Harvest in Napa Valley is almost complete and the feedback from those in the know is that they are thrilled with the quality and quantity of this season’s yield – the berries look and taste amazing, and are evenly ripened.
Most of the juice is resting (fermenting, actually) in tanks, which means the yeasts are feasting on the sugars that will eventually turn to alcohol. However, when grapes or grape bits are left in a fermentation vessel, the solids—grape skins, seeds, stems, pulp—rise to the surface and is called a “cap.
Photo Credit: Krupp Brothers
To integrate the cap back into the wine, pump-overs and punch-downs become the priority to ensure maximum contact time between the skins and the juice to encourage development of the wine’s proper color and structure. A pump-over circulates, or pumps, the fermenting juice over the cap. This process doesn’t break up the cap, but helps to keep it submerged. A punch-down is when a mashing device pushes the cap down to break it up and submerges it again.
The crowds have thinned and accommodations are more affordable, so now is a great time to visit Napa Valley and learn about the winemaking process of your favorite vineyards. Tour Vin is here to help plan your next Napa Valley excursion!
Leave a Reply