Carbonic maceration

Conventional alcoholic fermentation involves crushing the grapes to free the juice and pulp from the skin with yeast serving to convert sugar into ethanol.

Ethanol is produced as a by-product of this process but studies have shown that other unique chemical reactions take place that have a distinctive effect on the wine.

This grape lends itself well to the production of simple, fruity wines and Beaujolais winemakers have been able to create a unique identity based on this distinctive style.

Producers in other parts of France and in the New World have frequently utilized carbonic maceration for their own Gamay production, or with other grape varieties.

Winemakers in the Languedoc and Rhône wine regions will sometimes employ the technique on coarse and tannic grapes like Carignan, especially if they are to be blended with other varieties.

To an extent, most wines were historically treated to some form of semi or partial carbonic fermentation (as noted in the history section above) with the amount depending on the shape and size of the vessel the grapes were stored in before crushing.

The ripe coffee cherries are placed inside a hermetic stainless steel tank and left to undergo an anaerobic fermentation.