Wine: How skin contact changes a wine's character

The flavour-packed skin of grapes and why it matters

Tristan BragagliaMurdock

Most wine grapes’ characteristics and colour come from the skins . Grape pulp houses sugars, water and acids, but it’s the thin protective layer that gives the grape its true character . Tannins, volatile aromatic compounds and bitterness all come from the skin . And upon it? Blooms of yeast, the inoculant for fermentation, can be found on the skin itself .

Red and white grapes may spend some time macerating with their skins after being crushed . The varietal, alongside the winemaker’s choices, will determine how long the skins are in contact with the juice . Early on, at colder temperatures and prior to any alcohol formation, the extraction process will be slower, gradually speeding up as the vigours of fermentation heat up the mixture . The creation of alcohol will exacerbate this extraction . Deciding when to remove the juice from skins depends on the winemaker’s goal .

Notably, almost all reds will see skin contact: this is where, for the most part, they derive colour . In a few rare cases, the pulp is also red and, as such, the juice when initially pressed will also be red . These varietals are known as teinturier grapes . Alicante Bouschet, Marechal Foch and Saperavi are the most common, though they are still rarely seen . On the flip side, Blanc de Noirs Champagne is a white wine made out of Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier, two red grapes that see zero time on their skins, making a white wine from red grapes .

Rosés are typically a lightly pressed red, and not often a blend of red and white wines . Rosé Champagne is an outlier, as some red will be blended in postfermentation to add colour . In table wines and sparklings outside of Champagne, a short maceration time will give colour and complexity, ideally without introducing too many tannins, as the aim is to create a lighter, more delicate style that may be lost behind too much tannic grip . Light reds often ride the line between rosés and reds: don’t expect to see a Pinot Noir on skins for too long . It’s about finding that delicate balance between the textural grip and the volatile oils and compounds in the skin .

There is often a misconception that white wines don’t see any skin contact and this is true for some bottlings . Italianstyled Pinot Grigios tend to have no time on skins, but they’re also picked early to retain a high acidity and low alcohol . In essence, their very being aims to create a neutral, approachable “house white” style . A little skin contact can go a long way in providing more body, texture and truer iteration of the grape and winemaker’s intentions .

If the white winemaker decides to extend skin contact to more than a few days, the wine will take on even more of those colour compounds, tannins and skin characteristics . Depending on the varietal, these wines might turn orange . Some, such as Stanners Pinot Gris Cuivré turn a veritable copper, as the Pinot Gris grape is more pink-hued than the green most white grapes tend to be .

Extended maceration into the realm of orange is typically reserved for highly aromatic grapes with thicker skins and higher acid . Flavours of Orange Pekoe tea, dried white flowers, nuts and tropical fruits tend to abound, though texturally the wine will be closer to robust red than most whites . The acidity is important as it’ll help keep the tannic grip in check, while the higher aromatics provide more depth to the finished wine . Grapes such as Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc are typical .

Recommendations: Groupe Soleil wine agency carries a plethora of Blanc de Noir Champagnes from artisanal growers throughout the region . Stanners Pinot Gris Cuivré is available from the winery in Hillier, Prince Edward County, or is available on its website at www .stannersvineyard .ca .

Classic orange wine producers worth seeking out are Pheasant’s Tears (from wine agent All the Right Grapes) and from Gravner (The Living Vine) .

Tristan Bragaglia-Murdock likes pouring wine at Fauna almost as much as he likes writing about it, drinking and making it .

Stanners Vineyard is an artisanal, family-owned and operated winery located near the village of Hillier in Prince Edward County. Try its Pinot Gris Cuivré for a good skin-contact wine.