Saignée Percentage

[orto]

What percentage of juice is good to run off before fermentation in order to concentrate color and flavor. How much is too much and makes an overly tannic wine.

thanks

 

[Johny99]

Taste is the only way I know to tell, and that is a function of how long the rest stays on the skins. Is your purpose to make a rose or concentrate the rest? When I do it, and I do it to concentrate, I limit the draw off to 10%. Why, don’t know but I find I like the results. I taste to decide when to press to manage tannins.

 

[NorCal]

It depends on the grape. Removing juice on a Petite Sirah would result in an undrinkable wine for at least five years. The Mourvèdre, where I took 20% off resulted in a gold medal winner at the state fair.

 

[stickman]

For grapes like Pinot Noir, I've heard of winemakers draining 20% to 30%. There is no straight answer, I'm sure it all depends on the grapes, where grown, level of ripeness and tannins, etc.

 

[orto]

Well I did it last night, the grapes are alicante, and I went with 20%.