Pre-Fermentation Treatments
Thermovinification
Thermovinification is an alternative to the traditional maceration processes for extracting colored compounds, such as anthocyanins, from the skins of red grapes (Figure 3.5). Other advantages include the reduction in the microbial load of fruit, and it also denatures polyphenol oxidase, preventing browning. A side-effect of thermal treatments as compared to conventional macerations is a fruitier aroma due to an increase in both acetate and ethyl esters. In general terms, thermovinification consists in heating the must to temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees C (140 and 158°F) for a period of time ranging from a few minutes to several hours (Sacchi et al., 2005).
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