Style
Carbonic maceration
kar-BON-ik mass-er-AY-shun
Whole berries, indoor perfume
Grapes ferment inside their own skins in a carbon-dioxide-rich tank, making wines that smell of banana, kirsch, and peony, with low tannin.
- banana
- kirsch
- peony
- cinnamon
- red fruit
True carbonic means intact bunches in a sealed tank; semi-carbonic (most Beaujolais) is a heap of whole clusters that starts that way and finishes more normally. The banana ester (isoamyl acetate) is the tell.
It is a tool, not a religion. Serious Morgon may use little of it. Nouveau uses a lot. Light reds from the Languedoc and the Loire borrow it for crunch.
Serve cool. Charcuterie and a picnic table.
At the table
Service
52–57 °F (11–14 °C).
