Winemaking is characterized by tradition and innovation at the same time. One of the biggest milestones in the history of modern viticulture was the development of the pneumatic wine press by Willmes. What is now considered the global standard began in the early 1950s with an unusual roadside observation: the functioning of truck tires.
Willmes did not produce its own wine presses until the 1950s. Instead, we sold hydraulic presses from other manufacturers, which were widely used at the time. These systems worked at enormous pressures of up to 300 bar and pressed the grapes selectively.
The problem: the mechanical stress was high, the pressing times long and the quality of the juice suffered from the strong pressure peaks. The must was often cloudy, contained more bitter substances and lost freshness and varietal typicity.
The decisive idea came to the company founder, Josef Willmes, on a field trip. He was driving behind a heavy truck and wondered how it was possible for a few tires to carry loads of several tons with an internal pressure of just six bar.
In comparison, the hydraulic presses worked with pressures of several hundred bar. The idea was obvious: if a truck tire can carry so much weight with low pressure but a large surface area, why shouldn't it also be possible to press grapes with low pressure and a large surface area?
The realization: Physically, the force is the same, only it is distributed much more evenly and gently.
Willmes experimented with a new principle. Instead of applying high pressure to the grapes at certain points, a flexible membrane was to transfer the pressure evenly to the mash from all sides.
The innovation was the so-called tube press, in which an air tube was inflated inside the press. The pressure was only a few bars, but the grapes were pressed evenly towards the juicing area thanks to the large-area distribution.
The result was revolutionary. The berries were no longer crushed with force, but gently juiced. All the grapes in the press cake were captured evenly, with no unreached zones.
Willmes was granted a patent for the tube press as early as 1951. This technology was not only gentler, but also significantly faster than the systems used up to that point.
The advantages immediately convinced winemakers. Pressing times were significantly reduced as the juice flowed out continuously and without interruption. At the same time, the juice quality increased because fewer bitter substances were extracted. The preservation of varietal typicity was also particularly important, especially with sensitive grape varieties. In addition, the new presses were energy-efficient, as they operated at low pressures.
The tube press quickly became an international success and marked Willmes' entry into the in-house production of wine presses.
The introduction of the pneumatic press was more than just a technical improvement. It changed the entire view of grape processing. The focus shifted away from maximum pressure towards gentle mechanics and controlled juice extraction.
This principle is still at the heart of all Willmes presses today. It has been consistently developed over the following decades, including the double diaphragm technology and vertical juice channels. However, the origin of all these innovations lies in the simple but ingenious idea of applying pressure gently over a large area.
The invention of the first pneumatic press by Willmes was no coincidence, but the result of observation, technical understanding and the willingness to leave the beaten track.
The inspiration from a truck tire gave rise to a technology that continues to set standards worldwide today. The history of modern pneumatic presses began with the tube press - and the rise of Willmes as an innovation leader in the field of press technology for the highest wine quality.
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