Cold maceration – winemakers’ feedback

Cold soaking, also known as cold maceration, is a common method used by winemakers to extract colour and flavour from mostly red grape skins. While extraction also occurs during fermentation, many winemakers feel cold soaking brings out different aspects of grapes. There is some debate among winemakers about the overall benefits to wine, so Eleanor Danenberg invited winemakers from the Hunter Valley, Great Southern, Piccadilly, and Central Otago to have their say on why they cold soak, what varieties they cold soak, how they do it, and what results they notice.

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