There is nothing more satisfying than a good glass of wine, but do you know how it is produced? The crushing of grapes has a strong visual appeal in the memory of many of us. But not everyone knows how important crushing is to the production of wine and what it consists of.

That’s why we wanted to set up a blog to allow you to learn about some of the particularities of grape crushing, and we’re going to go over how more modern wineries do it today.

WHAT IS GRAPE CRUSHING?

Grape crushing is the process of breaking up the grape berries allowing the juice to escape, immediately after harvest. Typically, the crop is placed in a vat or vat and then trodden or crushed mechanically so that the berries and their juice are released. The resulting juice and pulp are then separated from the skins, giving rise to must.

This must formed in the crushing of the grapes is an important step in the production of wine because the resulting juice contains sugars, acids and nutrients that are crucial for winemaking.

CRUSHING GRAPES WITH YOUR FEET

Ah, the old image of people dancing inside the vat while crushing grapes: a true classic. Fortunately or unfortunately, technology has now put an end to this romantic but unhygienic practice.

In fact, there are now machines that perform the same task quickly, precisely and economically, without the need to involve human feet. Let’s see what kind of machine this is.

THE GRAPE CRUSHING MACHINE

The grape crusher is the machine used by wineries to extract grape juice from grapes. Its operation is based on a system of rollers and blades that perform a series of operations in sequence.

First, the grapes are poured into the hopper at the beginning of the machine, where they are transported to the crushing area by means of an auger system. Here, the grapes are crushed by rollers inside the machine, which separate the juice from the skins.

This juice is then conveyed into a separate tank, while the solids are ejected from the machine through a special opening. At this point, the grapes are generally subjected to another crushing phase to extract the maximum amount of juice possible.

Due to its versatility, it can also be used for the production of fruit juices and other fruit-based drinks.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BEST CRUSHERS

In general, the choice of crusher depends on the needs of the winery and the volume of grapes to be processed. An efficient grape crusher adapted to the winery’s needs can make all the difference in producing a quality wine.
In addition, the grape crusher can be equipped with several additional options such as:

• sorting belts for transporting the product;
  
• grape washing system;
  
• vibrating sorting tables;
  
• automatic feeding;
  
• pump for transferring the juice obtained.

Some crushers such as Diemme’s Kappa15 offer an innovative crushing system with cylindrical rollers covered in food-grade rubber: the Open Grape. These rollers are designed to allow optimal opening of the grapes. In the photo details of the roller:

The results during vinification are noticeable: in the case of white grapes, the Open Grape’s doctored crusher increases pressing performance, while in the case of red grapes, it increases colour intensity and polyphenol content. Here is the difference in the appearance of the grapes at the end of the process:

Crushers together with other machines

In addition to the standard and optional equipment, crushers can be combined with other grape processing machines. In this sense, grape sorting and destemming in particular can be combined with crushing, resulting in machines that do:

• crushing of grapes only;
• destemming and crushing, in which case the machines are also called destemming-crushing machines;
• selection and crushing;
• selection, destemming and crushing.

Each winery can always decide on the best solution according to its own processes and products to be processed.

THE ACTUAL CRUSHING: PRECISE AND FAST

As we have seen, grape crushing is a fundamental process in wine production. It is the first process after the grapes have been harvested, allowing the extraction of the juice that will later give rise to the must.

Today, modern wineries use grape crushers, machines that break the grapes through a system of rollers and blades. Available in different configurations, they can also be used for the production of other fruit-based drinks.

Cheers!