Every Sunday afternoon, the YARD Paris becomes a meeting place for natural wine lovers!

SUNDAY TASTING AT THE YARD

During 1h30, Enzo (the head sommelier at the YARD Paris 11th) and his team will introduce you to new vintages and share their passion for natural wines. You can sit at the cellar counter and enjoy a moment of conviviality and sharing with the other participants. The sommeliers are passionate and experts in their field, and they will share their knowledge and love for natural wines with you. They will help you develop your palate and understanding of these unique wines, using 4 to 5 vintages, and will give you the keys to appreciating natural wines at their true value.

WHAT IS CARBONIC MACERATION?

Carbonic maceration is a winemaking technique mainly used to produce fruity and light red wines, such as Beaujolais. Unlike traditional winemaking, where grapes are crushed before fermentation, this method involves placing whole bunches of grapes in the in a tank saturated with carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Under the effect of this gas, the grapes begin an intracellular fermentation: the enzymes in the berries transform the sugars into alcohol without the intervention of yeasts. This process, which generally lasts 5 to 10 days, produces fruity aromas and soft tannins. Once this phase is complete, the grapes are pressed, and the classic alcoholic fermentation continues with natural or added yeasts - obviously, the yeasts are natural for the purposes of our tasting.

Carbonic maceration produces low-tannin, full-bodied and aromatic wines, with notes of red fruits (raspberry, cherry). It is particularly suited to grape varieties such as Gamay, but can also be used for other varieties. This technique, popularized in the 1930s, is today appreciated for its rapid yield and accessible style.