With a keen sense of taste, you can identify a wine's unique character, like the flavor of a sunny banana or a juicy slice of bubblegum. Those distinctive flavors are a result of a winemaking technique known as carbonic maceration.

During the wine's fermentation process when grape juice turns to wine, winemakers fill a sealed vat with carbon dioxide to eliminate oxygen. Following this, entire bunches of grapes are placed inside - a process that triggers the fermentation to occur split within the individual grapes. This technique differentiates the fruity flavor profile of the wine. Bertus van Zyl, chief winemaker at Tank Garage Winery, clarifies, “In general, I find the process dials up the candied fruit character on a wine.”

This fermentation method was first recognized in 1872 by French chemist Louis Pasteur. It later saw widespread application when Georges Duboeuf utilized it to produce Beaujolais Nouveau, a wine that scaled great popularity and inspired numerous winemakers.

Andrew Latta, owner and winemaker at Latta Wines, explains the wonderment when revealing the product of carbonic maceration. "You wonder if you’ve accomplished anything at all,” says Latta. “The visual belies the incredible work that carbonic maceration has done down at the intracellular level, but your nose is the first confirmation when bombarded with intense aromatics of cinnamon, sandalwood, a kaleidoscope of slush-puppy syrups, and blood oranges.”

The technique of carbonic maceration is not exclusive to one type of grape or climate. As Shane Moore, Gran Moraine winemaker, explains that carbonic maceration helps lower down the acidity of Gamay Noir grapes grown in colder climates like the Willamette Valley. "For us, carbonic maceration allows the Gamay’s fruit aromatics to pop more," says Moore.

The technique can manipulate between various bubblegum flavors but it is largely dependent on the type of grape and the winemaker's approach. Matias Kúsulas, co-owner and winemaker at Valo Wines and Massalto Wine, modifies his approach from grape to grape while enhancing the textural and aromatic complexity of the wine.

Understanding the mechanism of carbonic maceration can help underline how the winemaker tweaks the wine's inherent characteristics. For instance, Kathleen Inman, who experiments with carbonic maceration, emphasizes the spice and complexity that the process adds to the wine.

Moreover, the method of carbonic maceration is flexible, as demonstrated by Guillaume Marko, Head of Vineyards Winemaking at Domaine Mont Bessay, and Domaine du Cellier aux Moines. He uses it only to a certain extent at the early stages of the fermentation process to infuse the wine with fresh aromas yet maintaining the tannins that an extended maceration on skins offers.

Carbonic maceration has added a novel flair to the art of winemaking, offering everything from subtle tones of fruit and complexity to a tropical flair. Ultimately, this sunbeam in a glass delivers happiness that can light up any moment.