There are two types of grape juice we extract from grapes and use to make wine in the garage.  One is called “free run” and one is called “pressings” and the following information is an important piece for upcoming winemaking decisions. 

When fermentation is complete, we push a cylinder with holes into the must and we wait for the juice to run through the holes into the center of the cylinder.  This juice is called free run because it is obtained without squeezing the skins.  It is the liquid gold of all juices to use in winemaking. 

The amount of free run is directly related to the type of grape.  Grapes such as Sangiovese or Cabernet Sauvignon are woodier with thicker skins and smaller berries.   Their amount of free run is less than Barbera, which has thinner skins, fewer stems, and is a bigger juicier grape.  Barbera yields a large amount of free run and is low in tannins which means it can be bottled and consumed much earlier than wines with high tannins. 

The juice from squeezing the skins in the grape press is called the pressings.  The pressings will be cloudier and contain more tannins, and possibly bitterness than free run juice.  Ideally, we use the free run in barrels and fill 5 gallon jugs with the juice from the pressings.  This juice is used to “top up” or “top off” barrels to maintain as little air space in the barrel as possible, top off is needed monthly.

In the fall of 2021, I had so many carboys filled with pressings that I pumped them into a barrel together.  In that barrel for more than a year aged Barbara, Petite Sirah, and a small bit of Sangiovese pressings.  We let that wine age until the bitterness was gone and this wine was our Serendipity.

My fall winemaking decisions have already begun to stir in my mind and this information begs a question.  If I used the same blend of grapes and used free run instead of pressings, would we get a better wine?  Or, was it the characteristics from the aged pressings that made the wine so good?  Do I use my barrels of wine from the fall of 2022 to try blend Serendipity with free run or do I go for a different blend?

This is where my mind goes so often during the day when I’m not refreshing the wine competition web page watching for results.  The results will finally be published next week!  Feel free to check out the competition web page next week for the 2023 winners!

May your free run be abundant!

Sharon