Free run juice is defined as what?

• A. Juice that drains without pressing and has lower tannins than pressed wine.
• B. Juice that is pressed to extract more tannins.
• C. Juice that ferments on skins.
• D. Juice that drains after pressing.

Answer: (B)

Free run juice is the juice that drains without pressing from crushed grapes. It flows freely under gravity, avoiding the extraction that happens during pressing, so it typically has lower tannins and lighter color than juice obtained by pressing. This is why free run juice is often valued for producing lighter, more delicate wines. Juice that drains after pressing is the press juice, which is higher in tannins and phenolics. Fermenting on skins refers to skin contact during fermentation, which increases tannins and color, not the definition of free run.