🍷 Basket press
An old-style press: a wooden basket with a heavy plate pressing down from above.
A basket press is an old-fashioned wine press. It has a wooden basket with slits and a heavy plate pressing down from above.
Grapes or crushed grapes are poured into the basket. The plate is lowered with a screw or hydraulics. Under pressure the juice flows out through gaps between the slats and collects below. The leftover cake is then broken up and pressed again. The work is slow, but the pressure is gentle and the juice comes out clean. This press has been known for a very long time, in use for many centuries.
The basket press belongs to the family of wine presses, but it is less convenient than a modern pneumatic one. It is used in small estates and wherever people want to keep tradition. Some makers produce their best wines with it. It suits reds well, because the pomace stays firm and dry. The basket press is handsome and is still seen in many wineries.
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Frequently asked questions
How does a basket press work?
A wooden slatted basket and a heavy plate pressing from above.
How does it differ from a pneumatic press?
It presses with a plate and works slower, while a pneumatic press uses a soft air-filled bag.
Where is it used?
On small and traditional estates.