Label
All
0
Clear all filters

Co-Fermentation

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Wine

By Jancis Robinson

Published 2006

  • About

co-fermentation, the simultaneous fermentation of two or more varieties in the same vessel, is said to lift a wine’s floral aromas, enhance its texture, and improve the brilliance and intensity of the colour.

The technique has its origins in the Old World, most notably in the côte rôtie appellation in the northern Rhône. Here, the red variety syrah is co-fermented with the white variety viognier. Up to 20% Viognier is permitted, but 5–10% is more usual. This practice found increased favour in Australia and other parts of the New World from the 2000s. Co-fermentation does not have to be a combination of red and white grapes—in the United States, for example, co-fermentation may originally have been a natural consequence of field blends such as zinfandel and petite sirah. Another notable historical example is found in the chianti region of Italy, where the primary red grape, Sangiovese, was traditionally fermented with small amounts of the red variety Canaiolo Nero and the white varieties Trebbiano and Malvasia, although this practice has become uncommon.

Become a Premium Member to access this page

  • Unlimited, ad-free access to hundreds of the world’s best cookbooks

  • Over 150,000 recipes with thousands more added every month

  • Recommended by leading chefs and food writers

  • Powerful search filters to match your tastes

  • Create collections and add reviews or private notes to any recipe

  • Swipe to browse each cookbook from cover-to-cover

  • Manage your subscription via the My Membership page

Download on the App Store
Pre-register on Google Play
Best value

Part of

The licensor does not allow printing of this title