Definition: Pulp

The fleshy, juicy part of the grape berry. It accounts for around 80% of the weight of whole grapes. The pulp of most black grape varieties produces a white juice, which allows white wine to be made from black grapes, as is the case in Champagne. The colouring agents (anthocyanins) are only found in the skin or film. They are extracted by maceration or fermentation. There are a few rare exceptions, such as teinturier grape varieties, which produce coloured juice. Depending on the grape variety, the pulp is more or less juicy. Its complex composition contains, in order of importance, water, glucose and fructose sugars, organic tartaric, malic and citric acids, nitrogenous compounds and minerals in the form of potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.