Crushing the Grapes

The winemaking process begins when fresh grapes are gently squeezed to open the skin and release the juices. This process is known as crush in the winemaking world.

Crushing grapes is nothing like how
they did it on the I Love Lucy show.

The term 'crush' comes from the days when grapes were trod by foot and crushed under the weight of the people stepping on them. Experience has taught us that this is not the best way to make great wine. When crushing fruit all that is required is breaking the skin; this will release the juice so that it may interact with the yeast and ferment. If you crush too hard you will grind the grape seeds against each other, and this releases harsh tannins into the wine.

In the modern winery crushing is done by machines that are specially built for that purpose. The grapes are loaded into the machine such that they are conducted between a pair of rollers that are set a precise distance apart (based on the size of the berries). These rollers squeeze the berries just enough to burst the skin, releasing the juice from the inside of the berry. Most crushing machines also double as de-stemming machines as well, so whole clusters go in the top, stems come out the side for disposal, and crushed fruit comes out the bottom to be placed in the fermentation vessel.