Punch Down

Punch downs are a technique of cap management where a hand tool (or a pneumatic device for larger lots) that resembles a four-foot potato masher is used to push the cap back into the fermenting wine. This process typically takes three to five minutes and is performed twice to five times per day. This is an effective technique for thinner-skinned varietals but is very time-intensive and if not done gently, can break seeds, releasing bitter tannins into the wine.