Extended maceration is a red winemaking technique in which the grape skins (and often seeds and sometimes stems) are left in contact with the fermenting or newly fermented wine for a significantly longer period than usual, often continuing for days or weeks after alcoholic fermentation has finished. It is used to extract more tannins, color, and flavor compounds and to modify tannin structure, typically aiming for greater complexity, color stability, and a smoother, more integrated mouthfeel.