Presses
Grape pressing is one of the most significant processes in the production of wine, so it's critical to make sure you have the best equipment! Maximise your yields and quality by choosing the best press for your winery.
Siprem Vacuum Presses
With patented technology, the Siprem range of vacuum presses is unique in it's field, as it's the only machine that used a vacuum to press the grapes rather than positive air pressure. The end result is that you get similar yields at a much lower pressure, giving you a higher proportion of free-run and high quality pressings. These presses are ideal for the quality conscious winemaker or organic wine producers.
Siprem Continuous Membrane Presses
Yes, you read it correctly. Siprem have developed and patented a continuous membrane press. It has all of the advantages of a traditional membrane press, such as low solids content and minimal seed taint, with the addition of being a continuous process. Each machine is divided into several pressing compartments that press at increasing pressures, meaning you can still separate your free run and higher quality pressings to your liking. The machines range in capacity from 10 tonnes/hour through to 40 tonnes/hour.
Siprem Air Presses
Siprem air presses can be supplied up to 45,000 L, so there is sure to be one suitable for your requirements. Available in open or closed configurations and with many other options, you can customise a machine to your specifications
SK Group Air Presses
Škrlj d.o.o. is a family business that has been developing grape presses based on their own experience. Being winemakers themselves, they knew exactly what needed to be done. Every product they made was tested and improved in their own winery. Today, it can be said with certainty that what Škrlj grape presses bring to the table are proven quality, long lifespan, and success for a winery.
Available up to 15,000L, these machines are ideal for the small to medium winery. Due to their high demand around the world you need to get in early though!
Maximise Your Yields by Selecting the Best Wine Press
Grape pressing is a critical part of the winemaking process; hence, the need for a proper wine press. The job of the membrane grape press is to apply the ideal amount of pressure onto the fruit to extract the juice without crushing its seeds. As a result, the wine is freed from undesirable tannins. Ridgelea Winemaking Equipment can supply a wide range of machines to assist you in gaining the most value from your fruit.
Interesting Facts about the Grape Press
The action of the membrane wine press has been in existence for as long as the history of wine itself. There is evidence that the first wine press was the human foot or hand that would squeeze the fruit in a bag where it would ferment. It’s been a long journey from those manual presses to the ones we have available today.
-
The earliest evidence of winemaking takes us back to the Areni-1 winery in Armenia. A trough with a drain leading to a vat that could hold just over 50 litres of wine is still present. The leftover grape seeds are proof that they crushed the fruit by hand. Egyptians used a type of sack press where remnants of the fruit were left in a tourniquet as evidence of their wine pressing procedure.
-
In ancient Greece, winemakers adopted a method similar to the manufacture of olive oil. They would lay the fruit under planks of wood and place rocks over them to squeeze out the juice. However, the wine was filled with impurities which led them to continue working on finding a suitable pressing process.
-
The basket press became popular in the middle ages in Germany and France. It included a large wooden cylindrical basket held together by metal rings with a horizontal disc fitted in at the top. After the grapes were loaded, the disc would slowly crush into the fruit allowing for the juice to leak through the staves into waiting basins or trays.
What to Expect from Ridgelea Winemaking Equipment Regarding Wine Presses
It’s been centuries of wine pressing the hard way until the 20th century which saw the introduction of horizontal presses with the use of pressure. These are some of the presses we offer.
-
The vacuum press made by Siprem is unique as it’s the only machine to extract juice from grapes using a vacuum as opposed to controlled pressure. It’s an ideal solution for organic winemakers.
-
Siprem has developed and patented a continuous membrane press. The machine has several divisions where you control the pressure applied. As a result, you still separate your free run and higher quality pressings according to your preference.
-
If you have a smaller winery, the SK Group’s air press is designed for you. It’s available up to 15,000 litres and has a long lifecycle.
About Ridgelea Winemaking Equipment
Since 1987, our family has been involved in this business so you can rest assured; we’re a household name in winemaking equipment. Whatever your needs are for your winemaking, whether you have a small or large operation, we’ll supply all the machinery you require.
​
Contact us for more information.