Free-run juice
/ˌfriːˈrʌn dʒuːs/
winemaking, pressing, juice-fractionation, white-wine, rosé, red-wine, phenolics, tannins, cellar-operations, oenology•Last updated January 15, 2026
Free-run juice is the portion of grape juice that drains naturally from grapes under their own weight, before any mechanical pressing is applied. It is typically lower in tannins and phenolic compounds, producing wines that are often paler, finer in texture, and perceived as more delicate and pure than those made with press fractions.
Examples
- A producer of premium Riesling ferments only the free-run juice from gently crushed grapes to achieve a very aromatic, light-bodied wine with soft texture and minimal bitterness.
- In red winemaking, the cellar team first drains off the free-run juice after fermentation to form the core of the final blend, then presses the remaining skins separately to obtain press wine that may be added in small amounts for extra structure.
- A rosé winery notes on its technical sheet that the wine comes exclusively from free-run juice, signaling a paler color and more delicate palate compared with rosés that include harder-pressed juice.