Simmering Fruit vs. Cold Water

[Joedaddy]

A lot of recipes call for simmering or boiling the water with the fruit to get out the juices. I have made a lot of different fruit wines and I almost never do this. I let the fruit sit with the sugar and the water for a day and then I usually squish it with my monster potato masher. After 1 day, the fruit is ready to give up its juice without any heat. I was always worried that heating up fruit would remove a lot of the nose and maybe some of the flavor.
What are the advantages and disadvantages to simmering the fruit? Could I get more flavor that way?

 

[granda]

i never boil my fruit but i gently heat it, i believe by heating it you would release more flavour by breaking down cells/molecules(can a biology teacher help me out here) it might also get rid of toxins(hence the scum on top)
but i would think a prolonged biol would do more harm than good

 

[petes]

I've done tamarillo and quince wines both ways (hot and cold) for very different and not unpleasing results. Generally use a slow cooker to break the fruit down.
One of the quirks with quince is cold gives a white wine, put some heat in to produce a red.

 

[Wade E]

I never boil or simmer my fruit, I do however pour boiling water over them when adding them in the primary along with everything but the yeast and pectic enzyme and that works very well for me.

 

[Joedaddy]

Wade, so do you also squish or press the fruit? Do you do it before pouring the hot water over it or after 24 hours before you add the yeast? Or is the hot water enough to get the juice into the "wine".

 

[winemanden]

Heat will definitely bring out the pectins in fruit, so you definitely need pectic enzyme. Most people use it along with sulphite before they add yeast.
The hotter the heat, the more it alters the flavour, brings out the jammy taste. No problem there, it's your wine, do it to suit you. It depends a lot on your taste, hot or cold,only you can say which you like. Which is best? Who knows or even cares, it's your baby, look after it till it's mature then do it justice.
My own preference after trying it both ways, is for cold, but that's me.

I read a book sometime last century, where the author said he poured boiling sugar over the fruit. He said that as sugar boils at a higher temperature than water, it would destroy all the little beasties in there (true)and do away with the need for sulphite? Never tried it myself so I can't really vouch for it.
Regards to all, Winemanden