Moving from primary to secondary question.

[jgmann67]

I started doing it this way with my 2018 OVZ and carried the practice over to the 2019 blend.

When it’s time to press the skins, I don’t drain the free run first. Instead, I have a gallon pitcher and I scoop the skins and wine out of the primary and into the bucket press. After doing this about 6-8 times, and waiting for the free run to slow to a drizzle, then I press the skins. And, repeat until I’m out of wine and skins.

A lot of juice flows through my press free. But the end result is a very clean pressed wine with just finer Lee’s at the bottom of the carboys.

So my question is this: is there any downside to moving wine from primary to secondary in this manner?

 

[cmason1957]

I have always done it exactly this way. Couldn't ever come up with a better way to do it. And I am 99.99%certain that with a basket press you can't press hard enough to break seeds and have to worry about those bitter tannins.

 

[jgmann67]

I have always done it exactly this way. Couldn't ever come up with a better way to do it. And I am 99.99%certain that with a basket press you can't press hard enough to break seeds and have to worry about those bitter tannins.

I agree... Best I can do is 184 lbs of downward pressure with my press.

I made a gazillion hole thingamajig and tried to move the free run with that my first couple of years making wine from grapes... just seemed to add time and mess to the process. Now, it sits in the corner of my work area (I use it as a stand for my punch tool).

 

[cmason1957]

I have one of those holey things as well and have used it once or twice for a wine kit, when I accidentally broke the bag holding the grapeskins.

 

[NorCal]

When I use a vacuum, bladder or basket press, this is what I do. Scoop must into the press, letting the free run come out as it pleases, wait until the skins fill the press and no more free run, then do a press cycle.

 

[Boatboy24]

I find pulling the free run out with my AIO and GHT is just too easy and makes scooping the remaining skins into the press much less messy.

 

[FXibley]

thats how ive always done it

 

[jgmann67]

Well this all makes me feel a lot better. Never though to ask this two years ago. Just did it because it made sense to me.

 

[Johnd]

Well this all makes me feel a lot better. Never though to ask this two years ago. Just did it because it made sense to me.

It makes perfect sense, and the result is probably just the same. I’ve done it the same way on smaller batches, it’s just easier. When doing big fermenters, going from Brute to Brute with the GHT and vacuum pump, 2 carboys of free run from each til they’re done, is easier. Then all the Brutes full of skins go to the press. Granted, some wine runs freely when loading, I don’t separate them at the press, and the press wine is mixed with it, so it’s not perfect.