Nightcap 6: Uncorking Carbonic Wine

This week on Nightcap, we’re going deep into the glass—and into the science lab—with a wine that tastes like fruit punch and feels like a revolution. 

We're sipping on a carbonic Zinfandel from Nowadays Wines, and trust us: this is not your grandma’s Zin. It’s bright, juicy, and full of that slightly feral energy that carbonic wines are known for. Less jammy beast, more electric raspberry dance party.

But of course, we couldn’t stop at taste.

We get into:

• What carbonic maceration actually is (and why it makes wine taste like candy)

• Why winemakers use it—and why it’s perfect for grapes like Gamay and Zinfandel

• The Frenchman who cracked the code: Louis Pasteur, who discovered the science behind fermentation... and then took that knowledge into wildly unexpected territory

Because here’s the twist: Pasteur’s work on carbonic maceration didn’t just revolutionize winemaking. It also paved the way for major advances in medicine and public health.

So while we’re sipping on a chillable red that tastes like summer, we’re also reflecting on the strange chain reaction of human curiosity. How one man’s obsession with yeast and microbes helped make wine more delicious... and also helped to cure diseases. 

That’s what we love at Blackthorn—wine that opens doors. Wine that makes you ask better questions. Wine that connects pleasure to the bigger picture.

Grab a glass and join us in the shadows of the cellar, where fermentation, rebellion, and a little history lesson await.