Carbonic Maceration
Carbonic maceration is a process where wine grapes are not crushed but fermented whole. The whole grapes are fermented in a anaerobic environment created by pumping carbon dioxide into a sealed container, stimulating fermentation at an intracellular level. The process is used to make wines which are particularly light and fruity, drinkable very early, low in tannins, but which do not improve with bottle aging. This is the process commonly used to produce "nouveau" wines of the Beaujolais region of France.