What technique involves soaking grape skins with the juice during fermentation?

Maceration is the process that involves soaking grape skins in juice during fermentation. This technique is critical in winemaking, particularly for red wines, as it allows for the extraction of color, flavor, and tannins from the skins into the juice. By keeping the skins in contact with the juice, winemakers can enhance the wine's complexity and mouthfeel.

This step is vital for developing the characteristics that define red wines, such as their rich colors and robust flavors. Maceration can vary in duration depending on the desired style of wine, ranging from a few days to several weeks. The longer the skins are in contact with the juice, the more extraction occurs, which can significantly influence the final product's profile.

While pressing, filtration, and decanting are important aspects of the winemaking process, they serve different purposes. Pressing removes the juice from the grapes after fermentation, filtration clarifies the wine by removing solids, and decanting separates sediment from the wine before serving. None of these processes involve soaking skins with juice during fermentation, making maceration the correct answer.