Crushing Grapes

Crushing the grapes happens in order to extract the juice from the skin before allowing the grapes to ferment. Though traditionally done by stomping on the grapes with bare feet, most wineries now use machines called estrujadoras or pisadoras in Spanish, or simply crushers in English.

When crushing the grapes, it is important that the skin does not tear too much. Too much tearing of the skin can create an excess of tannin—something not wanted especially in white wine grapes. Surplus tearing can also make separating the grape juice and its marc difficult. Also, tearing the skin too much may allow for the grape juice to over oxidize—an unwanted occurrence. Some “delicate” grapes, such as Pinot Noir or Syrah, are only partially crushed in order to preserve their fruity flavors.

tags: crushing ·