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WINEMAKING and then the gentle action of the human foot is used to "trample out the vintage." The cluster rachis provides channels for juice to exit the mass at low pressure. In destemmed musts, the pectin sliminess of unfermented white grapes blocks the flow of juice, resulting in sloppy cakes and low yields unless stems and/or rice hulls are mixed into the must. Form follows function Finally, let us ask what we should have asked first: What is a wine press for? The modern view, which rejected the bas- ket press for its low yields and labor inef- ficiency, has also jettisoned the convenient, economical screw press for its rough action and high tannin extraction, and the equally efficient belt press for its high suspended solids. We can conclude that the purpose of the press in modern winemaking is high yields, low tannin and low solids. Postmodern winemaking takes a differ- ent view of the function of the wine press. Our growing awareness of the importance of oxygen to healthy fermentations shows the importance of the press as a juice aera- tion device. For reds (and sur lies whites for which structure is a goal), our increas- ing skill in building integrative tannin structure that supports distinctive terroir expression also causes us to look askance at pressing systems that minimize tannin. The most desirable press is one that al- lows us to include all our press wine in the main lot. This ideal depends upon the char- acter of the material, our skill set in work- ing with tannins and the style of wine we wish to produce. Second choice is a press- ing system that allows us to taste clean press cuts. By minimizing and filtering out yeast solids that can obscure the sensory perception of tannins, basket presses qual- ify for high marks on both counts. "With a basket press, after the first squeeze, the wine is very clear and much easier to do sensory evaluation on," says Joseph Phelps director of winemaking at Damian Parker. Extracting the essence The wine industry is chock full of dedicated, intelligent people. Why, then, did we over- look the simple basics of press design and charge off into a technological direction? In the early years of modernization, a break occurred between winemakers young and old. The substantial gap in technical knowledge of chemistry and mi- crobiology between the upstart technolo- gists and their empiricist predecessors led to disrespect for the old ways. Electricity changed everything. Win- eries were rapidly transformed beyond recognition in areas such as lighting, re- frigeration and pumps, to say nothing of advances in laboratory methods and oth- er technical metrics. While our formulas were improving, our disconnection with past wisdom meant that our appreciation of artistic subtleties was at an all-time low. Increasing winery scale and centralization of electrical power placed a premium on efficiency and yields, areas in which ben- efits were easier to see and control than nuances of quality. Since I entered the industry in 1972, most of this foolishness happened on my watch, and I too missed its import. If I look at my own motivations, I see a faith in progress and a disdain for antiquity. Not that our predecessors were foolish, but that they lacked modern capabilities and limped along as best they could, right? I failed to appreciate technological capa- bilities such as electricity as the two-edged sword they really are. This mindset is part of what makes America a uniquely inventive country. Our loose bonds to the past permit us to 58 Wines & Vines JULY 2011