Punch Overs and Pump downs

LOL  It is actually Punch Downs and Pump overs but when you talk to winemakers and cellar rats we all mix up the two a bit. (since we say them so often)  Both are means of red wine skin Maceration.  Confused yet?  I would be but fortunately I know what this means. Maceration is the leaching of that beautiful deep red color you get when you drink a good red wine. (Word of the day for yalls)  This is also important in leaching the polyphenols or the tannins and flavor compounds out of the grape skins.  So overall a very important process that needs to be done in order to make a good red wine.
Well today I was at work and I did punch down and pump overs.  We use pump overs when the red wine is in a tank because a punch down would be near to impossible to punch down the cap of skins on the top and we do punch downs for the smaller bin sized fermentations.  Today was awesome because I ddi these pump overs with a beautiful background of a sunset in the vineyard.  :)  This to me is one of those moments that define wine and all that is has to offer to the world.
I also played in some must the other day and here is a picture of me doing so. (Sorry Megs wish you were here and I Love You!! Maybe next year?)