March 2022 | Page 2 of 2 | The Grapevine Magazine

Barrel Sanitation: All Methods Are Not Created Equal

March 1, 2022February 14, 2024 Cyndi Leave a comment

By: Gerald Dlubala

Quality winemaking requires quality ingredients. Nothing new, you think. No big revelation there, you say. You take great care of your vineyard, with constant attention to the vines, fruit structure and soil. Your timing is just right for pruning, harvesting and the winemaking process. Then, after meticulously planning and carrying out the harvest, crush and fermentation with precision instruments and experience, it’s time to put that product into the barrels for aging.

Are you as meticulous with your barrels? Even though grape quality is the main attribute in producing quality wine, there’s no doubt that cooperage is an expensive component in wine production, always coming in near the top of the expenditure list. Wooden oak barrels are challenging to clean and sanitize because they are, by nature, part of a living organism that is porous and layered. Combine this with a small access point, and you have an environment that is susceptible to micro-organisms that cause spoilage, with Brettanomyces being the primary concern.

Often labeled as a winemaker’s biggest sanitation headache, Brettanomyces is a type of yeast found in nearly every stage of the winemaking process, from the grape skins to the barrels. It can be challenging to control or eradicate because it grows into the barrel wood and becomes hidden. Brettanomyces seldom reveal themselves during the fermentation process but rather prefer to flourish during aging. Some winemakers claim that a low level of Brettanomyces can give wine desirable characteristics, but any more than that will ruin the whole batch.

In-barrel wine spoilage and short barrel life are problems facing the wine industry. Under the best conditions, wine barrels require a routine maintenance regimen to control taste- and aroma-fouling bacteria in affected barrels and keep them from taking over new, unaffected barrels.

Steamericas: Blending Science With

Eco-friendly Process

“Winemakers should clean and sanitize their barrels absolutely after every use,” said Yujin Yoo Anderson, General Manager of Steamericas. “By sanitizing with a dry steam process, you can simultaneously sanitize and hydrate them to prepare them for their next use. The same goes for breweries and distilleries when hydrating vats or foeders before filling them.”

Anderson told The Grapevine Magazine that there are many reasons that a sanitation program using dry steam is preferable over the lesser effective traditional methods.

“The eco-friendliness aspect is always a priority,” said Anderson. “But ultimately, science has taught us that high heat effectively kills unwanted organisms. Dry steam, a gaseous state of boiled water above 212 degrees Fahrenheit, can penetrate barrel’s staves up to eight to nine millimeters depth and deliver high enough heat to remove Brettanomyces, which grows into the wood and is particularly hard to remove using other traditional cleaning methods. Additionally, there are quantifiable operational benefits to using dry steam sanitation for your barrels as well. Less water use means less time filling the barrels and less water and treatment costs. Dry steam uses as little as half a gallon of water per barrel in the entire sanitation process. Using dry steam is the quickest and most thorough way to sanitize a barrel, and it’s also a popular method to swell or rehydrate wooden barrels for not only wineries but also breweries and distilleries.”

Anderson said that Steamericas’ Optima steamer uses only about a half-gallon of water to rehydrate and sanitize a barrel, and it accomplishes this in just a matter of minutes. The lack of wastewater production and the elimination of chemicals allow wineries to comply with the Clean Water Act.

“The biggest challenge of using dry steam for your sanitation process is the upfront investment along with having enough power source,” said Anderson. “We typically recommend an 18kW steamer or higher for winery applications, requiring a three-phase power with preferably 480V. Wineries with 208-230V will need much more amperage. This type of investment may not make sense for a micro-winery with lower production rates and no bottling line. But to help offset the cost, a dry steamer with the proper accessories can serve as a winery and vineyard pressure washer without the wastewater runoff to clean equipment, fermentation tanks, floors and facilities, and whatever else needs a thorough cleaning.”

Steamericas’ Optima steamer can be used as a stand-alone cleaning station to sanitize two barrels simultaneously. For more extensive facilities, the Optima can be paired with an automatic barrel washer line and loading system to clean and sanitize four barrels at a time. Maintenance largely depends on the facility’s water quality. Softened water is a must, meaning water treatment may be necessary for some instances. Steamericas sells and services their equipment through local distributors, but the machines come with display screens for real-time communication, so remote service is available if needed.

The Hot Water Treatment

Hot water treatments using water heated to 85 degrees Celsius for at least 20 minutes have proven to effectively clean oak barrels and remove the acetic acid bacteria, Brettanomyces and yeast from the wood surface down to a depth of five to nine millimeters. The disadvantage of using hot water exclusively is the amount of time spent filling the barrels, the amount of water used and the resulting amount of wastewater produced.

Specialty Chemicals Can Harbor Hidden Expense

Some sanitation methods for barrels require the use of specialty chemicals. One of the most popular chemicals for barrel sanitation is a Sodium Bisulfite solution mixed with a specific recommended amount of citric acid solution. It’s added to a barrel with water, sealed tightly, and then agitated, so the solution comes in contact with all interior surfaces. Next, the barrel is drained, thoroughly rinsed, filled with fresh, clean water and left to soak overnight. Several more rinses are needed before the barrels are ready for use, so the time and labor required for this method may be a deterrent as a standard sanitation method.

Aggressive Sanitation Methods Include Barrel Deconstruction

Dry ice blasting and shaving of the inner surface area of the barrel can be effective but require at least partial deconstruction of the barrel, resulting in a time-consuming, expensive process. These aggressive processes also strip the barrel of any oak flavors and other qualities built up from prior use. As a result, the barrel becomes neutralized and no longer imparts flavor to the wine. Some winemakers use neutral oak barrels intentionally, depending on the winemaker’s goals. Still, continued use of these more aggressive sanitation methods naturally decreases the number of times a barrel can be sanitized.

Bubble-tech gmbh: High Power Ultrasound Sanitization Retains Barrel History and Integrity

“The location of viable micro-organism cells within any barrel environment determines their chances of survival,” said Darren Bates of Bubble-tech gmbh. “Populations located within the arc of the barrel between the head stave and bilge have the greatest opportunity to survive and proliferate. Our studies show that applying high pressure or hot water sprays to the interior of barrels does not completely inactivate Brettanomyces cells. Methods like power washing, scraping and blasting destroy the toasted oak aroma compounds formed and retained in the toasted layer of a barrel. When using High Powered Ultrasound, a sonotrode gets inserted into the barrel with a small amount of heated water. The barrels are cleaned and disinfected in five to 13 minutes with no need for additional chemical rinses and using minimal energy consumption. HPU has also shown to better retain the organoleptic properties that are present over other cleaning and sanitization methods.”

Bubble-tech gmbh specializes in using ultrasonic technology in industrial processes for beverage industries, including cleaning, sanitation, extraction and defoaming methods. Bates has extensive experience providing industrial ultrasonic technology and solutions for the wine industry, successfully cleaning and sanitizing oak barrels ranging from one through seven years of age.

“In terms of how long we can extend the life of a barrel, on the conservative side, I would say two years as a minimum, but realistically it could go up to four years with an HPU cleaning frequency of one-to-two-year intervals. The HPU sanitation procedure has been successful in eliminating tartrates and reducing and removing viable cells of Brettanomyces while preserving the toasted oak qualities that winemakers desire in their red wines.”

The advantages of using a clean technology like HPU for barrel sanitation include consistent and repeatable results with no chemical residue that reduces sulfur dioxide and taint-causing or hazardous chemicals while lowering labor, energy and barrel costs.

Not All Barrels Are Salvageable

Dr. Bates told The Grapevine Magazine that infections of barrels with spoilage micro-organisms like Brettanomyces could have a marked influence on whether a winemaker can reuse a barrel. By using HPU, he hopes to extend barrel life by effectively removing tartrates, solid residues, micro-organisms, biofilms and taint compounds from surfaces and pores, and also removing anthocyanin pigments that Brettanomyces can break down.

“Additionally,” said Anderson. “If a barrel wasn’t stored properly and the gaps between staves are beyond repair with swelling, or the labor and time spent to sanitize an affected barrel outweighs the cost of a new one, then it may be time to call it quits and make it into a cool souvenir.”

Choose Environmentally Friendly Options

“Mainly, you want to consider the amount of water used, the resulting wastewater that will require treatment, and the potential side effects to humans and the environment of any chemicals used,” said Anderson. “While ozone is a powerful sanitizer, it can adversely affect humans in contact with it before it’s dissolved in water, causing nausea, headaches and respiratory issues. Mainstream methods of barrel sanitation tend to use a lot of water and chemicals that need treatment to lower the Biological Oxygen Demand before disposal.

Water with a high BOD level means less available oxygen for aquatic organisms, potentially stressing and killing them. A typical Burgundy barrel holds 60 gallons, and a medium-sized winery could have thousands of these barrels in use. Imagine how much water and ecosystem you could save if you do not have to fill the barrels to capacity to sanitize them. It’s easy to see that the sanitation method that you choose as a winemaker is important.”

Final Notes

When using any sanitation method, it’s crucial to include a barrel inspection. Even under optimal conditions, the best sanitation practices can produce side effects, ranging from the production of unwanted byproducts, some of which may be corrosive, to causing damage to already degrading rubber fittings, gaskets and some metals.

Conquering Vineyard Diseases From Root to Fruit

March 1, 2022February 14, 2024 Cyndi Leave a comment

By: Cheryl Gray

hand inspecting grapes using magnifying glass

Vineyards are constantly on alert for bacteria and fungi, both of which can cause debilitating diseases––persistent threats to an otherwise healthy grape crop if not put in check right away.

The names of these culprits sound ominous. They include black rot, grapevine trunk diseases, powdery mildew, Phomopsis, Phylloxera and Botrytis bunch rot. They are as intimidating as they sound, causing damage to plant roots, trunks, branches, leaves and ultimately, grapes.

Madeleine Rowan-Davis, a senior viticulturist for Atlas Vineyard Management of Napa, California, describes the challenges of the vineyards in her region and throughout the country.

“I don’t believe there is a grape grower in the U.S. that does not have a fungicide plan in place for prevention of powdery mildew. After powdery mildew, the next biggest culprit we deal with in wine grapes is Botrytis or grey mold. Botrytis grows under damp conditions and can damage the flowers during bloom, reducing yields; and also [damage] the nearly ripe fruit following heavy dew events or pre-harvest rain. It is absolutely crushing to spray all season preventing powdery mildew and then lose fruit right before harvest to bunch rot caused by Botrytis.”

Almost anything that is not in a grower’s control, things like insects, weather and other environmental factors, can introduce bacteria and fungi to vineyard plants and, in turn, thwart a grape crop before it even starts.

On the flip side, experts say that some growers can unintentionally promote the growth of bacteria and fungi by doing what most consider routine tasks. For example, some industry experts caution that repeatedly using the same chemical treatment can lead to bacteria and fungi resistance, eventually rendering that treatment ineffective. Another problem is deploying flood irrigation, which promotes the growth of fungus-like powdery mildew and other culprits that feed on humidity. Still another practice is fall clean-up. After harvest, some growers use fertilizer and water as a clean-up spray. But just because there are no grapes around doesn’t mean that bacteria and fungi are absent. If growers aren’t careful, the practice of fall clean-up can create the perfect breeding ground for fungi and other pathogens.

Among the best at helping grape growers protect their fruit is Suterra, a global leader in the industry. In business for more than 30 years, the company produces hundreds of products used in growing regions across the globe, including more than 400,000 acres in California.

Suterra’s state-of-the-art facility in Bend, Oregon, combines all aspects of its business under one roof. Research and development, product engineering, manufacturing and the company’s signature, large-scale pheromone synthesis work seamlessly to create innovative weapons for vineyards to use in guarding against damaging invasions of disease and fungi.

Emily J. Symmes is Senior Manager of Technical Field Services for Suterra. She gives an overview of the major disease and fungi threats to vineyards.

“Some examples of common fungal diseases that are often considered perennial threats, meaning that they may appear each year and require some degree of management, are powdery mildew and Botrytis. While significant negative impacts can occur due to these types of infections, the spread of virus diseases in a vineyard is often more concerning.”

Suterra partners with trial collaborators each growing season to innovate and continuously improve its products based upon what growers need. Its CheckMate VMB-F sprayable pheromone is now on the California Certified Organic Farmers list of allowable products for use by organic growers. The company also works with growers to tailor and improve dispenser design, longevity and ease of deployment. Suterra is currently working on a new type of dispenser for the vine market. According to the company, testing this latest innovation has produced favorable results from growers.

Symmes shares best practices on how vineyards can lessen the impact of disease and fungi on their plants and fruit. In many cases, she says, it’s virtually impossible to avoid them all. Rather, she cautions, mitigation is the operative word.

“With the more perennial fungal pathogens, a number of factors can contribute to the severity of the problem. These are largely driven by weather conditions and microclimate factors within the vineyard canopy structure. Because of this, there are often cultural methods that can be implemented to discourage fungal growth. In addition, there are fungicides that, when applied properly and at the appropriate times, are effective at preventing severe damage. When it comes to viruses, unfortunately, there are no curative treatments. The goal then becomes preventing virus introduction and minimizing spread.”

According to a study funded by the USDA and conducted by the University of Massachusetts Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab, one of the worst diseases for vineyards is the Grapevine Leafroll Associated Virus complex. While this virus has variations, all of them cause the dreaded symptoms of grapevine leafroll disease. Experts say its impact hits vineyards from California to New York state.

Dr. Symmes describes Suterra’s products and how they function to protect vineyards from bacteria and fungi, some of which are carried from vine to vine by insects.

Suterra manufacturers CheckMate VMB-XL, a membrane dispenser, and CheckMate VMB-F, a sprayable microencapsulated formulation. These products target vine mealybug, a highly efficient Grapevine Leafroll-associated Viruses vector. The active ingredient in both products is synthetic replicas of the vine mealybug’s sexual reproduction pheromone.

By hanging VMB-XL dispensers or spraying VMB-F microcapsules, the natural ability of males to find females to mate is inhibited. These solutions limit reproductive capacity, lower populations, reduce direct crop damage caused by the pest and minimize the potential spread of GLRaVs.

Vine mealybug also produces large amounts of honeydew as a byproduct of their feeding. Sooty mold, another fungal pathogen, uses the honeydew as a substrate for development and can cause grape bunches to be unmarketable. By controlling VMB, the impacts of sooty mold can be avoided.

ORCAL is another Oregon-based company specializing in industry-leading products that help vineyards develop best practices for protecting their grapes. The company was founded in 1997 and is located in Willamette Valley, a major agricultural region and home to a number of world-renowned vineyards.

ORCAL promotes crop protection and sustainable farming through aggressive research and development, continuous education and innovative technology. It promotes its products as industry-leading and prides itself on building and maintaining integrity with its business clients and associates. Its services range from custom formulations to product packaging.

One of the company’s game-changing products is Lime Sulfur Ultra, which is described as a three-in-one product, making it a viable weapon in the fight against vineyard diseases caused by bacteria and fungi. Thomas Putzel is Territory Manager for ORCAL. He describes how his company reinvented the use of an old-school method, transforming it for today’s needs.

“When most people think of lime sulfur, they think of the high rates and that they are only safe to use during the dormant period. That might have been true 100 years ago with the older technology. This is not the case with Lime Sulfur Ultra. The reduced rates have many benefits—first, the fewer chemicals of any kind we are using, the better, including organic chemicals. Lime Sulfur Ultra is every bit as effective at controlling all the same pests as traditional lime sulfurs with a fraction of the rate. This reduces the carbon footprint and resources needed to control a wide host of pests plaguing growers today. Also, it isn’t just a fungicide; it is a miticide and insecticide as well. When we are able to do more with less, that not only has an impact on our environment but also a grower’s budget and bottom line.”

For growers who want management services to mitigate the threat of disease in their vineyards, there are companies like Atlas Vineyard Management. As the firm’s senior viticulturist, Rowan-Davis says the responsibility to protect vineyards from disease is year-round, including guarding against the pests that can spread disease.

“For each of our farming clients, we provide a pre-season customized chemical application plan and then support that plan in-season with our scouting service. This allows us to respond to seasonal shifts as well as new pests as they arrive. In some cases, our customers are very involved in these decisions, while in others, we simply act and do what is needed to produce high quality, clean fruit for harvest.”

As there is no cure for many of the diseases caused by bacteria and fungi in vineyards, a plan of defense is key to fighting this ever-present danger. Clean planting, early treatment and strategic planning to thwart ingredient resistance are essential tools in minimizing the threat of vineyard disease.

Vineyard Equipment Reflects an Efficient, Organic & Multi-Functional Future

March 1, 2022February 14, 2024 Cyndi Leave a comment

By: Gerald Dlubala

Standard vineyard equipment is needed to work the ground around and in between rows and work above ground on the vine structure and leaf canopy. However, specialized machinery can be expensive. Rather than trying to afford and find space for each implement, tow-behind implements offer savings on storage, maintenance and downtime costs. Recently, equipment manufacturers and vineyard managers have started to realize that the wave of the future is efficient, easy-to-use, multi-function equipment that attaches to a tractor and may already be in the vineyard’s back yard.

Rinieri Delivers Innovation in Multi-Functional Equipment

“When we talk to our customers, 90% say that in future purchases, they’ll look for equipment and tools that are efficient, multi-functional and easy to operate,” said Grant Allen, the current North American distributor for Rinieri equipment. “Orchard and vineyard owners drive our market and let us know what they want, and we do our best to satisfy that need. With our line of multi-functional equipment, all sizes of vineyards now have options that can save time, money and the cost of being short of labor at critical times. Upkeep on vineyards is time-sensitive. That, combined with record labor shortages, and there is a definite benefit to owning multi-function implements that can be used, maintained and switched out by a single user.”

Rinieri has spent over 100 years as a family-run manufacturer of innovative orchard and vineyard equipment. It offers a Turbo EVO line as just one way to accommodate consumer demand for multi-use, easy-to-operate equipment. Its other most popular implement, the Bio-Dynamic, is exceptional at fast weeding–up to seven mph–in between rows in orchards and vineyards. Rinieri multi-tools feature three-point hitch hookups and dual control adjustable hydraulics that maneuver the equipment in an inward and outward motion, offering increased speeds, performance and time savings over standard single hydraulic systems.

“With the option of having interchangeable heads, vineyard managers get access to all the tools they need to do their mowing, cultivating, weeding, discing, plowing, sucker removal and more,” said Allen. “Smaller producing vineyards can start with the basics, maybe just the one or two heads that they use most often and add other heads if needed. Rinieri designs their equipment to be used with your current farm tractors, but if you don’t have the hydraulic capability on your current equipment, they can help with that as well.”

Allen said that a significant advantage of using Rinieri’s multi-tool equipment is the ability of the vineyard to move into a more organic way of farming.

“Organic farming practices are the future. Consumers have become invested in purchasing from organic producers, so vineyards must move to meet this demand. Our tooling helps alleviate the need for chemical use. With access to multiple implements to help maintain the vineyard, the pressure and need to use chemicals lessens. Organic farming practices are a major trend that is not going away. Consumers are looking for organic capabilities in their major purchases, so equipment designers and manufacturers have to respond.”

Optimizing time with efficiency: Tillage Management, Inc

Typically, vineyard managers look to tillage equipment in the fall or early spring for working the ground and incorporating any cover crops into the soil. By offering implements that can perform the required operations without multiple passes over the area, Tillage Management Inc’s Project Manager Kat Coombes said that they save the vineyard owner time and money by increasing efficiency and ultimately spending less time in the fields.

Comprised of working farmers and engineers, Tillage Management Inc. is a relative newcomer to the vineyard implement market, offering high quality, heavy-duty, multi-functional tillage implements for farms, orchards and vineyards. Their Optimizer one-pass tillage system combines disc and chopper blades to clear cover crops, uproot weeds, maintain level soil and keep berms clean using one-pass efficiency. A newer addition to their line-up, their chisel roller CR-series, works to break up soil compaction and leave a level working surface in the vineyard. Their heavy-duty equipment incorporates multiple operations in one pass, reducing labor, time and fuel use. Additionally, reducing the amount of tillage is key to preventing moisture loss and topsoil loss from dust. Tillage Management Inc has earned EPA certification for dust reduction with their equipment and offers a rental program for smaller vineyards that don’t need or require full-time ownership of their implements.

“As working farmers, we know the benefit of equipment that is operator-friendly and time-saving,” said Coombes. “Both our Optimizer and CR series can be adjusted, hooked up and operated by a single user. We offer minimal adjustment points, maintenance-free bearings that limit the number of grease points, and larger than standard disc blades, 28 inches over the standard 22 to 24-inch blade. In addition to cutting down the number of passes an operator must perform, the larger disc blades are an advantage to the steadily growing organic farming sector. More farmers realize the benefit of growing cover crops to reduce the amount of spraying needed for pests. Those pests naturally get drawn to more and larger cover crops. Then, those cover crops are incorporated into the soil easier and more efficiently using our larger disc blades and one-pass system.”

To get a timely return-on-investment benefit on Tillage Management’s high-quality, low-maintenance equipment, Coombes recommends its equipment for vineyards of at least 100 acres. Still, she wants vineyard owners to know that they will be investing in equipment that will last for decades and operate downtime-free when needed.

“With the move toward automation and efficiency, investing in quality, labor and time-saving devices in the area of both maintenance and usage is an important consideration that all farmers should look for in any equipment or tooling purchase,” said Coombes. “As the trend towards organic farming continues to grow, companies like ours will continually be offering designs and equipment to support a more organic approach. It’s the best way to serve our customers.”

Put a charge into your spraying: On Target Spray Systems hits the spot

Vineyard owners generally spend money on their most-used equipment, which indicates the importance of that task. For many vineyard owners, that means an efficient, reliable, quality sprayer, and Oregon-based On TARGET Spray Systems has long been the leader in electrostatic sprayers for all agricultural needs. Among their current offerings are newer, more compact units with either 50- or 100-gallon tanks, with the larger size allowing an operator to treat up to five acres without requiring a refill. In addition, the units feature reliable Honda motors and can be attached to or pulled by small tractors, ATVs or even side-by-side equipment that most vineyard owners already own.

“They’re extremely valuable to a vineyard owner,” said Willie Hartman, President and owner of On Target Spray Systems. “With an outside tire-to-tire width of only 48 inches, the operator can apply the spray in either a single or double row application, even in tight rows, meaning less time in the field, less soil compaction, and less water and solution use. With winemaking trending toward a more organic future, it’s even more important to have a sprayer that provides complete, 360° contact coverage to keep the spray on the plants, not on the ground. On Target’s 360° underleaf technology provides precise delivery of foliar feeds and biorationals, uniform coverage and faster drying time with lower spray volume.”

Hartman told The Grapevine Magazine that using contact materials rather than systemic variations is critical with organic gardening, so it’s essential to get complete coverage that keeps the materials on the plant and off the ground. On Target’s sprayers are designed and manufactured with proprietary electrostatic technology that provides comprehensive coverage, including the undersides of the leaves and within the clusters, while using less water and materials. Their spray booms can be adjusted and turned on and off individually as needed. In addition, standard-equipped onboard rate controllers and GPS modules automatically adjust to the driver’s speed and location, slowing down or speeding up the spray rate and volume to keep it at the preferred level, creating a superior consistency in coverage.

“A standard sprayer uses 100 gallons per acre sprayed, whereas our electrostatic sprayers will use 20 gallons over that same area,” said Hartman. “So we can spray 10 acres on a 200-gallon tank sprayer versus only two acres when using a standard sprayer. That’s an immediate opportunity to save money on water use. Add in the time saved with fewer return trips to refill the tanks, less overall material to spread, less time spent on the tractor, less money spent on fuel, and the advantages of electrostatic sprayers keep piling up. Environmentally speaking, by using less water and concentrated spray, electrostatic prayers result in less runoff, minimal drift and improved chemistry coverage, all essential aspects for moving away from systemic treatments and into a more organic way of farming.”

With increases in sprayer use comes increases in sprayer maintenance. Hartman said that it is obvious to look for quality, serviceable parts when purchasing a sprayer. Still, as a consumer, you should also look for sprayers offering onboard solutions to make your daily job easier and more manageable.

“One of the most important maintenance issues with sprayers is rinsing after use,” said Hartman. “On Target’s sprayers feature onboard rinsing tanks that are accessible with the flip of a switch. In addition, all the components needed for droplet charging in electrostatic spraying, including the liquid, air and the 12-volt power source, are on board and separately enclosed.

Getting All Misty: A1 Mist Sprayers

Mist sprayers are another option for vineyard owners. Versatile enough to apply insecticides, herbicides and fungicides throughout the growing process, misting sprayers send your spray applications to the target, both on top and underneath the leaf structure. Foliar feeding is beneficial for several reasons, including when insufficient fertilizer exists, rapid or accelerated growth is wanted, the nutrients are locked in the soil or soil temperatures are not conducive to using the applied fertilizer. Foliar feeding gets absorbed and utilized quickly, starting within minutes of application and completed, with most nutrients, within one to two days.

“A1 Mist Sprayers enable you to create spray barriers to help not only your vineyard crops, but also your livestock and feedlots, and truck farming crops,” said Jon Kulzer, A1 Mist Division Manager. “Our units utilize a high-velocity air technology system that enhances coverage while using 90% less chemical and 50% less water. The two-way volute gets pumped through nozzles into the created air stream, creating a fine mist solution specifically designed to allow the operator to reach the preferred target areas on each side of the sprayer in one simultaneous action.”

A1 Mist Sprayers can work with the equipment that a vineyard already utilizes, including tractors, trucks, ATVs and side-by-sides, so finding a unit to fit your needs is never an issue.

Kulzer told The Grapevine Magazine that any grower needs access to a cost-effective, versatile and user-friendly sprayer in today’s market. A1 Mist Sprayers feature powder-coated frames for chemical resistance and easy calibration systems, with the ability to spray from 100 to 800 micros and reach an 18-foot vertical pattern. Additional options include a backflush feature available on some units, making switching between applications quick and easy.

Pros, Cons & Best Uses For Various Winery Tanks

March 1, 2022February 14, 2024 Cyndi Leave a comment

By: Alyssa Ochs

The cost of winery tanks tends to increase each year and can be heavily taxed in certain situations. So, it is wise to do your research and stay up-to-date about what types of tanks are available, effective and trending. Choosing a winery tank may seem straightforward enough, but there are a lot of factors and considerations to keep in mind before making a purchase.

Various types and styles of tanks are available to wineries today based on size, material, and function. Fortunately, there are businesses specializing in tanks and tank-related products for the wine industry. These companies can offer a wealth of information about the best uses for this vital piece of equipment.

An Overview of Winery Tanks

Tanks are used for many different purposes in a winery setting, including clarifying and removing tannins, proteins, and other solids. Tanks aid the prolonged aging of wine and assist with wine fermentation so that yeast grows properly and oxygen is controlled. Certain tanks can make wine smoother, fuller or fruitier in taste.

A variety of materials are used for constructing wine tanks, including steel, wood and concrete. Porcelain, oak, clay/amphorae and plastic are other tank materials used by wineries.

Pros & Cons of Stainless-steel Tanks

The type of tank chosen for your winery will depend on the purpose, budget and availability. For example, both general and multi-purpose tanks are used to make wine. Meanwhile, wineries use tanks for non-winemaking purposes, such as storing water for irrigation, collecting wastewater generated from winemaking, collecting chemicals for cleaning and having emergency water on hand for potential wildfires.

Stainless steel tanks are cost-effective and last a long time. They come in different shapes and don’t add tannins or flavors, which is desirable for many wines. However, lately, there has been more international demand for stainless steel bought in bulk, making the costs higher than in the past.

Scott Dapelo, the sales manager for Quality Stainless Tanks, told The Grapevine Magazine that enclosed, top fermentation and storage tanks are the most popular type that his company sells to wineries.

“We make them in sizes from 500- to 50,000-gallon capacities,” Dapelo said. “The most common are the 2,000- and 6,500-gallon versions.”

Based in Windsor, California, Quality Stainless Tanks provides custom-designed and ready-made tanks for wine, beer, spirits and special applications. The company hand-crafts its products in Northern California’s wine country and has the wine industry’s largest line of in-stock fermentation and storage tanks.

“The sanitation aspects of stainless is a great advantage, as is its unparalleled longevity when compared to wood, plastic or concrete vessels,” Dapelo said.

Julien Roussel from Algor, a stainless steel tank producer in Italy, told The Grapevine Magazine that his company’s most popular models are the FVPP and FCPT. These are pre-configured variable capacity tanks that come standard with welded legs, a sample valve, drain and racking ports and a complete floating lid kit.

“FVPP tanks have flat bottoms with sump and accommodate volumes of 230 to 1,500 liters, or 60 to 396 gallons,” Roussel said. “FCPT tanks come with dish bottoms and accommodate volumes of 2,000 to16,000 liters or 528 to 4,226 gallons. Additionally, FCPT vessels come standard with a man-way door, 360-degree cooling jacket, thermometer and pulley arm. These versatile lines offer aseptic environments and can be used for vinification and storage. Moreover, our customers value the fact that all the accessories are manufactured in-house for seamless integration and consistent quality.”

Roussel said Algor uses certified European AISI 304 and AISI 316 grade stainless steel alloys for its tanks. Both tanks offer high corrosion resistance and ease of cleaning, resulting in negligible product contamination.

“The 304 is perfect for most applications and budget-friendly,” Roussel said. “The 316 can be worth the expense if you need to have superior corrosion resistance, such as if the tanks live outside and in the proximity of the ocean or if you produce wine vinegar. Our customers also opt for 316 when producing some specific wines such as whites from the Burgundy and the Chablis regions in France.”

Pros & Cons of Other Types of Tanks

Wood tanks intentionally change the flavor and texture of wine. They are usually cylindrical and often used for decades; however, they offer the best sensory changes within the first two to three years of use. Wood tanks keep the fermentation at a warmer temperature, making it necessary to monitor that temperature closely and requiring more labor hours.

Meanwhile, concrete tanks are porous and let some oxygen in during fermentation. Concrete offers more gradual fermentation and a more authentic representation of the wine without adding oak. However, concrete tanks can be challenging because of sanitation difficulties and cracking due to temperature changes.

Amphorae is a nostalgic and historically used tank material that offers a natural approach to winemaking. These types of tanks come in various sizes but are not readily available and are more labor-intensive to use than the other options.

Plastic tanks started being more widely used for wine in the 1980s and are still cost-efficient today. They can help wineries maximize their floor space and allow oxygen to permeate through the tank walls because of the polymer construction. There have been concerns about the quality of wine produced in plastic tanks, the wine’s lack of character, and the plastic odors left behind in wine from the tanks. Yet the stigma of plastic tanks has been fading away with the emergence of higher quality polyethylene tanks that defy all of these concerns and are safe for food and beverage purposes.

Other Wine Tank Considerations

Cost is always a huge consideration when choosing wine tanks. Stainless steel tanks are often produced locally, making them easier to find and eliminating high shipping costs. Also, stainless-steel tanks tend to last considerably longer than oak and can save a winery money over time. Variable-capacity tanks commonly run between $500 and $5,000, based on size and features. But don’t forget about the costs of tank accessories and ongoing maintenance, so they don’t exceed the equipment budget for the year.

Another consideration is how to keep tanks and their contents safe and protected in case of an emergency or natural disaster. Onguard Seismic Systems is a New Zealand-based company that provides patented seismic systems for liquid storage tanks that protect the tank, its contents, the people and the environment from earthquakes.

“Losses suffered from earthquakes in global wine regions are numerous and include loss of product, loss of market share, insurance deductibles and compromised infrastructure,” Will Lomax, Onguard’s founder and managing director, told The Grapevine Magazine. “These losses can be avoided with the use of the Onguard seismic system. Unlike most incumbent anchoring methods seen in the U.S., Onguard’s energy-dissipating anchors also meet the U.S. building code’s seismic requirements for the design and construction of liquid storage tanks. The Onguard system can be installed on new tanks or retrofitted to existing tanks to improve seismic performance and resilience.”

Lomax explained that winery tanks are generally either mounted onto elevated stands or placed directly onto a concrete slab or elevated pedestal. He said that tanks on stands require a full engineering design of the stand and the tank, which often gets overlooked.

“Optimum seismic performance of tanks on stands is achieved by detaching the tank from the stand and installing the Onguard anchors between the two, rather than at the feet,” Lomax said. “Tanks mounted onto concrete are a simpler structural system, as loads are transferred directly from the tank to the concrete. In recent years, some owners in the U.S have elected to mount the tank onto a stainless steel ‘skirt’ which is then infilled with a concrete slurry after the tank has been placed on the concrete slab. This method is very common in New Zealand and results in a very clean and tidy facility, with no projections for hoses to catch on and easy wash-down.”

While some tank styles were once commonly used for winemaking, they are becoming less common now in modern times. For instance, concrete has been a less common material for wine tanks in recent decades due to safety concerns and the popularity of stainless-steel tanks. Yet more recently, concrete has become much safer to use and comes in egg shapes and square shapes to increase the surface area contact between the wine and yeast. Clay/amphorae tanks are rarely used today but are a historical relic and throwback to old times for wineries looking to tap into their customer’s sense of nostalgia.

“Historically, it was common to leave tanks unanchored or poorly anchored,” Lomax said. “Thankfully, things have changed, and more attention is now paid to improving seismic performance. Unanchored or poorly anchored tanks should be assessed and retrofitted. The investment is well worthwhile given the potential for significant losses and can also lead to preferential insurance terms.”

Choosing the Ideal Tanks for Your Winery

Stainless steel is timeless and long-lasting, so it is the material of choice for many wineries––at least at the start. Some wineries also prefer oak, but they need to be prepared for extra maintenance hours for cleaning, curing, topping off, emptying, and doing sulfur treatments.

Lomax from Onguard Seismic Systems said that the structural design of tanks is a complex exercise and should only be undertaken by engineers who have the knowledge and experience to provide functional and compliant designs.

“The tank, anchorage and foundation should be designed as one integrated system and should comply with the seismic requirements of the current building code,” Lomax said. “The code mandates ductility in the anchorage system and energy dissipation through the permanent stretching of the anchors in a seismic event. This is often overlooked, for example, when tanks are simply welded to steel plates embedded into the concrete foundation, which almost guarantees significant losses in a design-level earthquake.”

Roussel from Algor said that some wineries make the mistake of believing that more expensive is always better. For example, there are two bottom configurations for Algor’s large tanks: dish bottom and slope bottom.

“The dish bottom is rounded with a drain at the center and lowest point of the dome,” Roussel said. “Slope bottom vessels have a flat bottom that slopes at a 5 % angle towards the drainage outlet. This design is recommended if you are frequently draining your tank. It is generally understood that dish bottom tanks are better for white wines and slope bottom vessels for red wines. However—and this may sound obvious—if budget is a concern and the goal is to make great wine, it is more important to focus on the quality of the grape than going over your budget to get all the possible bells and whistles.”

Meanwhile, Dapelo from Quality Stainless Tanks told The Grapevine Magazine that a common mistake wineries make is buying cheap, imported tanks that are less durable and impossible to get repairs and parts when needed. He said wineries should “deal with a local provider that has a history of reliable performance, offers custom designs and keeps their promise on when you’ll receive your tanks.”