To squeeze or not to squeeze?

[Fitz]

After reading various wine recipes, I’ve noticed that some would say to squeeze the nylon straining bag, some would just lightly squeeze it and others would say to hang it and let it drip. Is there something like a rule of thumb or just the author’s preference?

 

[winemaker81]

Preference.

Pressing any fruit extracts more liquid, but with that comes harsher elements, so it's a trade off.

A lot of folks prefer "free run" wine, e.g., wine that requires no or little pressing. That makes sense, as the wine has the least harshest elements.

OTOH, my 2020 wines are a Merlot/Bordeaux Blend which was 100% free-run wine, and a Merlot/Zinfandel/Bordeaux Blend that included the pressings from the Merlot and Bordeaux Blend, and all (free run + pressings) of the Zinfandel.

Folks prefer the second wine over the first.

If you're looking for help in decision making, I realize I'm not being anything close to helpful!

I suggest you use light pressure on the bag, and segregate that wine. Then press the bag hard, and likewise segregate that wine. Waste not, want not.

Use the pressed wine on a case-by-case basis. Adding some or all into the free run wine may make it better. If you're low on top up, well, it may be necessary to use it.

If the pressings are too harsh, it still makes good cooking wine. Keep your options open.

 

[Fitz]

Actually your answer was more helpful than you realize, you made this old brain think!Imagine that!



One of my weaknesses is that I’m a creature of habit and somewhere along the way I started squeezing/pressing the bags on a daily basis during fermentation. It didn’t seem to be a problem till I would do a recipe that has raisins. I’m now suspecting with me pressing the raisins daily, I’m releasing the harsher elements into my wine.



Now I’m beginning to wonder if I shouldn’t be pressing on a daily basis and maybe wait towards the end of fermentation?



I like your point about keeping your options open. I just might write on my primary “Keep your effing options open! I know that it’s not a direct quote but it’ll make me think!

 

[winemaker81]

With grapes and other fruit punching down daily addresses several needs, one of which is ensuring the all the fruit is being touched by the fermenting liquid. Punching down or squeezing the fruit bag is valuable.

I made a second run wine in 2019, doing a light press to generate enough wine to fill a (new-to-me) barrel. Then I hard pressed the remainder and kept that wine segregated.

Into the spring I ran out of the lightly pressed wine to top the barrel, and used some of the hard press. Adding a gallon or two of the hard press to a 14.5 US gallon barrel made it a better wine.

A year after bottling the two wines were totally distinct -- the hard press had a lot more color and body, richer in aroma and flavor. It also had a longer shelf life.

In recent years I've come to question some "conventional wisdom", with free-run vs. pressing as just one instance. Not that all conventional wisdom is incorrect, but some things are situational.

 

[Raptor99]

I think that the answer depends on the type of fruit. I don't make grape wine, but with country wine I generally let the bag drip, then squeeze it hard. I don't think that I get any undesirable flavors from fruits like peaches and pears. But I could see that for some fruits, it might be better not to squeeze the bag.

 

[ChuckD]

The manner of pressing probably makes a big difference. With a basket press you can press the solids nearly dry. I doubt you could ever get that kind of pressure squeezing a mesh bag by hand.

 

[Fitz]

Thanks for the advice. I’m still learning and I’m starting to suspect that I’ll always be learning but then this is what makes it fun.

 

[winemaker81]

Thanks for the advice. I’m still learning and I’m starting to suspect that I’ll always be learning but then this is what makes it fun.

There's always more to learn!