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Carbonic maceration is a winemaking technique that involves the fermentation of the grapes in a carbon dioxide atmosphere before being crushed. In this way the grapes ferment inside rendering wines with fruity flavors and less tannin content.
"At harvest, we chose the best clusters, the healthiest ones, because grapes in a cluster in poor condition may break and release their juice. It's like a thinning that we do by harvesting in advance, a little greener than the rest. Moreover, the people who work in the harvest already know that they can not put more than 8-10 kilos in a box for 20 kilos, in order to avoid breakage of the grain by weight ", says Pizzorno.
Upon the suggestion of its winemaker Marcelo Laitano, the winery has been performing this technique for ten years, to produce the Don Próspero Tannat Maceración Carbónica, a wine ideal for those who do not like the Tannat because of its strong body or the astringency of its tannins.
"This is a very light wine with little body but with plenty of fruit, which is not achieved in a Tannat with the maceration process or in a concentrated Tannat. There are many consumers who do not like the Tannat with those tannins so marked, so strong. For a change, this is a light wine, with little colour, with plenty of fruit and that can be served as an aperitif or with sushi. The only condition is that it has to be drunk at a temperature of 15°C," -says the winemaker.
And Carlos goes on describing the technique: "Then we carefully put the whole clusters within the hogshead, and with nitrogen we remove all the remaining oxygen. The fermentation will occur inside the grain with its own yeast. We test the grains periodically until we believe that the grapes are the right point of fermentation. Then they are gently pressed with a pneumatic press to avoid that stems yield its astringency. This juice goes on fermenting like a rosé wine, under controlled temperature."
The product is a very cool wine, which has to be consumed as young as possible, before the first or second year. It is not a wine for aging. The 2010 vintage is ready since May but Uruguayan law does not permit to sell it until July. So, the Don Próspero Tannat Maceración Carbónica 2010 will be available in wine shops and restaurants after July 1st.
"We instruct waiters and sommeliers of the restaurants that they should offer it when they find a customer who does not like Tannat and assure him that if he dislikes this wine, they will replace it by another at no charge. We never received a bottle back. Now, if the client specifically asks for Tannat, then we say not to offer the tannat made under carbonic maceration because in this case, the customer is not going to find what he wants."
Tasting Note: Ruby colour with violet tones. A very fruity nose with outstanding aromas of red berry and bananas. Well balanced in the mouth with ripe and expressive tannins, rounded with a harmonious finish.
"For all these years we have been making this wine, but we have not advertised or tried to impose it, and yet, in recent times, sales have grown in Montevideo," concludes Pizzorno.
The 2010 vintage is 5,000 bottles that are sold with an indicative price of between 140 and 150 Uruguayan pesos in the following wine stores in Montevideo: Las Croabas (Rivera 2666), Alvear (Rio Negro y San José), Cachi (Julio Herrera 1397), Esencia Uruguay (Peatonal Sarandi 359) y World Stock (Scoseria 2616); and also in Grand Cru in Punta del Este.
on wineries in Uruguay.
