Context - press wine context
Pressed wine has a dubious reputation. It is often considered inferior or coarse. This assessment is too simplistic.
Pressing releases phenolic compounds that can give the wine structure, depth, and length. At the same time, it increases the risk of bitterness and harshness.
Structural component with risk
Pressed wine contains more tannins and minerals. Used correctly, it strengthens the backbone of a cuvée. Incorrectly dosed, it dominates the wine.
Selection instead of automatism
The key factor is the fractionation. Early press fractions can be valuable, later ones are excluded.
Conclusion
Pressed wine is a tool. Its quality arises from selection and measure.
Pressed wine is often judged in a sweeping manner. It is considered harsh, bitter, or inferior. This characterization stems from a simplistic view. In reality, pressed wine does not differ categorically from free-run wine, but rather gradually. It contains different components and therefore has a different effect.
Pressing extracts components from the skins and solids that are only partially extracted during free-run extraction. These components bring more phenols, more extract, and more structural tension to the wine. They can add backbone and length, but at the same time increase the sensory demands for precision.
Pressed wine is therefore not a quality indicator, but a structural element. Its effect is potentially significant, but not neutral. It enhances existing characteristics without altering them.
Fractionation is crucial. Pressing occurs in stages, not as a homogeneous process. Early pressing fractions can be similar to the foreshots and complement their structure effectively. Later fractions contain significantly higher levels of bitter substances and are often deliberately discarded.
This selection is a crucial decision. Pressed wine is not produced automatically, but through selection. Each fraction is sensorially examined and evaluated. Foregoing maximum yield is not a limitation, but rather a prerequisite for balance.
In meticulous cellar work, pressed wine is therefore not used across the board. It is not used to make a wine appear more powerful, but rather to add structure where it is lacking in the overall character.
A small amount can increase tension, length, or provide stability. The prerequisite is that the press wine integrates well. As soon as it is perceived as a separate factor, it dominates. Then it no longer supports the wine, but rather disrupts it.
Pressed wine is not a corrective tool. It cannot compensate for a lack of ripeness, concentration, or balance. In wines with a fragile structure, it exacerbates weaknesses. In stable base wines, it can add depth.
Its use requires restraint. Not every cuvée needs pressed wine. Not every vintage can handle it. And not every batch benefits from it. The decision always depends on the context.
It is a misconception that pressed wine is inherently inferior or problematic. Its quality is not determined by its existence, but by the selection.
Properly understood, pressed wine is neither waste nor an automatic product. It is a powerful tool with clear limitations. Its strength lies not in quantity, but in moderation.