Press wine
/prɛs waɪn/
winemaking, cellar, pressing, phenolics, tannins, blending, red-wine, white-wine, production•Last updated January 16, 2026
Press wine is the portion of wine obtained by mechanically pressing the grape solids (skins, pulp, seeds, and sometimes stems) after the free-run juice or wine has drained off by gravity. It is usually deeper in color, richer in tannins and other phenolic compounds, and can be more astringent or bitter than free-run wine, so it is often kept separate and blended back in carefully to adjust structure and style.
Examples
- After draining the free-run wine from the tank, the winemaker pressed the remaining skins to obtain press wine, later blending a small portion back to give the final Cabernet more color and firmer tannins.
- The Chardonnay’s early press fractions were used for the estate’s top cuvée, while the harder press wine, with more phenolics and solids, went into a separate, fuller-bodied bottling.
- Because the press wine from the Syrah lot was noticeably more tannic and rustic, the producer chose to add only 10% to the main blend and sold the remaining press fraction to a bulk buyer.