What are press fractions?

Press fractions refer to the different portions of juice that are extracted from grapes during pressing.

The free-run juice is the juice that is released naturally from the grapes when they are pressed. This juice is considered the highest quality juice, as it is the least extracted (lower phenolics), and has the most delicate flavours, aromas, sugar and acidity.

The following press fractions are the juice that obtained after more pressure applied to the grapes. If little pressure is applied, this juice is considered to be of good quality and has a similar profile to the free-run juice. The higher the pressure, the higher the extraction of phenolics (anthocyanins aka colour, and tannins).

The choice of the press fractions will depend on the winemaker's preference and the type of wine they want to produce.

For example, some winemakers may choose to use only the free-run juice to produce a delicate, floral wine with higher acidity (e.g. Champagne intended for bottle ageing). Others may choose to blend the press fractions to produce a more structured wine with more pronounced fruity aromas (early-drinking Champagne).