What is the main purpose of using a wine press?

The primary purpose of using a wine press is to separate the juice from the solid parts of the grapes, such as skins, seeds, and stems. This process is crucial because the juice is the essence that will undergo fermentation to produce wine. By pressing the grapes, winemakers extract the liquid that contains sugars, acids, and flavor compounds necessary for fermentation. The solids can have a significant impact on the taste and mouthfeel of the wine, and separating them ensures a cleaner, more palatable final product.

The other options, while related to the winemaking process, do not capture the essential function of a wine press. Bottling wine pertains to the packaging stage after fermentation and aging have taken place. Aging wine involves storing it for a period to develop maturity, which occurs long after pressing. Mixing different wines may be a part of blending for specific flavor profiles, but it is not a primary function of the wine press.