Juice

Juice meaning in winemaking

In winemaking, juice means the grape liquid extracted by crushing or pressing grapes before alcoholic fermentation. When that liquid is destined for fermentation and may include skins, seeds, pulp, or other solids, winemakers often call it must.

The quality and handling of juice shape the finished wine. Free-run juice drains with little or no pressure and is often kept separate from press juice, which can bring more phenolics, tannin, color, and texture depending on grape variety and pressing pressure.