RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Extended Maceration and Cap Management Impacts on the Phenolic, Volatile, and Sensory Profiles of Merlot Wine JF American Journal of Enology and Viticulture JO Am J Enol Vitic. FD American Society for Enology and Viticulture SP 360 OP 370 DO 10.5344/ajev.2018.17062 VO 69 IS 4 A1 Scott C. Frost A1 John W. Blackman A1 Anna K. Hjelmeland A1 Susan E. Ebeler A1 Hildegarde Heymann YR 2018 UL http://www.ajevonline.org/content/69/4/360.abstract AB The present study aimed to evaluate the sensory and chemical effects of nine cap management and maceration techniques. Extended maceration (EM) was applied to Vitis vinifera L. cv. Merlot for 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 wks. In addition, a punch-down treatment and two submerged-cap treatments were also evaluated, giving a total of nine treatments. Descriptive analysis, polyphenolic measures, basic wine parameters, and volatile compound analysis were used to describe these nine treatments. EM defined the astringent texture of the resulting wines, while cap management modified the bitter taste and pepper spice aroma. In total, 27 of 29 measured volatile compounds exhibited a significant treatment effect, thus demonstrating the importance of these enological practices on the final volatile profile. Correlation with EM length was shown for 15 of the significant volatile compounds. In particular, the ester profile of the wines displayed decreased variability after 2 wks of maceration. The results of this study suggest that EM may not be as impactful on astringency as previously thought, due to the fact that EM only significantly affected this attribute after 6 wks. Additionally, the results of the cap management treatments indicated that bitterness can be modified by punch-down versus pump-over techniques.