From the Winery: A different kind of press
Hyrdo basket press borrowed from Barrelled Wines in Raglan.
This vintage has brought unexpected challenges - and delightful surprises. Our trusty pneumatic press, a cornerstone of our winemaking process, is temporarily out of commission, awaiting a crucial part from Europe. Not ideal timing during the wine-making season!
Enter our friends at Barrelled Wines in Raglan. They've generously lent us their smaller hydro basket press. While it's about 10% the capacity of our usual equipment, we’re so grateful to have it - the grapes wait for no one! This water-powered press uses a central bladder that inflates with water pressure, gently pressing the grapes from the inside out.
Although a slower process, this method allows Alex to press batches as they're ready. The skins are squeezed in the press to extract more fermented juice (after the ‘free run’ juice is extracted from the tank).
Embracing this ‘micro winemaking’ approach has been a lesson in patience and adaptability, and we’ve really appreciated the help from our comrades at Barrelled Wines.
Stay tuned for more updates as Alex continues this hands-on journey through the 2025 vintage.
