Racking
Intermediate Winemaking & ViticultureDefinition
Transferring wine from one vessel to another, leaving sediment behind.
In Depth
The simplest and oldest clarification method. Each racking separates wine from settled lees and introduces controlled oxygen exposure. Multiple rackings over months gradually clarify wine. Barrel-to-barrel racking is standard; some winemakers rack to tank and back. Excessive racking can strip wine of beneficial lees character and over-oxidize.
Details
- Category
- Winemaking & Viticulture
- Difficulty
- Intermediate