cases) and a coloured must is obtained, which is fermented as if it was white – ie, without the skins. The resulting wine has particular aromas, lower acidity and is less sour than normal wine at the end of fermentation: generally these wines are drunk within a few months because their aromas are unstable over time.
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