Pigeage
Advanced Winemaking & Viticulturepee-ZHAHZH
Definition
Punching down the cap of floating grape skins during fermentation.
In Depth
Traditionally done by foot-treading (still practiced in Port production), pigeage pushes skins back into the juice for extraction. Gentler than pumping over (remontage), it is favored for delicate varieties like Pinot Noir. Pneumatic pistons have replaced human treading in most wineries, though the principle remains identical.
Details
- Category
- Winemaking & Viticulture
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Pronunciation
- pee-ZHAHZH