Pressing Methods
- Basket press (pressoir vertical) — the oldest design; grapes are loaded into a wooden or steel cage and compressed by a plate. Gentle extraction, favoured for Champagne and premium Burgundy
- Pneumatic press (pressoir pneumatique) — an inflatable bladder inside a horizontal cylinder presses grapes gently and evenly. The modern standard for quality-focused wineries
- Continuous screw press — high-throughput mechanical pressing for bulk wine; extracts maximum juice but also more bitter solids
- Whole-cluster pressing — uncrushed bunches are pressed directly, yielding very clean, delicate juice. Essential for Champagne and many white wines
Free-Run vs. Press Wine
The first juice that flows without pressure is called free-run wine (vin de goutte) — the lightest, most elegant fraction. As pressure increases, press wine (vin de presse) is extracted, containing more tannin, colour, and phenolic concentration. Winemakers typically keep these fractions separate and may blend small amounts of press wine back to add structure.
Pressing Decisions and Wine Style
Timing and pressure determine extraction. For white wines, early, gentle pressing preserves freshness and avoids bitterness. For reds, pressing occurs after fermentation and maceration, and the winemaker chooses how many press fractions to incorporate. In Champagne, strict regulations limit press yields to preserve finesse — only 2,550 litres of juice per 4,000 kg of grapes.