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What is racking and why is it essential in winemaking?


 

The world of wine is full of technical terms, often mysterious to the uninitiated, but essential to understanding the art of winemaking. Among these terms, racking occupies a special place. This often overlooked stage plays a crucial role in wine-making, guaranteeing its purity and contributing to its final character. Let's find out together what racking is, why it's done, and how it influences the quality of the wine we taste.

 

Racking: Definition and principles


Racking is a wine clarification operation that takes place after alcoholic fermentation, and sometimes also after malolactic fermentation. In practical terms, it involves transferring the wine from one vat to another, leaving behind the solid deposits that have formed at the bottom of the initial container. These deposits, known as lees, are made up of dead yeast, grape cells and other solid particles that have settled naturally over time.


The main purpose of racking is to remove these lees to prevent them from decomposing in the wine, which could alter its taste and aroma. This operation also allows the wine to be aerated slightly, which helps it to develop and mature more gently.

 

The different types of racking


There are several types of racking, each with a specific role in the winemaking process:


  • Open-air racking: This method involves letting the wine run off in direct contact with the air. It is often used for red wines, which benefit from light oxygenation, which helps to refine the tannins and stabilise the colour.


  • Airtight racking: More delicate, this type of racking is used for white wines or delicate red wines, to limit oxidation. The wine is transferred under an inert atmosphere, usually nitrogen, to preserve its freshness and liveliness.


  • Racking of the lees : After several months of maturation, the wine is racked to remove the fine lees. This may be repeated several times, particularly for wines that need to be aged for a long time.

 

Why is racking essential?


Racking is a key stage in guaranteeing the final quality of the wine. By eliminating the lees, it helps to :


  • Clarify the wine: A properly racked wine is clear and bright, with no suspended particles to cloud its appearance.


  • Avoid unpleasant tastes: If the lees are not removed, they can lead to aromatic defects, such as the smell of reduction or sulphur.


  • Stabilise the wine: Racking helps to stabilise the wine by allowing it to oxygenate slightly, which is particularly important for red wines. This gentle oxygenation allows the tannins to soften and encourages harmonious maturation.


  • Refining the flavour: The wine gains in purity and aromatic complexity with each racking, as it allows the best parts of the grape to be selected. vin.

 

The role of racking in wine ageing


Racking takes place throughout the wine ageing process, which can last from a few months to several years, depending on the winemaker's desired style. The longer a wine is matured, the more rackings it requires to develop properly. In ageing wines, this operation is crucial to developing the aromatic complexity and tannic structure that will allow the wine to age in bottle for many years.


Racking is a subtle art, requiring precise know-how to be carried out at the right time and in the right conditions. It's a technical but fundamental gesture that reveals a wine's full potential, giving it purity, finesse and balance. Whether it's a full-bodied red wine or a delicate white, racking is an essential step which, although invisible to the consumer, is reflected in every sip you take.



So the next time you taste a glass of wine, you'll know that behind its clarity and balance lies the painstaking work of the winemaker, for whom every detail, including racking, is essential to sublimate the fruit of the vine.

 

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