Machine or Man: Is Traditional Winemaking with Silicone Pads Disappearing?

Port wine grapes are traditionally crushed underfoot, but does this foot need to be alive? This question divides opinions. True wine lovers perceive intrusions in taste and terroir as unfavorable. However, there is a broad consensus among wine experts: Dependence on machines is detrimental to winemaking. But should we query: Is this spontaneous reaction justified, especially when discussing Port production?

The Art of Foot-Treading

The foot-treading of grapes has a centuries-old tradition. A classic lagare, where cellar workers tread the grapes, is usually about 12 square meters. The grapes are placed in a layer about 80 cm high in the lagare, and then the workers step in and tread until the cell walls of the grape skins break. It's crucial that the seeds are not crushed as this would make the wine bitter.

High Labor Effort in Traditional Methods

Many wine enthusiasts passionately believe that hand-harvested wine is superior to mechanically processed wine. However, Evan Goldstein, president of “Full Circle Wine Solutions,” sums it up: “Foot-treading and grape harvesting require enormous labor, and more regions in Portugal are suffering from labor shortages.” He adds, “In many cases, the work is mechanized, or the winery is completely abandoned.”

Searching for Workers is Impractical

For many producers, it is no longer practical to search for workers willing and able to stomp the grapes by foot. “The labor shortage issue has been exacerbated by the pandemic,” adds Francisco Mateus, president of “Wines of Alentejo.” He explains that the Alentejo is a sparsely populated region. Although Alentejo accounts for 30 percent of Portugal's land area, it is populated by only half a million people, making up about five percent of the total population. “Young people here are not interested in working in fields or wineries.”

Mechanical Pistons instead of Feet

So the Alentejo quickly transitioned to harvesting machines and mechanical treaders. Several large Port wine producers began utilizing fermentation tanks in the 1990s that incorporate "porttoes," mechanical pistons mimicking the work of human feet. However, Francisco Mateus remains skeptical about their effectiveness. “Human foot treads extract the best from the grape skins with gentler pressure, resulting in more color and tannins,” he states. “The pressure applied by feet in the marble or granite lagares is more intense and cannot be replicated by machines!”

Mechanical Treaders Have Many Advantages

Ana Rato, marketing director and export manager of “Ramos Pinto,” argues that a mechanical tread is not only the sole economically viable solution but also offers advantages that human feet cannot provide. At “Ramos Pinto,” they introduced a machine with silicone feet in 2019. The onset of the pandemic made this the only feasible option, as foot-treading was prohibited for health and hygiene reasons.

Silicone Pads are in Constant Use

The silicone pads used closely mimic the human foot while treading, explains Ana Rato. The mechanical treaders are just as sensitive as human feet and break the grape skins with equal care. Color, flavor, and high-quality tannins are extracted without breaking the seeds. Another advantage of silicone pads is that they can operate around the clock, providing significant assistance during the lengthy harvest in the Douro, which can last up to two months. “For winemaking, silicone pads also offer financial advantages,” Ana Rato points out, noting that the mechanical treaders are designed to last for decades and can replace twelve human stompers per night in the case of “Ramos Pinto.”

Traditional Foot-Treading Will Not Completely Disappear

Nonetheless, foot-treading has not been entirely phased out at “Ramos Pinto.” “We study and compare both methods to identify differences and continue producing the best Ports possible,” Ana states. It is tempting to romanticize the advantages of traditional foot-treading, along with the associated community culture and music. However, romanticizing tradition can quickly lead winemakers to poverty and hardship. Nevertheless, traditional methods will likely always hold a place in the wine industry, particularly for remarkable Tawnies.

Overall Wine Quality Has Significantly Improved

“Much of what we consider authentic leads to financial constraints,” states Goldstein. “The shift of wine brands in Portugal toward modern winemaking methods has many reasons. Clearly, wine quality has significantly improved overall.”