Pre-fermentation maceration of pinot noir wine

Two pre-fermentation treatments were investigated in Pinot noir (Vitis vinifera L.) wines. The effects of cold maceration and carbonic maceration on the wines' composition, colour parameters and sensory properties were examined. Cold maceration is a winemaking technique used to increase non-alcoholic extraction in Pinot noir winemaking prior to fermentation. It involves holding crushed grapes with approximately 100-150 mg l⁻¹ SO₂ at low temperatures and is thought to increase the colour, aroma and flavour of the resulting wines. Carbonic maceration uses whole bunches that have undergone anaerobic metabolism to produce characteristically fruity and spicy wines. Pre-fermentation cold maceration produces wines that are higher in titratable acidity and monomeric anthocyanin content, but lower in colour density, hue and polymeric pigments. Reducing the maceration temperature below 10°C has little effect. Carbonic maceration produces wines that are lower in titratable acidity, monomeric anthocyanin content, and colour density but are higher in colour hue and amount of polymeric pigments. Quantitative descriptive analysis was used to define the effects of these pre-fermentation maceration treatments on the sensory characteristics of the resulting wine. Trained panel members found that there were no discernable sensory differences in the compositional parameters despite measurable chemical differences. Investigation into the aroma and flavour characteristics of the wines found that carbonic maceration produces wines that were lower in berry aroma and higher in acetate or ester-type aromas than the control wines. These wines were considered to have specific raspberry, floral, sugar, cherry and chemical aromas. This chemical note was also observed in the flavour of the carbonic maceration wines. The temperature of the cold maceration process has no major effect on the aroma and flavour of the resulting wines. However, the 10°C maceration was higher in woody/tobacco aroma than the 4°C maceration, and the 10°C treatment was also higher in bitter flavour than all the other treatments. Cold maceration wines were found to have specific mixed berry, dried fruit and sweet-oxidised aroma characters, together with a blackberry flavour note.