Category: Winery Info

Managing pH in Wine

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lab worker testing ph balance from wine

By: Thomas J. Payette, Winemaking Consultant

In a recent symposium the speaker stood at the podium.  He started his talk saying “If stranded on a deserted island and the island happened to have grapes planted on it, and he were only allowed just three things he thought he could make some excellent wine.”  These three items were:

• A wine glass

• An excellent pH meter

• An accurate and precise tool to measure SO2

  The above statement gave each attendee at that conference an idea of how important the measurement of pH is to making wine.  Understanding the relationship of pH to each wine is very important for a winemaker to better understand how to handle a wine and to predict where a certain wine’s development may be heading.  Using the experiences drawn from past winemaking developments, one will soon understand how pH is a major factor to consider when making wine.

What is pH?

  pH is a numerical measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a chemical solution.  The measurement is of the hydrogen ion activity and it is logarithmic. This understanding is all the reader needs at this time.  Going much beyond this understanding may only bore the readers and discourage them from moving forward in their reading.  For more in depth knowledge of pH – feel free to research it. 

What is a normal pH Range for a wine?

  Most wines range between a pH of 2.90 and 4.00 with the large majority of wines ranging between 3.20 and 3.80.  Red wines will often be more near 3.40-3.80 and whites wines will normally be in the range of 3.20 – 3.58.  Some wines will stretch these limits but most will conform.  Winemakers must intervene, as needed or desired, to bring the wine back into the proper pH range.

What Influences the pH of a Wine?

  The grape condition: how those grapes are grown, potassium levels in the grapes, maturity level and skin contact after harvest (crushing) will be some of the largest influences on the wine pH. 

Grape condition: Wine grapes that have been allowed to hang will often show an increase in pH moving toward a pH of 4.00 and sometimes higher.  Most winemakers get increasingly nervous as pHs near 3.70 on red wines unless the tannin and anthocyanin structure are intense enough that the wine has some protection.  This protection is often from the antiseptic and oxygen scavenging properties of the tannins and deep color compounds. 

How the grapes are grown: Many factors from the soil, weather, amount of water at the root zone and other factors will affect the pH of the wine.  These relationships need to be studied further to be conclusive, but many factors may be controlled in the vineyard to help achieve the pH desired at harvest.  Much of this is related to canopy management.  Fruit that is grown in dense canopies with greater shading are more likely to come in at a higher pH than their exact same counterpart with hedging and some light exposure on the fruit zone.

Potassium Content:  The potassium content of the grapes may have an influence on the pH of the wine and more importantly the ability of the winemaker to adjust the pH.  When grapes are produced on a vine, research has shown only a certain amount of leaf surface area is needed to bring the grapes to ripeness.  Canopy density and leaf surface area beyond the amount for fruit maturation needed has shown to increase the level of potassium in the fruit.  This potassium may result in higher pH’s in the mature fruit but more importantly offer a buffering capacity in the wine.  This buffering capacity will be a challenge to a winemaker dealing with a wine that has a relatively high titratable acidity and a high ph.  The winemaker may do a tartaric acid addition trial to a batch of wine then find more acid is needed than predicted to achieve the pH desired.  This is a result of the buffering capacity resisting movement of the pH with each incremental addition of acid.  This is one of the many reasons winemakers should find themselves in the vineyard as much as possible working with the vineyard manager to show the vineyard crew how a wine may get out of balance and not have chemical stability with the higher pH. 

Maturity and Malic acid:  The maturation process of most wine grapes is another factor that tends to affect the ph.  As wine grapes mature, more malic acid, especially in warmer climates, will respire leaving more tartaric as the principal acid.  Winemakers watching this rise in pH on the fruit are urged not to worry too much.  This decline in malic acid does result in a higher pH of the fruit at harvest but it will often result in less of a shift of the pH upward after malo-lactic fermentation.  The reason is there is less malic in the wine to be consumed by the malo-lactic bacteria and therefore less of a shift while converting malic acid to lactic.   This principal applies mostly to red grapes but it can have applications to white wine making as well.  The reader should keep in mind this malic shifting process happens in warmer climates mostly and less so in cooler climates.

Skin contact:  Skin contact is another less mentioned factor when speaking of influencing the wine pH.  Juice in contact with the skins after crushing will start to show a rise in the pH soon after crushing.  This process will be more rapid and directly related to the temperature of the must.  For this and many reasons most winemakers prefer to press just after crushing white wine grapes and some prefer whole cluster pressing.

pH shifts during alcoholic fermentation

  When the juice is pressed off a white wine grape or red wine grapes are crushed, an alcoholic fermentation is usually started soon after with yeast.  Alcohol has a higher pH than sugar so it stands to reason that as a wine ferments the pH will start to rise.  Often, one will see a shift upward of about 0.15 to 0.22 in pH so a juice starting at a pH of 3.2 could result in a wine of about 3.40.  This tends to stabilize while under a pH 3.65 as the tartrates precipitating out of solution will help counteract the pH shift upward from the alcoholic fermentation.  Restating – the pH will rise upward during alcoholic fermentation and then drop while cold stabilizing the wine often bringing our pH back to near the original value at harvest in the juice in this example.

pH Shifts During Malo-Lactic Fermentation

  After alcoholic fermentation, depending on the wine being made, the winemaker may want to induce a malo-lactic fermentation.  This is often to reduce the acidity of a wine and to soften the wine by reducing the malic acid content to levels of unfermentable malic acid left over.  The malic that is converted will transform to lactic and provides a pH shift upward in most cases.  Many wines will shift upward by about 0.20 ph units. This is directly linked to how much malic was present prior the malo-lactic fermentation and how much was consumable by the Malo-lactic bacteria.  Quantitatively measuring the malic acid prior to inducing the malo-lactic fermentation will give the winemaker a better rough idea as to how much pH shift to expect once completed.

3.62 Bifurcation

  As noted in a previous addition of The Grapevine Magazine in the “Cold Stabilization article” a very interesting phenomenon does exist in grape wine when the pH of the wine is near roughly 3.62.  This is more directly related to how the pH will react during cold stabilization as potassium bitartrate crystals form and precipitate out of solution.  When a grape wine is below 3.62 and potassium bitartrates fall out during crystallization and precipitation the wine pH will go down.  Conversely – when a wine pH is above 3.62 the pH will shift upward while the tartrates fall out.  Keep in mind this may happen in portion during the alcoholic fermentation as the alcohol level goes up. 

pH and Sulfur Dioxide

  The use of Sulfur Dioxide is closely related to the pH value obtained on a certain wine.  Wines with lower pH values will need less free sulfur dioxide added to them in order to do the job needed.  Conversely wines at a higher pH may need more SO2 to protect them properly.   Another interesting factor with sulfur dioxide does exist on a very small level.  When sulfur dioxide reacts with oxygen it will form H2SO4 or sulfuric acid.  This can have a very small effect on the pH of a wine, especially longer aging reds, in the wine production cellar.

pH and Sorbic Acid

  Sweeter wines will often have potassium sorbate (sorbic acid) added to them to prevent any refermentation issues with that wine.  These sorbates may be used in conjunction or the absence of sterile filtration.  When using sorbates one may lower the amount used if the pH is lower.  An example may be:  a clean “yeast free” wine at pH 3.10 may only need 150 ppm sorbic acid to avoid a refermentation issue.  This is closely linked to the SO2 value measured at bottling and post bottling.  Oxygen pick up must be moderate to little in order to preserve the bottled wine.  Sulfur Dioxide and Sorbic acid work together to prevent yeast fermentation.

Aging Ramifications

  Wines at lower pH values will generally age slower than wines of higher pH values.  This is true of wines treated the same.  A red wine at a higher pH value may soften and age faster.  Some reds may develop a brickish color on the edges.  Try to avoid this and treat wines with a higher pH in a delicate fashion.  Use protective oxygen avoidance measure to help slow the rate of oxidation.  Conversely wines with lower pH may age slower yet may be handled best as well in the absence of oxygen.

pH and Micro-organisms

  The higher the pH of a certain wine, the greater the chance that wine may succumb to a potential unwanted wine microbe.  At higher pH’s a whole host of other bacteria may grow in the wine ranging from lactobacillus, dekkera, acetobacter, brettanomyces and Low Acid Bacteria just to name a few.  So, as our wine pH values increase, we open ourselves up almost exponentially to other potential bacteria issues.  Many of these can greatly change the quality of a wine in a negative fashion.  When monitoring your wine pH’s in the cellar – be aware of which wines are higher and keep a special eye on those wines.

Mouthfeel

  To build confidence with your palate, learn to relate how the mouthfeel is at certain pH’s.  One cannot taste pH yet one can taste acidity and make general assumptions about the pH.  A nice balanced wine may actually have a higher pH lending toward a broader mouthfeel.  This is true with Chardonnay as well as Viognier.  Many reds may do well with higher pH’s if the body, tannins and structure support to give backbone to the palate.

Measuring pH

  The reader is encouraged to obtain a very nice, precise and accurate pH meter with automatic temperature compensation for his or her lab.  Calibrate this unit often and most likely daily when used.  This is a critical measurement in winemaking and obtaining the proper measurement is imperative to make sound winemaking decisions.  Be sure the sample is free of any Carbon Dioxide during measurement because that may interfere.  The meter should measure to the 100th for example 3.46.  Invest in a great meter and use it often.

Summary

  Keep an eye on your pH’s while growing your grapes and making wine.  This tool is of greater importance than most winemakers may think.  Managing the grape’s pH in the vineyards can be a first step and taking action in the cellar should be

the next protocol.  Get a firm understanding of how the pH’s react to each process in your cellar mentioned above to make the best wine possible.

  The next issue will be on How to Raise the pH of your wine.  Till then – be well.

References: 

Amerine, M.A., Berg, H.W., Cruess,W.V. 1972. The Technology of Wine Making

Dharmadhikari, M.R., Wilker, K.L. 2001. Micro Vinification.

Zoecklein, B.W., Fugelsang, K.C., Gump, B.H., and Nury, F.S. 1999. Wine Analysis and Production

Verbal conversations with Jacques Boissenot, Jacques Recht, Chris Johnson and Joachim Hollerith.

Grapevine Leafroll & Red Blotch Virus Disease Management and Control

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picture of vineyards with leafroll and red blotch disease

By:  Judit Monis, Ph.D. – Vineyard and Plant Health Consultant

The symptoms of virus infection become more pronounced in the vineyards in the late summer and fall season.  Specially leafroll and red blotch, the most important viral diseases that manifest in red-fruited grape varieties.  Often, it is difficult to distinguish leafroll from red blotch disease symptoms in the vineyard.  In this article I will summarize and update information on the biology, symptoms, transmission, and management of the viruses responsible for these important diseases.  

The Viruses Associated with Leafroll and Red blotch Diseases

  There are four different viral species associated with grapevine leafroll disease.   The viruses belong to the Closteroviridae family and are Grapevine leafroll virus -3, and Grapevine leafroll associated virus -1 , -2, and -4 (GLRaV-1, -2, -4).  Except for Grapevine fanleaf, Grapevine leafroll -3 and red blotch, Koch’s postulates have not been completed with most of the disease-causing grapevine viruses.   The postulates state (in the case of a virus) that the virus must be isolated in pure form from a diseased plant, later the isolated virus must be introduced to a healthy plant. 

  After a period, the newly infected plant must show the same symptoms as the original infected plant.  Clearly Koch’s postulates are important because they prove the cause and effect of a virus (or any pathogen) causing disease.  It has been difficult to demonstrate Koch’s postulates, with grapevine-infecting viruses.

  There are many reasons for this.  Mainly, there are not many alternative hosts that are susceptible to most grapevine infecting viruses.  But most importantly, grapevine viruses are not mechanically transmitted onto grapevines.  These viruses need to be introduced to a vine by an insect vector or via grafting (graft-transmission).   Dr. Marc Fuchs team at Cornell University was able to demonstrate that GRBV genetic material is responsible for red blotch foliar symptoms in red fruited grapevine varieties.  While Baozhong Meng and team at  the University of Guelph in  Canada) completed the Koch’s postulates for GLRaV-3, consequently naming the virus GLRV-3. Both projects involved the use of sophisticated recombinant DNA technology to introduce the virus genetic material into tissue cultured grapevine plants.  

  In our modern days, we have accepted the use of infectious clones (a recombinant copy of a virus) to prove that a virus causes a specific disease.  This would allow the dropping of the the word “associated” from the viral name.   Within the Closteroviridae family, species of leafroll viruses are classified in three genera, Ampelovirus, Closterovirus, and Velarivirus. Grapevine leafroll associated virus -1, GLRV-3, and GLRaV-4 belong to the Ampelovirus genus.  Grapevine leafroll associated virus -2 is a Closterovirus and GLRaV-7 is a member of the Velarivirus genus. 

  Some researchers claim that GLRaV-7 should not be considered a leafroll virus.   Recent research has shown that GLRaV-7 was isolated from a mixed leafroll infected vine and symptoms may have been due to the other leafroll virus present in the vine.  When found in single infections, GLRaV-7 does not appear to show typical leafroll symptoms.

  Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) is the second DNA virus species discovered in grapevines (its genetic material is DNA rather than RNA).  Both its molecular and structural characterization has placed GRBV in a new genus (Grablovirus) within the Geminiviridae family.  

Leafroll and Red Blotch Symptoms can be Confused

  Vines infected with leafroll viruses produce smaller grape clusters that ripen unevenly with lower sugar content. Foliar symptoms include downward rolling, reddening, or yellowing of leaves depending on the grapevine variety. Other foliar colors associated with leafroll virus infection include different hues of red, purple, and orange. The leaf veins may remain green or take many other colors (purple, red, yellow, etc.).    Grapevine red blotch virus infection also displays leaf discoloration which usually appear spotty or blotchy.   

  However, these symptoms generally are indistinguishable from leafroll, especially when rolling of leaves are absent in leafroll-infected vines.  In red fruited varieties, GRBV infected vines can display red veins, but red veins have also been observed in non-infected vines, and many red-blotch infected vines do not display red veins.   In my opinion, red vein symptoms cannot be used as a diagnostic tool.   In white-fruited varieties red blotch disease displays yellow blotchy discoloration in leaves. While the symptoms of leafroll and red blotch can be confused, these diseases are caused by different viruses.

  Further, visual diagnostics is complicated by the fact that grapevines often carry mixed infections of viruses and other pathogens.  Although, the change in colors of the leaves in the fall is a tale-tell of virus infection, the most important negative effect of both leafroll and red blotch virus infection is the reduction of sugar in fruit resulting in lower Brix values and delayed fruit maturity.

  Some leafroll viruses and/or their strains are more aggressive than others.  Researchers have described the Alfie (Australia and New Zealand), BD (Italy), and Red Globe (U.S.A) strains of GLRaV-2. These strains are molecularly similar and have been associated with graft incompatibility, vine decline, and death.  Some researchers report that GLRaV-1 and GLRV-3 induce more severe symptoms than GLRaV-4.  However, symptoms vary depending on the grape variety, rootstock, and climatic conditions.  Two different genetic groups (clades) of GRBV have been reported but no differences in their biology or effect on symptoms in vineyards have been described.  Just as seen with leafroll, the symptom expression of GRBV infected vines is affected by climatic conditions and the author has noted differences in the effect on sugar reduction in sunnier and warmer areas (i.e., California coastal areas with more fog and lower sunshine yield fruit with lower sugar concentration than the same grape clones grown inland with more sun/heat exposure).

Transmission and Spread of Leafroll and Red Blotch Viruses

  Ampeloviruses are known to be transmitted by mealybugs and soft scale insects in a non-specific manner.  This means, different mealybug and soft scale insect species can transmit any leafroll virus in the Ampelovirus genus.  Research has shown that the citrus (Planococcus citri), grape (Pseudococcus maritimus), long-tailed (Pseudococcus longispinus), obscure (Pseudococcus viburni) and vine (Planococcus ficus) mealybugs as well as the soft scale insects Pulvinaria vitis and Ceroplastes rusci are able to transmit leafroll viruses. Mealybugs and soft scale insects feed on the vine’s sap by inserting their sucking mouthparts into the plant’s vascular system (phloem). The honeydew excreted during the feeding process attracts ants that nurse and aid mealybugs to be transported to different positions of the vine or a different vine in the row.  Mealybugs may be difficult to observe as they may hide beneath the bark.  However, the presence of sooty mold (a fungus) and ant activity can be a good indication that mealybug are present in the vineyard.  No Insect vectors able to transmit Leafroll virus-2 or GLRaV -7 have not been found to date and are propagated  by humans who produce, graft, and distribute cuttings from infected vines (also those viruses that have vectors are mainly propagated this way!).  

  Work by researchers at Cornell University and the University of California reported that the three-cornered alfalfa hopper (Spissistilus festinus) can transmit the GRBV in greenhouse and laboratory conditions.  It is interesting that grapevine is not the preferred host for Spissistilus festinus that prefers to feed on legumes, grasses, and shrubs.  Furthermore, the insect is not able to complete its reproductive cycle in grapevines.  Because the virus is spreading in areas where the three-cornered alfalfa hopper is not present, research is in progress to determine if other insects are capable of transmitting the red blotch virus.  

  Recently, it was shown that Tortistilus albidoparsus (another tree hopper) is a vector capable of transmitting GRBV.  Clearly, even with the availability of insect vectors, it is clear that the rapid expansion of this virus in vineyards  in USA and other countries was due to propagation and grafting of cuttings from infected vines.  This also explains the arrival of GRBV to many countries in Asia, Europe, and South America where GRBV had not been previously reported.   In summary, both, leafroll and red blotch viruses are graft transmissible and predominantly propagated by producing cuttings of infected rootstock and scion material. 

Virus Diagnosis and Disease Management

  The distribution and concentration of leafroll and red blotch viruses is different in infected plant material.  While leafroll detection appears to be seasonal (best detected late in the growing season), detection of red blotch virus can be performed any time of the year.   Further, work performed in my lab showed that red blotch virus can be detected in high titers in any part of the vine.  The work showed that red blotch virus can be detected in any tissue tested, new or mature leaves, petioles, green or lignified canes, as well as cordons and trunks.  In contrast, leafroll viruses are generally found in low concentrations and are best detected in mature leaves, canes, cordon, and trunk.  If a vine has been infected through cuttings, the older the plant material is, the easier it is to detect leafroll. 

  Presently other field “detection” methods are being developed.  I am personally involved in a project working with a multidisciplinary team with the aim of training canines to detect leafroll and red blotch virus in infected vines. Various research groups in USA and abroad are using RBG (red, blue, green) and  hyperspectral photography combined with machine learning to detect GLRV-3 and GRBV in vineyards to facilitate the mapping and rogueing of infected vines.

  Keeping both leafroll and red blotch viruses out of the productive vineyards relies on clean planting stock programs.  Because both viruses are graft transmitted and have biological vectors it is important to implement a monitoring and sampling program at the nursery and production vineyards.  Vines that are symptomatic or that test positive must be removed from the vineyard to avoid spread (especially if one of the Ampeloviruses or GRBV are detected and the vector is present in the vineyard).  Depending on the disease incidence (I have developed a statistical sampling formula to calculate and help make decisions), the removal of a few vines or the whole vineyard is recommended.

  Different chemical and biological control strategies are available for the control of mealybugs that transmit leafroll viruses.  The use of chemical control, although might be used to control GRBV vector is not presently recommended. However, the choice of cover crops that are less appealing to insect vector’s diets can help minimize their presence in the vineyards.  

Conclusions

  Judit is involved in applied research with the goal to determine the ideal process to protect clean planting grapevine stock and newly planted vineyards from infection of viruses and fungal pathogens.  Presently, information on what is the distance needed at the foundation and nursery blocks to avoid infection from diseased blocks is lacking. The results of the research will be able to adopt the best strategy to isolate and monitor clean planting stock.  Until we have this information my recommendation is that nurseries and growers determine the health status of grapevine stock prior to planting to avoid the propagation and/or introduction diseased vines to the vineyard.  Yet, it is imperative to isolate and monitor newly planted vineyards to avoid the introduction of disease via insect vectors.  It is important to remember that lack of symptoms does not always correlate with a healthy diagnostic result (rootstock varieties as well as non-grafted vines are usually asymptomatic), so it is best to test a statistical sample of the nursery propagated material to be sure of its health status.

  Judit Monis, Ph.D. provides specialized services to help growers, vineyard managers, and nursery personnel avoid the propagation and transmission of disease caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses in the vineyard.   Judit (based in California) is fluent in Spanish and is available to consult in all wine grape growing regions of the word.  Please visit juditmonis.com for information or contact juditmonis@yahoo.com to request a consulting session at your vineyard.

The Contract Packaging Agreement

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By: Brad Berkman and Louis Terminello, Greenspoon Marder

A few times on these pages, we’ve written about contracts of various types to assist brand owners in proper planning for brand manufacture, introduction and distribution. In this article, we’ll take something of a deeper dive into production agreements in a contract package or custom crush arrangement.

  First, building a winery, and perhaps developing a vineyard, is an extraordinarily time-consuming and expensive process. Returns on investment may take many years to see back. In addition, winemaking (as well as brewing and distilling), is a manufacturing process that requires great deals of expertise, technological know-how and a deep appreciation for the art form. Taking a brand to market and getting placed on wine lists and by-the-glass programs require a very different set of skills. Enter: the brand owner and the contract package relationship.

  It’s worth noting that brand owner, though a common term in the industry, is also a term of art in the beverage law. Since the writers of this article are striking their keyboards in Florida, we’ll refer to Florida Beverage Law for quick analysis.

  561.42 FL. Stat. makes the first reference to “brand owner” in the Florida Beverage Law. The statute is Florida’s tied-house evil statute prohibiting direct and/or indirect interests between upper-tier industry members and retailers. Brand owners are lumped in and treated similarly to manufacturers, distributors, importers, primary American sources of supply, registrants, and/or any broker or sales agent or salesperson. By this definition, brand owners, absent the presence of a statutory exception, are treated as upper-tier industry members and subject to tied-house laws and restrictions. This is generally true in all states.

  Brand owners, when appropriately licensed, are permitted to enter into contract packaging agreements with manufacturers. Both are upper-tier industry members and certain tied-house restrictions are inapplicable. Prior to finalizing the production agreement, a federal wholesalers permit is required, as issued by the Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), and in many instances, state permits are required as well. The reader should keep in mind that an alternative licensing paradigm exists called an “Alternating Proprietorship” arrangement where the brand owner, via a different licensing scheme, acts as a tenant of the winery and produces its own product on the winery’s premises. This article will focus on the former arrangement.

  Negotiating and finalizing the terms of a production agreement can be a daunting task. The brand owner and manufacturer share a common goal, but agreeing on the terms which will lead to the goal of a final product could be challenging generally because of the bargaining positions and goals of the parties.

  What follows is a look at some of the essential terms of a contract package or custom crush agreement that both parties to the contract should consider carefully. By no means is this an exhaustive list, and competent alcohol beverage contract attorneys should be retained to assist.

•             Quantities and Pricing:  Total quantities produced under the agreement require careful consideration, and for the brand owner in particular. There must be a meeting of the minds on production levels prior to focusing on other areas. Brand owners should be careful not to enter into agreements where production quantities and commensurate pricing/costs are higher than anticipated sales over the same time period. Managing brand building resources against production costs is essential. Phrased another way, brand owners should carefully manage their production dollars to ensure the required monies are available for marketing and sales spends.

                  On the flip side, manufacturers must consider the volume expectations of the brand owner. They must consider whether they can meet the production requirements of the brand owner. In the alternative, they must carefully consider allocating valuable production time to brand owners whose volume requirements are too low, which ultimately cuts into revenue potential.

•             The Juice:  Manufacturing services need to be clearly stated. The parties need to determine whether the winery will actually be producing and supplying the wine to be used or if it will be outsourced from a different winery and bottled at the contract packer’s premises. Quality specifications need to be determined and assurances need to be made that the end product will comply with quality standards established by the parties. By extension, provisions should be included for how to deal with a finished product that does not comply with agreed upon quality standards.

•             Raw Goods and Production Material:  Any ingredient specifications, if required, should be determined, agreed to, and set forth in the agreement. As with the above, finished product assurances (as to quality) should be included, as well as methods for dealing with materials not in compliance with quality standards.

                  The same should be considered with production materials. Bottles, caps, labels, cases and other constituent parts must be considered. Central issues such as how these items will be procured, that is whether the winery will procure these items and build their costs into the finished product or whether the brand owner should source them out and supply these items as required. Quality assurances need to be addressed as well, and in particular, how to manage materials that do not comport with quality standards.

                  Another seemingly innocuous issue is storage fees associated with the storing of raw goods and production materials at the packager’s location. Associated costs for storage services should be memorialized in the agreement. Hidden or undetermined fees may add up quickly, causing revenue issues for the brand owner and could potentially lead to disputes among the contracting parties.

•             Exclusivity and Production and Supply Goals:

                  Serious consideration must be brought to the issue of exclusivity by both parties. Brand owners need to determine early on whether a potential contract packager has the ability to supply all the requirements of the brand owner. Conversely, the packager must also make honest inquiries as to its ability to produce and pack according to the brand owners’ requirements. Generally, the preferred approach is the middle ground.  That is to say, a reasonable production number based on the brand owners’ requirements and the contract packer’s ability to produce should be agreed upon and memorialized in the contract packaging agreement. Under this scenario, both parties have a reasonable expectation as to their respective performance requirements under the agreement and an understanding of the benefits incurred. The issue of exclusivity could become moot, if the production and supply numbers are agreeable to both parties.

•             Production Forecasting and Scheduling:  Another area for the parties to agree upon prior to execution of the agreement, is anticipating production needs over time to ensure that the packer can produce according to a set schedule and the brand owner can rely on goods being ready according to their sales and marketing needs. Anticipated variances and procedures for adjusting product forecasts and scheduling should be memorialized as well.

•             Recall:  A system and procedures for recall should be established and memorialized as well, with allocation of costs based upon the reasons for recall. Recalls may occur for myriads of reasons, and when addressing this issue parties to an agreement should devise a method for determining the cause that led to recall. It should be clear that determining cause guides the parties in allocating costs for the same.

  Contract packaging agreements can be complicated agreements to negotiate and draft, requiring many more provisions than those stated above. Ultimately, agreeing on terms that satisfy the operational requirements of both parties is ideally supported by the legal protections required by both parties. As a word of warning, take care in proceeding forward with these types of agreements. Having experienced legal counsel involved is the most prudent course of action.

Efficiency Uncorked: Sensor Technology Empowers Modern Wineries

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two men standing outside of multiple large wine tanks and making notes on a clipboard

By: Aaron Ganick, BrewOps

Using modern sensor technology in wineries enhances efficiency and consistency. These advancements allow winemakers to focus more on the creative aspects of their craft while ensuring the production of high-quality products that delight customers year after year.

  Automation systems leverage real-time sensor data to maintain precise control over critical production variables throughout the winemaking process. Consistent monitoring and control are crucial for maintaining the flavor, quality, and integrity of the wine. Automation empowers operators to make data-driven decisions, enhancing efficiency and ensuring uniformity across all processes, ultimately enabling wineries of all sizes to produce high-quality, consistent products.

  In addition, automation helps wineries reduce product and material waste, minimize unexpected equipment downtime, and increase sustainability. Sensor technology optimizes the use of raw materials and energy, further reducing expenses in modern wineries and vineyards. Automated systems allow wineries to scale their operations more easily. As demand grows, these systems can be expanded or upgraded to handle increased production without a proportional increase in labor costs.

  Modern sensing and automation technologies provide continuous, real-time data that was previously unavailable, capturing metrics such as pressure, temperature, pH, oxygen, and conductivity. This wealth of continuous data allows for a deeper understanding of individual processes, which would be impossible with traditional discrete sampling.

  By synthesizing collected data into actionable information, winemakers can identify trends, troubleshoot issues, and make precise adjustments to optimize the winemaking process. This enhanced control over critical parameters ensures the consistent production of high-quality wine and enables continuous improvement and innovation in winemaking best practices.

  Automation has expanded beyond the manufacturing floor into the cultivation and harvesting processes within agriculture and farming. What was once only available to high-tech production facilities is now ubiquitous indoors and out. Sensor technology enables continuous monitoring of soil, vegetation, and atmospheric conditions, allowing for precise regulation of irrigation and fertilization in response to environmental changes. By comparing current and historical data with predictive models, farmers can optimize the timing of the harvest season, improving yield and quality while reducing resource usage.

Modern automation technologies are now accessible to wineries of all sizes, enhancing efficiency, consistency, and sustainability. These advancements allow winemakers to focus on their craft while ensuring high-quality production through precise control over critical variables. Automation reduces waste, minimizes downtime, and optimizes resource usage with real-time data, enabling informed, data-driven decisions. 

Top 10 Benefits of Using Sensor Technology in Wineries

  Enhancing efficiency, quality assurance, and overall operations are just a few of the benefits of using sensor technology in a winery. Here are a few specific examples of how automation benefits each step of the winemaking process:

1.           Vineyard Management: Moisture sensors monitor soil water content to optimize irrigation, while weather stations track environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. These technologies help improve yield by ensuring optimal growing conditions.

2.           Harvesting: Hand-held refractometers are used to measure grape sugar levels (Brix) to determine the optimal time to harvest. Some wineries use GPS-enabled tools to assist in planning and executing the harvest efficiently.

3.           Sorting and Destemming:  Portable optical sorting devices use cameras to sort grapes by size and quality, ensuring only the best fruit is used. Destemming machines efficiently separate grapes from stems.

4.           Crushing and Pressing:  Automated crushers and presses equipped with pressure sensors handle moderate volumes of grapes—ensuring efficient juice extraction while minimizing oxidation. These machines apply the optimal pressure for different grape varieties.

5.           Fermentation:  Temperature sensors and pH sensors monitor and control fermentation conditions. These sensors can be connected to control systems or smartphones to ensure consistent fermentation by tracking key metrics such as temperature and acidity.

6.           Clean-in-Place (CIP) Sanitization:  CIP systems using pressure, temperature, and conductivity sensors to ensure the thorough cleaning of tanks and equipment, reducing manual labor and minimizing contamination risks.

7.           Racking and Clarification:  Automated racking pumps with built-in pressure sensors precisely transfer wine between vessels, reducing oxidation and contamination risks. Filtration systems ensure clarity and stability in the final product while monitoring dissolved oxygen to reduce the risk of oxidation from leaks in the system.

8.           Aging:  Humidity and temperature sensors are used to monitor aging conditions in the cellar. Smart sensors send alerts if conditions deviate from desired levels, ensuring optimal aging, while providing 24/7 peace of mind for operators and owners.

9.           Bottling:  Semi-automatic bottling machines with sensors for volume control ensure consistent filling. Continuous quality monitoring is enabled by sensors for washing, filling, corking, labeling, and pasteurization of bottles.

10.Packaging and Distribution:  Automated packaging tools like label printers and bottle cappers streamline the packaging process. Inventory management software integrated with sensors can provide facility efficiency by tracking stock levels and automating orders to ensure reliable distribution.

Automation Empowers the Modern Winery

  The options for automation technology in wineries are vast but can quickly become expensive with advanced mechanical automation and customized integration. Starting small, focusing on the ROI for each system, and quantifying repeatable metrics are critical to creating sustainable benefits.

From soil moisture sensors for irrigation to drones for monitoring plant growth and blockchain for supply chain traceability from grape to glass, automation is now accessible to all. Winemakers should choose technology that is quick to install, easy to integrate, and scalable to grow with their business needs.

  Using sensor technology and automation, wineries of all sizes can make data-driven decisions to enhance efficiency and processes, while creating tasty experiences that deliver year after year.

About the Author

  Aaron Ganick is a serial technology entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Preddio Technologies, the parent company of BrewOps.  Aaron holds a degree in electrical engineering from Boston University and has authored dozens of granted patents in the fields of optical networking, telecommunications, and automation systems. He can be reached at aaron.ganick@brewops.com. For more information on BrewOps, the fast and easy-to-install brewery automation platform, visit www.brewops.com.

Fog Crest Vineyard: Breaking Barriers While Leaving a Legacy  

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man and woman on deck holding wine glasses overlooking vineyard

By: Gerald Dlubala

In 1996, Rosalind Manoogian and her husband, James, decided to purchase an apple orchard that had been neglected and in disrepair. The orchard was beyond its usefulness, and the choice was to clear it out and replace it with a vineyard that one day might sustain itself through grape and wine production. That initial vision has been realized in a big way for Rosalind Manoogian, president and current majority owner of Fog Crest Vineyards. Manoogian is the first Black female owner and operator of a winery in Sonoma County, California, producing world-renowned, ultra-premium, chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot rosé wines.

  “Prior to us moving here, the land was known for its apples. Before that, it was hops,” said Manoogian. “Grapes were just becoming the hot market when we moved here, so as the property manager, we wanted to do the right thing and follow the market, so growing grapes was a no-brainer. And let’s face it, growing grapes and making wine is sexier than the other options. Since the orchard was past its usefulness, so we spent the first year clearing, cultivating and getting the land ready for grapes. Next, we put in rootstock, then over time, we put in the vineyard, which was 10 acres evenly split between chardonnay and pinot noir vines.”

  Fog Crest Vineyard was founded the following year, in 1997. Located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California, Manoogian chose the Fog Crest name to pay homage to the dense fog that blankets the valley. The location and terroir of the vineyard is optimal for grape growing. Its rolling hills with a south/east exposure and sandstone-based soil offer excellent drainage and full morning sun. Combined with the cool morning fog that promotes slow ripening, The property had all the essentials for producing premium grapes.

Old-World Tradition Meets Modern Technology

  Fog Crest Vineyard celebrated its first vintage in 2005. Manoogian said that while the Russian River Valley’s soils have become recognized as some of the world’s best for cultivating extraordinary chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, they complement that with a combination of old-world traditions, meticulous viticultural practices and modern technology.

  “We use the most modern grape-growing techniques available while staying true to tradition in what we produce,” said Manoogian. “If you try our chardonnay, you get a definite sense of the wine’s traditional nature and structure. We aren’t trying to think outside the box. Our goal always has been and continues to be producing the best ultra-premium chardonnay and pinot noir wines available.”

  Fog Crest Vineyard’s chardonnays and pinot noirs are hand-harvested in the early mornings to keep the fruit cool. They are meticulously tended to during fermentation and bottled unfiltered after months of intentional care. The winery garnered immediate praise in its early stages. Its grapes were used by renowned winemakers and also bottled under the L’Ancien Verger Vineyard label.

Learning the Business with Help from Mentors

  Manoogian admits that she initially had no idea what she was getting into or what she should do to get started. Starting as a wife in a supporting role, she became thoroughly involved and in charge of the sales aspect by 2009. She went back and educated herself about all aspects of the wine business and the art of selling. Manoogian spent three to four years traveling around the U.S. and Canada selling wine and laughed while recalling some of her adventures while learning about and performing the various roles of the vineyard production employees.

  “I was always trying to learn,” said Manoogian. “Along the way, I’ve had, and still have, so many helpful mentors who themselves came from all different backgrounds. That was important and very reassuring as I came from a different background with no agriculture or hospitality experience. Some were mentors from the beginning; others became mentors along the way. There were people who were very kind to me, and that kindness allowed me to learn all aspects of the business, from the farm through production to the table. It was an amazing and fun process, but it was also extremely arduous. I took every opportunity to learn nearly every job within the winery, including picking grapes. And I can tell you that I have nothing but mad respect for our employees because that’s a job that I do not look forward to doing again. Honestly, I’m sure that most days, they were ready for me to get out of their way and stop holding them back. But now I know and understand how all of that works, and I’m good with it.”

A Winery Is a Business of Continuously Moving Pieces

  “It’s all part of the process to be able to learn and grow, and for us, I think the last three years have brought about a happy medium of being in business,” said Manoogian. “The tasting room was a big deal for us and me personally. We opened it in 2014, and that meant that people would now travel to come into my space. Not only did they come, but they would also mention that, yes, they knew and recognized our brand and loved it. It was so exciting to hear that, and it made a huge difference in how I viewed owning not only our space, but now also owning a place for others to visit. We grew from that moment.”

  “Over the past years, the wildfires that affected our tourism and the pandemic have made it very challenging for us,” Manoogian continued. “We had to recommit again and figure out how to occupy this place in the way that I wanted to, including our tasting room. I had to figure out a marketing plan on so many different levels, whether it’s social media, print, or being involved in television ads for county tourism. All these pieces go together, and without utilizing all of them, I don’t feel that you’re going to be successful in today’s market. You have to understand that this is what is required right now. No one tells you that at the beginning. I’m at a place where I can tell people that now, but even as recently as two years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to explain that to anyone. It’s not like this type of information is readily available, and frankly, it changes daily. There are a lot of grapes and tasting rooms out there, so you have to figure out how to constantly improve and up your game, no matter what size vineyard or winery you have. You’ve got to make that happen.”

Being Authentic Is Always the Right Thing to Do

  “I have to be who I am,” said Manoogian. “I’m always going to focus on the things that brought us into the business and what we care about. So, if I do that, I feel like I’ve met my mission. I’m not going to be able to meet everyone’s goals and desires, but if I focus on those things, I feel like I’m reaching and occupying the space where I want to be.”

  “For us, that means we honor the great history and high expectations of the Russian River Valley wineries by making ultra-premium chardonnay, pinot noir and rosé pinot noir,” she elaborated. “Some of the best pinots come out of the Russian River Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Sonoma County, and we are honored to be a part of that group and its history. This space is so unique that although it gets credit from those who know, I still feel like it doesn’t get the credit it should. For the rest, it’s just a conversation about whether you like my wine, and that has to be enough for me right now. It’s about finding and defining what you do best and then doing that to the best of your abilities.”

Working for Legacy

  Fog Crest Vineyards is the only female Black-owned winery in Sonoma County. Manoogian is currently the majority owner and president of Fog Crest Vineyards. However, that will change by the end of this year, when she will take over 100 percent ownership of the vineyard and become president/CEO of the entire corporation. And it doesn’t end there. She has another brand that she expects to be released later this year as well.

  “I also own my land,” said Manoogian. “That’s pretty much unheard of here. We were lucky enough to get here at a time when we could buy the land. But I love this project, and I have grown throughout. Through it all, I am ultimately working for my legacy. I have two daughters and two granddaughters, and I want to build something they can look at and be proud of. I want them to understand why we put in so much effort to reach this point. I do this work right now not because I want to but because I have to.”

  Fog Crest Vineyard has won numerous awards in the gold and silver categories. It is located on a picturesque 30-acre plot in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County. The vineyard is celebrated for its signature wines, including pinot noirs, chardonnays and a unique pinot noir rosé. All visits require a reservation.

  To contact or learn more about Fog Crest Vineyards and their ultra-premium wines or Rosalind Manoogian’s story of breaking barriers and setting new standards in the winemaking industry, head over to:

Fog Crest Vineyard

7606 Occidental Road,

Sebastopol, CA 95472

(707) 829-2006

info@fogcrestvineyard.com

www.fogcrestvineyard.com

Exploring the Varieties of Oregon’s Pinot Noir Wines

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six different bottles of Oregon pinot noir wines
You can almost afford to buy these six Oregon pinot noirs by the pallet.

By: Becky Garrison

In 1961, Richard Sommer planted pinot noir vines along with other varieties at the HillCrest Vineyard in Roseburg in Southern Oregon, thus establishing HillCrest as the state’s oldest currently operating estate winery and vineyard. UC Davis graduate David Lett followed suit four years later by planting both pinot noir and pinot gris at The Eyrie Vineyards in McMinnville, situated in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

  Since then, pinot noir grapes have emerged as the dominant wine grape grown in Oregon. According to the Institute for Policy Research and Development at the University of Oregon’s 2022 Oregon Vineyard & Winery Report, 26,648 acres of pinot noir grapes were planted out of a total of 44,487 acres. From these plantings, the Willamette Valley produced 61,928 tons of pinot noir fruit, with the Rogue and Umpqua Valleys producing 14,490 tons. (The Oregon Wine Board underwrote and managed this report on behalf of all Oregon wineries.)

  Terry Brandborg of Brandborg Vineyard & Winery (Elkton, Oregon) offers a succinct summary of this elegant grape that originated in the Burgundy region in France:

  “Pinot noir has everything you could want in the glass — great red fruits, ripe cherries and raspberries with red plums. The color is typically not dark red, but in the mouth, it always surprises with its full body, flavors and textures. One writer once described our pinot noir as “elegant and seductive with a feminine grace.” It is a great accompaniment to a great variety of foods, including cheeses, grilled salmon, lighter meats and savory brined pork”. 

The Growth of Oregon’s Pinot Noir Wines

  As Karen McNeil reported in The Wine Bible (Workman Publishing, 2022, 3rd Edition), one of the key drivers behind the vast improvement in Oregon wine in the 2000s was the widespread implementation of so-called Dijon clones. “Named after Dijon, the city in Burgundy where France’s ONIVINS plant materials laboratory is located, the numerous Dijon clones (with exciting names like 115, 667 and 777) are heralded for their complex flavors and ability to ripen fully in cool climates. In addition to Dijon clones, Willamette Valley pinot noirs are also often made from the Pommard clone, another well-suited clone from Burgundy.” Other clone varieties planted in Oregon include Wadenswil and Mariafeld.

Blending Pinot Noir Clones

  The specific clones tend not to be listed on a bottle of pinot noir, though one’s skill as a winemaker can be seen based on the selection and blend of the specific clones used in a given release. On their website, WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) states that the world’s greatest winemakers relish the opportunity to blend wines from different grape varieties, vineyard parcels, and barrels each year. “Masterful blending is an art form comparable to a Michelin star chef creating the perfect dish or an elite conductor crafting an exquisite symphony. It lies at the heart of the world’s greatest wines, from Bordeaux and Champagne to Rioja and Super Tuscans.”

  As a means of educating consumers about the blending process for pinot noir wines, Willamette Valley Estate Vineyard in Turner, Oregon decided to give consumers a very hands-on tangible blending experience through their blending machine that shows them how different wine profiles can be. The unique system was invented for Willamette Wineworks in Folsom, California, and modified by Willamette’s Research & Development Manager David Markel. It was a hit at their Folsom location, so they adapted the fun to their Salem Hills and Vancouver Waterfront locations. In their estimation, “Blending adds texture and complexity to wine and allows winemakers to balance wines with body and acid, a hallmark of Oregon wines. Blending can help to maintain consistency so wine enthusiasts can rely on flavor profiles from their favorite wine producers.”

picture of vineyards with setting sunlit sky

Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs

  Initially, skeptics dismissed Lett’s initial planting of pinot noir grapes. The prevailing wisdom at this time viewed this region as unsuitable for growing this particular varietal.

  According to a much-touted popular myth, the Willamette Valley emerged as a premier location for producing pinot noir grapes because it sits on the same latitude as Burgundy, replete with a similar cool climate. Mallory Smith, co-founder of Sunday School Wine, debunks this myth by pointing out that the Northern Rhône is the region in France that sits at a similar latitude to the Willamette Valley, not Burgundy. Hence, it’s not the latitude but the combination of the climate, the soil and the dedicated winemakers that combine to produce world-class Willamette Valley pinot noir wines. Smith opines, “Why do we still feel the need to rely on a Burgundy story (and an untrue one at that) to validate our wines? Let Oregon be Oregon!”

  This region, which stretches from north of Portland to just south of Eugene, is protected from the extreme heat via the Cascade Range to the east (and cooled by the Van Duzer winds through the corridor straight off the ocean) and the Coast Range Mountains on the east producing rainstorms with cooling breezes emanating from the Pacific Ocean. Overall, the region experiences a long and gentle growing season due to warm summers that cool down in the evening, followed by relatively mild winters and long springs. Also, most of the rains tend to fall when these vines are dormant. This slow ripening coupled is key for producing top-notch ripe and fruity pinot noir grapes. As evidence of this area’s commitment to sustainability practices, the Willamette Valley is home to the largest concentration of B Corp Certified wineries than any other region in the world.

picture of vineyards with mountain in the background

  Since the formation of the Willamette Valley AVA in 1984, this region has grown to encompass 1,116 wineries and 1,476 vineyards, with a total planted area of 27,202 acres out of a total area of 3,438,00. To acknowledge the unique characteristics of smaller regions within the Willamette Valley AVA, six nested AVAs were formed in 2002, and the 11th nested AVA was established in 2022. Pinot noir grapes dominate the vineyards, accounting for 70 percent of all grapes grown in the WV, followed by pinot gris (16 percent) and chardonnay (7.5 percent).

  Joe Wright, winemaker for Left Coast Cellars (Rickreall, Oregon) has done 28 vintages working with fruit from both the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon. He produced his first vintage for Willamette Valley Vineyards in 1996 before starting his winery, Belle Vallé, and transitioning to Left Coast in 2011. While the Willamette Valley produces some of the most complex and interesting wines, Wright adds that this region also presents endless challenges in the vineyard. “Winegrowers sit at the edge of our seat every week and month of the growing season anticipating the rise and fall of each vintage, ultimately embracing what’s been given to us…it’s not for the faint of heart.”

  Wright has observed how, in the past ten years, temperatures over 90°F have increased exponentially from, on average, 12 to 20 days per growing season to 20 to 35 commonly taking place now. Also, days of over 100°F were zero to one over the growing season but are now commonly two to five days on average, occurring later into the season. In addition, precipitation has seemingly lessened in the spring and fall on average. Wright can see how these factors take a toll on fruit set and fruitfulness, fruit integrity and disease resistance.

  Aaron Lieberman, Winemaker for Iris Vineyards (Cottage Grove, Oregon), has also made wine with fruit from many of the AVAs in Oregon. Beyond the normal challenges inherent to growing pinot noir, Iris Vineyards Estate is a cool site that can be susceptible to frost damage in the spring. The estate vineyard is located in the coastal mountain foothills at about 1,000 feet elevation.

  Following the 2020 vintage, the price per ton of Willamette Valley pinot noir grapes increased substantially. Iris Vineyards saw an opening in the market for a Rogue Valley pinot noir that could retail between $22 to $24 and still be profitable. General manager David Cordtz looked to source fruit from some of the finest Vineyards in the Rogue Valley. This venture allowed them to grow their overall production sustainably by sourcing fruit. “We have been sourcing fruit from all over Oregon for years.   We sourced pinot noir from Rogue Valley so we could produce a different style of pinot noir, something between Willamette Valley and California, at a price point to fulfill a wholesale opportunity both in Oregon and in many of the 20 states we offer Iris Vineyards wines,” commented Cordtz.

  “These grapes are unique to us for their warm climate provenance. The pinot noir produced from Rogue Valley is a little fuller bodied than most of our Willamette sourced wines and has a bolder flavor profile,” Lieberman observed.

Southern Oregon Pinot Noirs

  Established in 2005, the Southern Oregon AVA may be known for growing warmer-weather grapes, though certain locations within the Rouge Valley and Umpqua Valley sub-AVAS have ideal microclimates for growing pinot noir and other cool-weather grapes.

  For example, Stephanie Pao, winemaker for Foris Vineyards (Cave Junction, Oregon), found their location on the west side of the Rogue Valley AVA at 1400 feet elevation affords them a long, warm growing season that is ideal for early ripening varieties like pinot noir. The specific sites where their grapes are planted are in well-draining alluvial soils that are primarily gravelly or rocky, which restricts growth and tends to produce wines with greater intensity and character. Depending on the timing of phenological events, the wines tend to be fruit-forward (black or red, depending on the vintage) with lower natural acidity than the northern part of the state.

  Rob Ikola of Whitetail Ridge Vineyard (Roseburg, Oregon) and Chris Hudson, Umpqua Valley Association President and owner of Lexème Wines (Elkton, Oregon), observe how the Umpqua Valley AVA enjoys enough heat degree days to fully ripen yet achieve long hang time to develop complex wines such as pinot noir. This AVA has a long frost-free growing season with light rains, a large selection of soils, and valleys with a variety of growing conditions. Small, unique microclimates (called the 100 valleys of the Umpqua) create very diverse and unique differences even though the same varietal is grown within a few miles of each other.

  According to Brandborg, pinot noir grapes and other cool varieties thrive in the northern area around the town of Elkton due to the cool, marine-influenced climate. His vineyard receives around fifty inches of annual rainfall, making irrigation unnecessary. Also, the central area to the northwest of Roseburg has a transitional intermediate climate where both cool and warm varieties do quite well.

  In Brandborg’s view, site selection is very important. “Pinot noir is a thin-skinned variety and requires attention in the vineyard, with fungicide spraying as needed to avoid problems. If all of these factors work out together in harmony, world-class wine can be produced,” he reflects.

  Scott Kelley, co-owner/winemaker of Paul O’Brien Winery (Roseburg, Oregon), notes how pinot noir in the Umpqua Valley is a spectacular representation of the best of Oregon. “The balance of power and elegance we showcase in Umpqua Valley pinot noir is rarely seen in other regions. There are so many great vineyard sites yet to be planted,” he observes.

The Rise of Pinot Noir Rosé

  In recent years, pinot noir rosé wines from Oregon have risen in popularity. These wines offer a cool, crisp taste with a refreshing, clean finish that stands out from the sweeter rosé wines on the commercial market. As an example of the range of wine styles that can be made from pinot noir grapes, Brandborg produces a white pinot noir, red, rosé of pinot noir, a methode Champenoise pinot noir and a port-style dessert pinot noir. “People are on a path of discovery about all pinot noir can be and bring,” Brandborg opines.

Family Frenzy in Wine Country

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The Case for Kids and Canines

two small dogs riding in car and out the car window is a very large wine bottle and barrels

 By: Susan DeMatei and Nathan Chambers

Let’s kick things off with a dose of reality. We’ve all been there: it’s a bustling Saturday morning in July, you’re bracing for a packed day at the Tasting Room, and Murphy’s Law is in full effect. Two of your staff are out sick; another is off serving the crowd at an art and wine festival downtown. You unlock the door at 10:01 AM, only to be greeted by a frazzled family of five: mom, dad, and three rambunctious kiddos. The younger two are reenacting a wild-west shootout with gravel as ammo, while the third is glued to an iPad, deep in the latest YouTube Kids saga. Mom and Dad look like they’ve just survived a hurricane, and you have a “high-roller” group arriving in fifteen minutes. And then comes the kicker: “Can we bring in our German Shepherd?” You contemplate if it’s too late to call in sick.

Inclusive is the New Black

  If you have yet to hear, exclusive is out, and inclusive is in. Wine Country is in transition. Once upon a time, parents would leave their little darlings with Grandma and Grandpa for a weekend of serene wine tasting. No screams, barks, gravel fights, or corkscrew chases – just pure, undisturbed, oenophile bliss.

  But the landscape is shifting. Gone are the days when only adults graced the vineyards. Millennials and Gen Z are now our primary guests, and they have an entirely different vision of vacation based on their values and lifestyles.

chart reflecting USA fertility rates 1990-2023

The Millennial Way of Life

  Millennials – the primary purchasers of luxury wines – are adulting very differently than their parents or grandparents. Children are no longer “to be seen and not heard.” They incorporate children into their lives rather than revolve their lives around kids’ activities.

  These choices make sense if you consider they marry later, have kids later, and are parenting differently than previous generations. They marry around 30 (compared to Boomers at 23), and the average age for starting a family is between 30 and 34. With 15 years of a career established, they’ve built a firm adult foundation. So, they prefer to incorporate their kids into their activities rather than revolving everything around the kids. “Helicopter” parenting with structured times and schedules has given way to “drone” parenting, where the kids are encouraged to explore and gain confidence with new experiences. The 2023 Annual US Family Travel Survey revealed that 81% of parents plan to travel in the next 12 months, indicating a robust interest in family travel. (Traveling with the family is one of the major tourism trends in 2024). According to Travheir, 44% of millennials with children have traveled together, and 62% have included children under five. Many parents believe bringing along their children is essential for a child’s development. A recent study by the Family Travel Association found that 88% of families believe travel helps children overcome lingering pandemic impacts.

resident population in the united staets in 2022, by generation (in millions)

What Does This Mean for Wineries?

  With these generational changes, families and even pets will become more common at wineries, urban tasting rooms, and, yes, even at events. What is important to realize is that this isn’t laziness, selfishness, or just that they didn’t want to pay for a sitter. Showing up with kids demonstrates their values. They hold their inclusive belief system dear and will not want to see it challenged. In today’s “cancel” society, you might think twice before telling a feisty mom with a large online following that you didn’t want to allow her child on the patio. A quick search on Google will bring you dozens of outraged parents indignantly waiving one-star reviews.

chart showing resident population in the United States by 2022, by generation in millions

Adapt, Don’t Collapse

  This doesn’t mean you need to completely fold to pressure and allow children to run wild. With some forethought, you can make your experiences positive for well-behaved kids and your best adult guests. Wineries are no strangers to pivoting. Rainy day? Clear the bar for indoor tastings. The large group arrives early? Grab that chilled Pinot Grigio and entertain them in the garden while your team preps inside. The same flexibility applies to welcoming families. Happy parents are likelier to join wine clubs, buy bottles, and rave about their experience.

Planning for the Future

  Embrace the chaos and plan for it. Here are some ideas to make your winery more family and pet-friendly:

•    Kid Seating: There are no bar stools for the kids, but maybe some reserved outdoor tables with snacks like applesauce tubes, pretzels, and water. A coloring book and crayons can go a long way in keeping them occupied.

•    Kid Juice Tasting: Offer kids their “tasting” experience with various juices in plastic cups. They can swirl, sniff, and taste alongside their parents, perhaps even jotting down their impressions.

•    Tour Guide Games: Insurance permitting, why not engage kids with a scavenger hunt during tours? Flashlights in the cellar, leading the group – it’s all about making them feel involved and excited.

•    Selfie Stations: Set up a spot for fun photos, including their dog. Parents can share these on social media, and you can create a winery dog calendar as a special gift for wine club members.

•    Doggie Snacks: Go out with dog snack packs, perhaps from a company like Barkuterie. Consider a small, fenced area for dogs to roam off-leash if space allows.

Embrace the Change

  You survived the visit. The family bought four bottles, the kids didn’t set anything on fire, and they’re off to the next winery. Now, it’s time to reflect: what can you do to be more family-friendly? How can you welcome pets while ensuring everyone’s comfort? With some planning, you’ll enhance your guests’ experience and boost your bottom line.

  Susan DeMatei founded WineGlass Marketing; the largest full-service, award-winning marketing firm focused on the wine industry. She is a certified Sommelier and Specialist in Wine, with degrees in Viticulture and Communications, an instructor at Napa Valley Community College, and is currently collaborating on two textbooks. Now in its 12th year, her agency offers domestic and international wineries assistance with all areas of strategy and execution.

  WineGlass Marketing is located in Napa, California, and can be reached at 707-927-3334 or wineglassmarketing.com

Old Mill Vineyard

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Big-Time Wines from a Small-Town Winery

sign for old mill vineyard shown in grass and trees

By: Gerald Dlubala

  When it was time to move on from a career in the greens industry, where Kurt Grohsmeyer gained over three decades of experience growing everything from sod to shade trees, evergreens and everything else that grows in the ground, he and his wife Donna planted 400 grapevines on their rural Metamora Illinois property. Little did they know that by going in a different direction and planting grapevines to make wine for personal use and sharing with friends, that just nine years later, in 2014, they would successfully launch their own wine brand, Old Mill Vineyard Wines.

Increased Harvest, Tasting Room Addition Lead to a Full-Time Winery

  “Honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing,” said Grohsmeyer. “We started on 10 tillable acres the first year, with eight different varietals being planted side by side on an acre and a half.

  We just wanted to see what would survive and what wouldn’t. And you know what? Almost everything grew successfully. After that, we planted in increments, adding another acre or two to fill the ten acres. There wasn’t a real plan. The process just kind of morphed into a philosophy of, well, this works, so we’ll add more of it.”

  Grohsmeyer researched the best varietals for his growing zone, meeting with the IGGVA (Illinois Grape Growers & Vintners Alliance) and conducting his own independent research. This gave him direction on which varietals to choose to increase the likelihood of success in his growing zone.

  “The eight initial varietals we planted the first year included four reds and four whites,” said Grohsmeyer. “They all grew well enough to expand each one into their own acre, filling up eight acres. That gave us two remaining acres to add two more varietals.” Another challenge presented itself when it came time to harvest.

  “That first year, we harvested about five tons of grapes,” said Grohsmeyer. “I could handle a little bit of grapes because I initially intended to make some dry-style wines for my wife and her friends. But what to do with the rest was the question. So, I got hooked up with another vineyard in the area and sold grapes to them. From there, everything just took off and exploded on us. We went from harvesting five tons that first year to a harvest of 50 tons of grapes. It was sometimes overwhelming, but that’s when we knew and decided it was time to go full-time with the vineyard.”

  The Old Mill Vineyard averages about 35 to 40 tons of grapes annually. Grohsmeyer still sells some of his grapes to his original buyer, but as his winery, vineyard and on-site tasting room grows in popularity, he finds himself keeping more and selling less.

  “Our buyer is very understanding,” said Grohsmeyer. “He’s the largest producer in Northern Illinois and maybe the state. Actually, he was the one who, while looking at his grapes here, convinced me to take advantage of our scenic views and rolling vistas and build my own tasting room to sell our wines on-site. It was in 2016 that our tasting room, Bent Tree at OMV, became a reality. But as we sell more through our tasting room, we have to keep more of our grapes. We do all our own production, including harvest, crush, fermentation and on-site bottling. Our grapes and wine go from our vineyard to the barn to the tasting room.”

 Scenic Vistas and Comfortable Surroundings Accompany Excellent Wines

  Our place is nothing real elaborate,” said Grohsmeyer. “I still consider Old Mill Vineyard a cottage-type winery and vineyard. Most of the surrounding area is rural farmland, but in contrast, our property features beautiful rolling ground and timber, with a pond and barn setting. I built a tasting room building, planning to have enough seating I’ll ever need. Our tasting room can comfortably seat 30 to 40 inside, and we have as much outdoor seating as indoor.”

  Grohsmeyer tells The Grapevine Magazine that their busiest times start when the weather breaks in spring and last through late fall and early winter when the weather can turn nasty. But the Old Mill Vineyard is a great gathering spot all year round.

  “Our guests and visitors are welcome to come and sit wherever they choose,” said Grohsmeyer. “We can accommodate them indoors, out on the patio or folks are always welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit and hang out by the pond. We’ve even had people bring bouncy houses for their kids. That’s the situation and atmosphere that we want to promote. Our priority is for everyone to gather, feel welcome and enjoy good wine in our beautiful, well-shaded surroundings. We are kind of hidden from the road. Our entrance is on a corner sheltered by trees, so people tend to drive past a lot without even knowing we’re here. I would guess that some residents of Metamora don’t even know we are here. But once you pull off the road and get here, the landscape changes from the normal cornfields to the beautiful rolling hills of our vineyard.”

Follow Your Passion, Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

  As happens frequently in the craft or cottage wine industry, what starts as a passionate hobby transforms into a small business. This was the case with Grohsmeyer. But along the way, he never stopped asking questions, seeking solutions or learning the processes for his local growing zone.

    “We started by making dry wines without any real experience,” said Grohsmeyer. “I’m not an experienced winemaker. I never did it before, and I never went to school or had any formal education in winemaking. I’ve never had or followed anyone else’s recipes, and to date, I have only delivered my grapes to two different buyers. But, when delivering grapes, I hung around and helped crush my grapes. I talked to the winemakers and asked questions about what, how and why they were doing the things they did. For me, it was a common sense and straightforward way to gain experience, gather information and learn the initial things in real time that I needed to do from current successful producers in my area. My current buyer has taught me the most of all. I use him as a resource for any questions and have no concerns about following his advice.”

  Grohsmeyer said that when he started making wine, he didn’t have enough vessels to put the wine in and, at the time, didn’t really know where to turn for more storage. He was fortunate to obtain a few used bourbon barrels from a friend’s trip. Grohsmeyer used them to store the excess wine and actually kind of forgot about them for six months. This was back in 2009, before it became the “in” thing to do in the craft wine and beverage market.

  “As it turns out, when we decided to try the wine that came out of them, it was excellent,” said Grohsmeyer. “The wine is a really good, nice dry red with a soft hint of bourbon. Now, this same red wine made from the Chancellor grape that gets aged six to 12 months in used Four Roses bourbon barrels and named Broken Barrel is a mainstay on our menu. It’s a wine for those who say they may not be a wine fan but prefer bourbon. Our Broken Barrel wine often turns non-wine drinkers into fans. It remains in the top two or three in popularity behind our Frontenac Blanc, our youngest and most popular grape. It’s a dry to semi-dry white wine that is a summer best-seller, maybe reminiscent of a Riesling. Everything here is cyclical. Winter and colder temperatures bring more popularity for the heavier reds. But honestly, you can think you made enough of a certain type and then find yourself taking two or three cases to the tasting room every weekend.”

Offering Quality Wine Choices for All Tastes Is Key

  Grohsmeyer said that they started out serving dry wine and continue to draw regular customers for those wines. As their visitor base grew, requests for sweeter wines increased, so Old Mill Vineyard also added those to its wine offerings.

  “Now we run about 60 percent dry and 40 percent sweet,” said Grohsmeyer. “We found that the actual grape varietal isn’t that much of an issue with sweet wines, as long as the proper flavor and sweetness level is there. Currently, we keep about 16 wines on the shelf. Twelve are varietal wines labeled by the grape type. The remaining sweet wines are generally a table grape of any varietal.

  Additionally, we offer a selection of national and craft beer, cider, seltzers, pop and sparkling options for non-wine drinkers. Whenever some of the local breweries get to the point of being able to can their products for distribution, we’ll certainly expand our local brew options.”

Having Fun While Working Hard

  “We are very much hands-on in the entire operation,” said Grohsmeyer.  “And although the work is demanding, both physically and timewise, we are out here still having fun.”

  Grohsmeyer started his winemaking journey at 50 years of age, which he says would probably have most people starting to think about a retirement plan. But he is proud to still be out there every day doing something in the vineyard or other related area. With his wife Donna, they run the Old Mill Vineyard operation from vineyard to tasting room to retail. Donna is in the tasting room every weekend. They have no immediate plans to slow down, as this is their retirement.

  “If you don’t have anything to do, you sit in the chair and gripe about the news or something,” said Grohsmeyer. “We’ll do it until we can’t. Even on days that I can’t get out into the vineyard due to the weather, I’ll still work in the winery or fix machinery. There really is always something to do. And when the vineyard is in your front and backyard, it’s hard to walk away from it.”

  Old Mill Vineyard wines are distributed in local stores, retail outlets and several places in nearby Peoria, about 25 minutes east of Metamora. Tastings also occur at retail liquor outlets, and some smaller customers may buy a case a month to sell to their patrons. Additionally, their wines are available in some local brewery taprooms.

  “You know, we don’t spend any money on advertising, and frankly, there’s probably people in our town that don’t even know we are here,” said Grohsmeyer. “We always believed that word of mouth would be enough, and we remain busy, even surprisingly so sometimes. Sometimes, we’re busier than we want, but we’re certainly not turning people away. That’s obviously what you want as a business. We’ve built up a great group of regulars and gain new ones all the time. One thing is for sure: it’s never the same. Even now, every weekend is a learning experience. And that’s just fine with us.”

  In addition to its inclusive wine line-up, Old Mill Vineyard offers a selection of crackers, cheeses and dips. Guests may also bring in their own food and snacks. Visitors are not allowed to bring outside alcohol onto the property.

  For more information on Old Mill Vineyard and its selection of wines, contact:

Old Mill Vineyard

700 Coon Creek Rd.

Metamora, Illinois 61548

(309) 258-9952

OldMillVineyard@msn.com

Planning to Purchase a Vineyard?

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Important Plant Health Issues to Take into Consideration

grapevines on a fence

By:  Judit Monis, Ph.D. – Vineyard and Plant Health Consultant

As many of you already know, I am a plant pathologist consultant specializing in the detection and control of grapevine diseases. The diseases work with are those that are graft transmitted but are also can spread in the vineyard.  Once the vines are planted, these diseases cannot be cured using chemical or other means.  It has happened too many times that I am called to determine what is wrong at a vineyard.  The story goes sometimes like this, “we purchased the vineyard in the winter, so we were unable to see any tell-tale signs of disease”, “we consulted with our county officer and s/he said things looked OK”; We really were not thinking about disease, we fell in love with the beautiful setting and the house”; “We did not know that red foliage is an indicator of virus infection”; the scenery in the fall season is an explosion of colors, so beautiful, so romantic”.  I can go on and on with more quotes buttthink that you understand the problem.  I wish these people would have called me before they purchased the vineyard.  Now it is a bit late.

  In this article, I will highlight issues that can become a problem after a vineyard purchase.  It is my hope to educate the reader and encourage them to contact me prior to signing the purchase contract to allow a thorough evaluation of the vineyard health status.

The Best Time to Inspect a Vineyard for Disease Presence

  As mentioned earlier I will only focus on graft transmitted diseases that cannot be cured once established in a vineyard.  Diseased grapevine plants may display different symptoms of infection  at different times of the year or seasons.  Early in the spring  and summer months it is easy to spot diseases caused by declining bacteria (i.e., Pierce’s disease, crown gall), fungi (Eutypa and Bot canker, black foot, etc.), and viruses (fanleaf and other nematode transmitted virus species).  In late summer or fall, viral diseases that cause leaf reddening and a variety of color schemes (leafroll, red blotch, Vitiviruses) can be observed.  To complicate matters, these diseases or their disease-causing agents can be found in all sorts of combinations.  Further, some of these diseases show almost exactly the same symptoms, in all cases a knowledgeable plant pathologist will be required to help identify the issue or recommend testing, especially when no symptoms are present due to seasonality.

  Below I describe some of the most important diseases likely present in vineyards:

Bacterial, Fungal and Viral Pathogens Best Detected in the Spring

Petri Disease, Young Vine Decline, Esca:  The disease in young vines, known as young vine decline, is caused by Cadophora, Phaeoacremonium, and Phaeomoniella species.  In older vines, the same fungal pathogens are associated with Esca disease.  The disease is chronic when vines express a gradual decline of symptoms over time, or acute when the vines decline and die within a few days.  These acute symptoms are known as the apoplectic stage of the disease. It is not uncommon during the apoplectic stage of the disease to see dead vines carrying mummified grape bunches.

Canker Diseases:  Various pathogens can cause canker symptoms, large discolored areas in trunk and canes, in the vineyard. Bot-canker or dead arm disease is caused by different species in the Botryosphaeriaceae family. Eutypa dieback is caused by different species in the Diatrypaceae family.  In my lab we characterized Seimatosporium species as a fungal pathogen that causes decline and cankers in grapevines, but within the same fungal group others have reported Pestalotoipsis and Truncatella to cause disease in grapevines. The canker symptoms observed in the sections of affected cordons or trunks in grapevines may appear to be similar but caused by unrelated fungal species.

Black Foot Disease:  Species of Campylocarpon, Cylindrocladiella, Dactylonectria, and Ilyonectria (previously known as Cylindrocarpon spp.) are the causal agents of this complex disease.   These fungi are soil-born and most active on compact soils with poor drainage.  Symptoms above ground can be indistinguishable from young vine/ Esca disease described above.  Additionally, the decline symptoms can be confused with Pierce’s disease (to be described below).

Grapevine Fanleaf and Other Nepoviruses

  Arabis mosaic (ArMV), Grapevine fanleaf (GFLV), Tobacco (TRSV) and Tomato ringspot (ToRSV) are viruses that cause decline in grapevine.  These are specifically transmitted in the vineyard by different nematodes in the Xiphinema species.  The symptoms caused by these viruses are very similar and include foliar deformation, vein banding, and most importantly uneven maturation and sparce production of berries.  Since this is a soilborne disease, it manifests in patches in the vineyard where the nematode vector is located.  The transmission, of course can happen through infected material, but not commonly as it is an easy virus to detect using various laboratory techniques.

Pathogens Best Detected in the Late Summer and Fall

Pierce’s and Crown Gall Disease:  Pierce’s disease is caused by Xylella fastidiosa, a bacteria transmitted by sharpshooter sucking insects.  The control of the disease is complicated as the bacteria infects many different plant species (i.e., has a broad host range).  The symptoms observed in early spring are vine decline and poor bud break, in the fall it is possible to observe typical “green islands” on the canes as well as the “match stick” symptoms.  Green islands are areas of the canes that do not mature evenly (uneven lignification), while match stick symptoms is a phenomenon in which the petioles remain attached to the canes while the leaf blade has fallen off.  Crown gall is caused by another bacteria: Agrobacterium vitis. The typical symptoms of crown gall disease are galling at the crown of the vine (hence its name), however galls can occur at the graft union or other areas of the vine. I have recently written about crown gall disease in grapevine and will not elaborate on this article. 

Fungal Pathogens and Mixed Infections:   The fungal pathogens and the crown gall bacteria mentioned above can be detected all year round and often occur in mixed infections with viruses and/or bacteria.  Some years ago, Central Valley growers in California reported a syndrome in which their vines collapse and die within a short period of time.  While working at STA (the laboratory I developed that specialized in grapevine diagnostics) we tested vines with similar symptoms, not just from California’s Central Valley but also from California’s Central Coast vineyards.  We detected a combination of fungal pathogens (not always the same usual suspects) and viruses, such as Grapevine leafroll associated -3 (GLRaV-3) and the Vitiviruses Grapevine virus A and F.

Grapevine Leafroll and Red Blotch:  Although the symptoms observed in vines infected with Grapevine leafroll and red blotch viruses are similar, these diseases are caused by different viral species.  The symptoms are observed in the late summer and fall and appear as a display of a palette of different colors.  Some species of leafroll are transmitted non-specifically by mealybugs while red blotch virus was reported to be transmitted by plant hoppers in the Membracidae family, In the next Grapevine Magazine issue I plan to write an article with more details on epidemiology and management of these diseases. Stay tuned!  

Conclusions

  The purchase of a vineyard is a huge investment and because of this It is important to take into consideration its plant health prior to purchase.  Because symptoms of disease vary along the different seasons, I recommend planning to test a representative sample for important diseases during the due diligence period. Be aware that certain viruses/pathogens are detected more readily in different seasons.  This is why it is so important to hire a knowledgeable professional that can walk you through the process. 

  My philosophy is always prevention, so my recommendation to buyers as well as sellers is to be aware of the infection status of planting material, this will avoid the presence of detrimental pathogens in the vineyard in the first place.

  Judit Monis, Ph.D. provides specialized services to help growers, vineyard managers, and nursery personnel avoid the propagation and transmission of diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses in their vineyard blocks.   Judit (based in California) is also fluent in Spanish is available to consult in all wine grape growing regions of the world.  For more information or to request a consulting session at your vineyard please contact juditmonis@yahoo.com or visit www.juditmonis.com

Trouble Shooting Your Chiller System

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man speaking in front of a wine chiller system

By: Tom Payette – Winemaking Consultant

This should be your first resource before contacting your refrigeration guy/gal or chiller supplier.  It is hoped this document will take you or your winemaking team through some thought processes to help diagnose your chiller problem and to help you know the answers to their questions if you do need to call.   Use common sense in all features of what you do when trouble shooting your chilling unit.  Make sure to employ all proper “Lock out Tag out” procedures and to use all safety procedures known …. plus, good common sense.

  Make sure to have your manual for the unit handy and try to be somewhat familiar with the chilling unit.  If you are not familiar – it’s not too late to start learning your system!  What should your propylene glycol temperature be and what is the unit set on?

Understanding the Unit

  At some point, while your refrigeration person is on the premise already, question him or her about some of the operations of your chilling unit.  You will want to know : where the compressor is; the condenser; the expansion valve; where the transfer of cooling from the refrigerant to the glycol solution is located; cooling fan coil; compressed Freon line; expanded Freon line; the glycol chilling loop, the glycol chilling reservoir, electrical contacts if any etc.  Understand the basics so you can help communicate to your refrigeration person what is happening with your unit once you know something is wrong. Your supplier is also your best first resource in trouble shooting the unit.

So, Your Chilling Unit is Down or not Chilling Properly

Power: May sound silly but check to make sure the unit is getting the proper power.  Perhaps turn the unit off, reset the breaker and turn the unit back on again.  If the unit is not hard wired be sure to check the plug and see if one leg of the power has become weak/loose/disconnected/broken.  Use a volt meter and start to trace the power from the supply to the unit.  Has a phased dropped out from the power company or transformer?   From experience -this is possible.  You will be surprised how many times a service tech comes out to winery and simply traces the power and voila – you are billed for a heavy service charge for the flip of a breaker or resetting the male end of the power supply.  Use a volt meter and be very very safe.

Contacts and other electrical notes: Are contacts (if still equipped) pulling in when they should to engage certain motors or functions?  Do you know how to test them?  Are simple fuses all intact or do they need replacing?  If you “trick” the unit into doing a certain function – does the unit respond?  Do motors function independently when you ask them to?  [More of an over-ride call for use].  Are there any flashing lights indicating a problem?   Your supplier should be able to talk you through much of this.

Amps: Do you have a volt meter and an amp meter?  Do you know how to use them to find out if you have power where you need to have power?  How many amps is the unit pulling?  How many amps should it pull?  Be careful.  These are electrical connection questions.

Sounds: Does the unit sound like it normally has and does?   You should listen for your chilling unit every time you enter and exit the building.   We can often hear our chilling unit from the crush pad.  Did you notice any odd sounds recently?  Did the unit cycle on and off frequently recently?  If equipped with belts – did you hear any belts squeal?

Smell: Has the unit given off any odd smells recently?  Does or did the unit smell hotter than typical.  Does the motor(s) feel the same as when the unit was working properly?  Are bearing areas hot?  “Singing bearings”?

Winery air temperature feel: With cellars and barrel rooms that use “Krack” style units to chill their tank room, barrel room and case goods area(s) one can often “feel” when something is not right with their chilling unit.   Often when visiting clients in the hotter summer months of July and August I can walk in their cellar and know that something is not operating properly.   Perhaps it is even as little as only one of the split units is not operating but it can be felt in humidity and temperature.  They are just limping along on one half of their system and they don’t know it.  This is all part of being keenly aware of your mechanical issues at a winery.

Expanded refrigerant and compressed refrigerant lines: Often the compressor will have a line that carries Freon (refrigerant) to and from the expansion coil.  Have you felt those lines when the unit is working properly?  (Be careful) Do they feel the same as when you felt them during normal operation?  Is one sweating and the other not?  Is one or both frozen?  When was the Freon last checked and charged?  Do you see the Freon sight gauges and do they look proper?  No bubbles, etc.  What are they showing and can you describe what you see to a technician?

Glycol strength: The chilling unit chills the glycol water mix that is pumped through supply and return lines connected to the tanks.  Is that heat transfer happening properly?  What temperature setting is the unit set to chill the glycol to?  Has this been changed as seasonally winemakers may do this?  Has the glycol strength been tested lately?  These are all questions you and your chilling technician will need to answer and explore.  Have solid answers for them when on the phone to help them before they arrive at your place.  It will save you $$.

Simple glycol test: Take a small amount of glycol from the reservoir of the glycol tank.  Make sure it is a representative sample of the glycol in all the lines.  Take a calibrated standard refractometer and place several drops of glycol on the refractometer just as you would checking a brix of grape juice.  If the reading is at or near 27 brix then the glycol strength is about 35%.   If the reading is near 24 brix then the glycol is near 30% strength.   Please double check this quick test with your refrigeration expert to see if they agree.  Suppliers of glycol have been known to, free of charge, receive a 300 milliliter sample of your glycol water mix and with have their lab test it for strength, inhibitor function and several other tests that may or may not be meaningful to you or your technicians.  [ Note : Some units now come with their own dedicated glycol testing refractometer style measuring tools ]

Glycol dye: Many wineries find great application to adding a dye to their glycol system.  This can be blue, orange, red or any other color.  As many off us know water, glycol and white wine often look reasonably similar.  Sweating glycol lines and connections are often tough to distinguish between water or leaks in the glycol line.  If you see, for example, a liquid on the floor of your cellar or on a chilling pipe that is blue – you know this is glycol.

Pump (most likely centrifugal): Is the pump that pumps the glycol working properly?  Has it stopped running?  Is it pulling the amps that it should?  Does it feel hot or is it iced up at the pump head.  Does anything look abnormal?  Do you have pictures of what the pump head should look like when operating properly?   What is the pressure on this closed system loop?  Are you getting ample pressure to move the glycol through the lines, jackets of tanks and krack units?  Did someone open a valve that may have lowered the pressure mistakenly?  Look for the obvious and simple.

Fans: Are all the fans and compressors engaging as they should?  Turn the unit (glycol temperature) down and wait an appropriate time (5 minutes +/-).  Have extra fans kicked in to pull the extra heat load out?   A call for more cooling, while setting this temperature thermostat low, should have more fans that should kick on.  All of the compressors should be functioning and the unit should be trying its best to meet the needs of the thermostat.   Do you know what this full need looks like?  Have your chilling tech show at one of their less urgent visits.

Summary

  Get to know your chilling unit.  What a major part of what we do in winemaking.  Walk out there right now and listen to it while watching it run.  Take a video of it.  Do your best to trouble shoot and gather information your own chilling unit before calling your chilling tech.  It can save thousands of dollars.  Often, too, you will discover simple things that have gone wrong while getting to know your chilling unit even better. Often the same thing will go wrong, repeatedly, and lead toward a more final diagnoses of a smaller problem.  Perhaps terms like contacts, set limits, pressure limits switches and a whole host of other higher tech terms. Perhaps the repeated chilling problems will help encourage your winery to stock that part or item that repeatedly gives trouble.  Simply calling your refrigeration guy, in a continuous knowledge vacuum, can lead toward unwanted and unnecessary costs.  Even worse you will still know little about one of the most crucial pieces of equipment in the winery.  Inspect you unit most importantly during certain crunch periods of the year like an upcoming harvest.  Inform yourself and educate yourself about your specific chilling unit(s).  It’s fun and not really that complicated!

•   Know the basic operation of your chiller

•   Build a knowledge and vocabulary base

•   Use common sense and pay attention

•   Become less reliant in case of emergency

  A big thanks to Justin Thomas of G&D Chillers in Eugene Oregon for his assistance.