Grape Pressing

August 3 & 4, 2011.

The grapes had been in primary fermentation for 4-5 days. They had been mashed and punched twice a day to let the gas out and optimize the fermentation process. They reached the red color that we'd like them to be so we went ahead with separating the juice from the skin and seed by pressing them using the type of wine presser called 'basket presses' made of wood and operated manually.

Crushed and fermented grapes dumped into the wine press. This is the oldest type of wine press called 'basket presses'.

Wooden plates and blocks placed on top of the grapes.

A vertical screw conveys pressure down from the wooden blocks and plates onto the grapes.

Grape juice flows out of the presser and collected in a bucket.

The grape juice is poured into glass jugs called 'carboy' for secondary fermentation and to age.

Grape juice in 5-gallon / 19-liter carboys. A 5-gallon carboy can make about 25 bottles of wine (750mL/bottle). Fermentation locks half-filled with water are mounted on top of the carboys They will prevent the air to enter the carboys while releasing the carbon dioxide produced in the fermentation process. By watching the water bubbling we know that the fermentation is still going on, alcohol is still being made.

Protecting the wine from sunlight by wrapping the carboys with carboy shields.

We make seven 5-gallon carboys of wine and they will be kept in there for further fermentation and to age.

The wine press dismantled exposing the residue of the grapes.

Grape skins and seeds cake.

The pressure put during pressing must be controlled so it wouldn't crush the seeds that could give unwanted flavor to the wine. We did a good job, the seeds are still intact.

© Burke's Garden Blog, 2011.