winepress

A winepress is a device used in winemaking to extract juice from grapes. This extracted juice, known as must, is then fermented to produce wine. Winepresses have existed for thousands of years, with early examples dating back to ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Romans.

There are several types of winepresses. The oldest and simplest is the beam press, which uses a large beam to apply pressure. Basket presses, also known as screw presses, employ a screw mechanism to lower a pressing plate onto the grapes contained within a basket. Modern hydraulic presses offer greater efficiency and control, utilizing hydraulic power to generate significant pressure.

The process of pressing typically occurs after the grapes have been destemmed and crushed, or sometimes directly after crushing if the stems are left in. The goal is to separate the liquid from the solid components of the grape, such as skins, seeds, and pulp. The amount of pressure applied can influence the characteristics of the resulting wine; lighter pressing generally yields finer wines, while harder pressing can extract more color, tannins, and sugars, potentially leading to a more robust wine. The solid residue left after pressing is called pomace and can be used for other purposes, such as distillation into grappa or marc.