Remontage (Pump-Over)
A red winemaking technique where fermenting juice is pumped from the bottom of a tank and sprayed over the cap of grape skins floating on top, extracting colour, tannin, and flavour.
In depth
During red wine fermentation, CO₂ pushes grape skins to the surface of the fermenting juice, forming a thick "cap." If the cap is left undisturbed, it dries out, potential off-flavours develop, and extraction is poor. Remontage breaks up the cap and submerges the skins, increasing skin contact and extraction.
A pump draws fermenting juice from the bottom valve and sends it through a hose to spray over the top of the cap. This is performed 1–3 times per day during active fermentation, typically for 15–30 minutes each time.
Remontage is gentler than pigeage (punch-down) — the juice flow is controllable and the skins are not physically broken. It is favoured for larger production volumes (tanks), while pigeage tends to be used for smaller batches (open-top fermenters, traditional Burgundy).
The frequency and duration of remontage directly controls tannin and colour extraction — more pump-overs extract more. Winemakers adjust this to target specific wine styles.
Related exam topics
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between pump-over and punch-down?
- Both techniques manage the grape skin cap during red wine fermentation. Pump-over (remontage) draws juice from the tank bottom and sprays it over the cap — it is gentler and suited to large tanks. Punch-down (pigeage) physically pushes the cap down into the juice using a tool — it gives more direct skin contact and is associated with traditional Burgundy Pinot Noir production in open-top fermenters.
Related terms
Practise questions on this topic
Use Vinlecta to practise exam-style questions that test your knowledge of remontage (pump-over) and related topics.