Vin de presse

Vin de presse meaning in winemaking

Vin de presse means “press wine”: the concentrated wine obtained by pressing the marc—grape skins, seeds, and sometimes stems—after free-run wine has been drained following fermentation. It is usually darker, more tannic, and more phenolic than free-run wine, so it is commonly aged separately before a winemaker decides whether to blend it into the final wine.

In quality red-wine production, vin de presse can add color, structure, and aging potential, but too much can make a wine harsh or astringent. Producers may keep press fractions separate because the first press is often more useful than later, harder pressings.