Which of the following is NOT a method of concentrating grape must?

• A. Drying grapes on the vine
• B. Cryoextraction
• C. Pressing grapes to extract juice
• D. Noble rot

Answer: (C)

Focusing on concentrating grape must means increasing the sugar concentration in the must by removing water or extracting more sugar relative to water. Drying grapes on the vine does this by water loss, making sugars more concentrated. Cryoextraction concentrates by freezing water and removing it, leaving a must richer in sugar. Noble rot rots grapes so they lose water and accumulate sugars, also concentrating the must.

Pressing grapes to extract juice, on the other hand, is simply about separating juice from skins and solids to obtain usable must. It doesn’t increase the sugar concentration of that must; you’re not removing water from the juice itself, you’re extracting the liquid. The sugar content of the juice reflects the grapes’ sugars, not an added concentration achieved by the pressing step.