The Punch Down...

When the Pinot ferments are in full swing the gas (CO2) created by the yeasts pushes all the skins to the surface of the fermenter. This creates a crust or cap which needs to be punched down back into the liquid 4-5-6 times a day. This is important because the skins are where the extraction of wine phenolics, the colour and the tannin, comes from. And if you were to let them dry out on top then that exposes the fermenter to bacterial attack. Its physically hard work as the cap can be quite tough, strong enough even to support the weight of a person. 1 fermenter is no problem but when you have 20-30 on the go it you really need an extra pair of hands to spread the load. By the time you have finished No.20 then its often time to start again on No.1. Of course some wineries have mechanised systems to do this but wheres the 'handcrafted' in that.