What is a Pump-Over in Wine?
By Ava Crouse
October 4, 2024
Winemakers may not have control over nature, but their style shines through based on the decisions they make during the winemaking process. One of these decisions is the techniques used when fermenting and for cap management. In the US, punch downs have become a popular technique when fermenting red wine to combine the juice with the skins. However, an alternative method is known as pump-overs, or “remontage” that traces its roots to France.
At BENOM, we use this Old World winemaking technique on all our red wines, drawing on our six generations of French winemaking heritage to ensure that our wines exhibit the complexity, depth, and structure Arnaud and Guillaume Fabre, proprietors of BENOM, grew up around in France.
In this blog post, we'll delve into the pump-over wine process, explaining its significance and how it has become a cornerstone of our winemaking approach.
What is pumping over in wine?
Pump-overs are a winemaking and maceration technique used exclusively for red wine. This process is used during fermentation to extract color, tannins, and aroma compounds from the grape skins, which is essential for developing the wine's structure and complexity.
After the grapes are crushed and processed, the solid components—such as the skins, seeds, and stems—tend to get pushed to the top of the tank due to the CO2 released during fermentation. This forms what is known as the "cap" and if left alone, the wine will lack color and flavor which is brought out by the skin (and seeds and stems if included). By pumping the juice from the bottom of the tank over the cap, the juice is able to contact all the skin, creating the complex and nuanced wine we all love.
For white wine, where the juice is typically fermented without the skins, pumping over is unnecessary. In red wines, however, the technique is a crucial step. Oxygenation through pump-overs also helps red wine develop a rounded and full mouthfeel instead of feeling tight; while oxygen will create problems for white wine.


