Racking in Winemaking: Understanding the Écoulage

What is Racking (Écoulage) in Winemaking?

In winemaking, racking, or écoulage in French, is the process of separating the wine from the pomace (the solid matter such as skins and seeds) after fermentation.

Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine is drained out of the tank, leaving the solids behind. This marks the creation of the free-run wine, often considered the purest and most refined part of the wine.

Free-Run Wine vs Press Wine

During racking, the wine that naturally flows out of the tank is called free-run wine.
Afterwards, the remaining pomace is pressed to extract what is known as press wine.

• Free-run wine is softer, more aromatic, and elegant.

• Press wine is richer in tannins and deeper in color, bringing structure and complexity.

At Château Canon Chaigneau, our winemaking team led by Thierry Garnaud (former winemaker of the legendary Château Cheval Blanc), carefully determines how much of each component to blend in order to achieve the perfect balance for our cuvées.

Why is Racking so Important?

Racking is a critical stage in winemaking because it:

• Removes the wine from the marc and coarse lees, avoiding bitterness.

• Helps manage the wine’s exposure to oxygen, preparing it for aging.

• Gives the winemaker the freedom to adjust the blend, balancing finesse with power.

It’s both a technical and artistic decision, one that directly shapes the style and identity of each vintage.

Racking at Château Canon Chaigneau – What We Learned in 2025

This year, finishing the racking has given us our first accurate estimate of the volume for the 2025 vintage. The numbers are telling: about 750 hl, compared to our usual average of around 1,100 hl.

Why such a difference? The answer lies in the weather. The summer of 2025 brought high heat combined with a lack of rain at the crucial times when the vines needed water most. The result was smaller berries, with less juice inside, but also with an extraordinary concentration of flavors and tannins.

A Vintage of Lower Quantity, but Outstanding Quality

While the 2025 harvest is clearly smaller in volume, everything suggests it will be exceptional in quality. The reduced yields, combined with the natural balance of our terroir, have produced grapes of remarkable intensity.

For us at Château Canon Chaigneau, this means that even if there will be fewer bottles to share, the wines that do emerge will carry an even greater depth, elegance, and complexity—a true reflection of an outstanding vintage.

In Summary

Racking, écoulage, is far more than just a technical operation. It marks the transition to the next stage of winemaking and, in 2025, has already revealed an important story: less quantity, but more quality than ever before.

The next time you enjoy a glass of Château Canon Chaigneau, remember that behind its aromas lies this magical step when the wine was first separated from the pomace, and, in vintages like 2025, when its destiny truly begins to take shape.