Settling is the winemaking process of allowing suspended grape solids to separate from freshly pressed white or rosé juice before fermentation. The French term is débourbage. Juice is usually held in a tank under cool conditions so heavier particles settle to the bottom, leaving clearer juice that can be racked or transferred for fermentation.
Freshly pressed juice contains suspended particles such as fragments of skins, pulp, seeds and other grape material. Removing some of these solids can help control fermentation and reduce the risk of coarse, vegetal or unwanted flavours. The desired level of clarification depends on grape variety, wine style and fermentation plan; overly clear juice can also ferment differently from juice with a suitable amount of solids.
Juice is transferred to a settling tank and kept at a controlled temperature for a period chosen by the winemaker. Enzymes or permitted processing aids may be used in some operations to assist clarification. Once the solids have settled, the clearer juice is transferred off the deposit into a clean fermentation vessel, leaving the heavy lees behind.
Settling allows solids to fall out of suspension by gravity. Racking transfers the clearer liquid away from the settled deposit. Filtration passes the juice or wine through a filter medium to remove additional particles. These are related but distinct cellar operations.
Example: a Sauvignon Blanc producer may settle freshly pressed juice overnight at a cool temperature, then rack the clear juice into a tank for fermentation.
Chef’s note: settling is commonly used for white and rosé juice, while red wines are often fermented with their skins. The degree of clarification is a deliberate stylistic and technical decision.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
