Hello everyone,

Here's a question that's been bugging me. I have 200+ pounds of
excellent Pinot must ready to begin fermentation, and it occured to me
that I'm going to need to press it off the skins/seeds once primary is
complete. At present, the must is sitting in two separate plastic
fermenters.

In speaking with the owner of vineyard where I got the grapes, he said
he just uses one of the old-fashioned red-metal and wood Italian
presses. He was implying he just scoops up the wine/pomace from the vat
once primary is completed, into the fermenter, presses it and collects
the juices into a carboy, and continues until he's done.

Now. I understand that freshly-fermented wine is full of CO2, and so is
less susceptible to oxidation from this type of procedure. Still...
I've got a nagging voice at the back of my head telling me something's
awry with this method.

Can anyone please shed some light and either confirm, or correct, my
assumptions in how I"m going to have to go about pressing the juice? If
I'm wrong, I need some info as to how I *should* go about it. FYI, I
don't have any type of airtight, stainless steel press, so the
solution is going to have to be something the average home vintner
could gain access to and implement.

Thanks everyone,

David