A wine press is an important part of the wine making process. There are a number of different styles of presses that are used by wine makers but their overall functionality is the same: they exert controlled pressure in order to extract the juice from the fruit.

There are a few basic designs of wine wine presses that haven’t changed much over the last 1,000 years. They include the beam press and the screw press (essentially the basket press).

These types of presses apply increasing weight from above to apply pressure downward onto grapes or must. They were a popular technology from the Romans until the mid-20th century.

From Traditional to Modern: A Comprehensive Guide to Wine Presses

They could be found in a wide range of vineyards, from those of the nobility to the religious orders. The wines from these presses often had darker, more colour extracted from the skins but could also be harsh with bitter tannins.

Some types of wine presses are designed to be anaerobic, which means that they can reduce the amount of oxygen that is exposed to the grape must. This is especially useful for red grape varietals, allowing for less oxygen exposure and minimizing the formation of hydrogen sulfide.

Another type of wine press is a pneumatic membrane press, which uses small air holes in the cylinder to apply pressure to the grapes. This method is a great option for home winemakers as it applies pressure gently and gives short distances between the press cake and the nozzle, minimizing solids in the juice or wine and reducing rack-off time.