Description
Device used to extract juice from grapes
Technical
A winepress is a device used to extract juice from crushed grapes during winemaking. There are a number of different styles of presses that are used by wine makers but their overall functionality is the same. Each style of press exerts controlled pressure in order to free the juice from the fruit. The pressure must be controlled, especially with grapes, in order to avoid crushing the seeds and releasing a great deal of undesirable tannins into the wine. Wine was being made at least as long ago as 4000 BC; in 2011, a winepress was unearthed in Armenia with red wine dated 6,000 years old.
Science
Primary Reaction
Malolactic fermentation
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()
Wine Analogy
Similar to pressing whole cluster Pinot Noir - gentle extraction preserves floral aromatics
Coffee Analogy
Like a honey process coffee - controlled pressure releases fruit sugars without bitterness
Perfume Analogy
Comparable to enfleurage - gradual absorption of volatile compounds
Culinary Applications
Dietary
Molecular Pairing
Key Compounds Produced