Find out Why Everyone is Loving Carbonic Wines (Part 1)

More and more people are loving carbonic wines because of their delicious lightness and fruitiness. Wines that have been through carbonic maceration are both light and delicious, and they also have a fascinating scientific process around their creation. If you love chilled and light red wines in the summertime and want something fruity with minimal tannins, then carbonic wines are for you! Whether you’re getting wine from online shopping or picking up your bottles in person, read on to learn more about why carbonic wines are gaining traction in popularity. 

What is Carbonic Maceration?

While most wines are made using a traditional fermentation process, carbonic wines are created through a process called carbonic maceration. In order to fully understand how two different types of wine can be created from the same grape, it’s useful to have a brief introduction to how regular red wine is made. When grapes have been plucked from the vine and crushed together, the crushing allows the yeast to access the sugar contained inside the grapes. The yeast in turn interacts with oxygen, eats the sugar, converts to alcohol, and in the process releases carbon dioxide. 

The Difference in the Science

In contrast to carbon dioxide being released during the standard red wine-making process, carbonic maceration works a little differently. During the process, CO2 is introduced to the vessel which in turn pushes the oxygen out. Additionally, the grapes aren’t crushed but placed in the vessel whole so that the yeast isn’t able to access the sugar right away which creates an anaerobic environment- an environment without oxygen. With this environment intact, fermentation starts to happen inside the grape, and alcohol is created internally in each individual piece. The grapes are eventually crushed and fermentation continues in the standard way, however, the carbonic maceration process produces a host of unique flavors. 

The Origins of Carbonic Wine

The initial discovery that allowing wines to ferment in containers with CO2 and Oxygen creates two different wines was made by French chemist Louis Pasteur. This discovery spurred the creation of the first carbonic wines in the Beaujolais wine region of France. The Beaujolais region is just south of Burgundy, and wines are commonly made from the Gamay grape. Historically, the Gamay grape is considered much more affordable for the common person, both to grow and buy. The residents of Beaujolais began drinking their carbonic wines “en primeur,” or within the first year of making it, and thus began the common consumption around drinking the light and fruity carbonic red wines of Beaujolais. 

 Rollers Wine & Spirits

Whether you’re ordering your wine online or checking out one of our brick-and-mortar locations, come see the amazing selections we have to offer at Rollers Wine & Spirits. We’ve been experts in the beverage industry for over 5 decades and have a wide variety of delicious wines for any occasion. Check out what we have to offer today and learn more about carbonic wines in Find out Why Everyone is Loving Carbonic Wines (Part 2).