Category: Winery Info

By: Tom Payette – Winemaking Consultant  

Often a winemaker is challenged with grapes, juice and wine that may have an imbalance in regards to the pH of a certain wine.  This can be a critical choice for the winemaker in terms of protecting the wine from spoilage.  A wine with a higher pH is much more likely to develop spoilage bacteria/yeast problems.  On the converse just simply adding acid to lower the pH may throw the delicate taste and balance of the wine off.  Much finesse must be used at this time by the winemaker to make the proper decisions using both the wine lab and the wineglass.

Trials in the lab:  The lab is the first place the winemaker should turn to experiment with small batches of wine.  This will give nearly concrete evidence from the lab as well as tasting trials to determine the appropriate amount and kind of acid to add.

When?  The pH of a wine should be addressed as early on in the winemaking process as possible, especially if too high.  Often this decision is predicted just before harvest from previously collected data (from field and grape samples) and made at harvest after chemistry confirmation on the crush pad.

Why and Where?  The reason we do trials is to experiment with refinement and correction of a juice or wine.  Always work in small quantities, in the lab, with a wine so one does not potentially create a larger problem, in the cellar.  Trials can be tested and tasted to see what the results would be or will have been if the addition was made to the actual tank or vessel of juice/wine.  This eliminates guesswork and unnecessarily “shooting from the hip” of which many winemakers can find themselves guilty of during critical times.

TOOLS NEEDED

•   Scales that measure in grams preferably to a tenth of a gram.

•   3 – 100 milliliter graduated cylinder (plastic preferred).

•   1 – 50 milliliter graduated cylinder (plastic preferred).

•   1 – 10 milliliter pipette (Class A volumetric).

•   2 – 5 milliliter serological pipettes-one tenth mil markings (Plastic preferred).

•   Small glass beakers 250 milliliters plus or minus

•      Representative sample(s) of each wine to be worked with (800 milliliters).

•   Clean wineglasses

•   Watch glasses to cover each glass.

•   Spit cup

•   Other testing equipment to answer questions at hand: pH meter, TA measuring.

•   Magnetic Stir plate with stir bars and retriever for the stir bars.

•   Sharpie™ pen or pencil for marking beakers.

•   95% ethanol to remove Sharpie™ pen marks off glassware.

How?  Start with something simple where results can be easily determined with the wineglass to give the confidence needed to build upon the procedure.  An example of this may be a tartaric addition trial for pH lowering and/or palate modification.  Let’s go over this process.

1.   Start with an ample quantity of wine to work with in the lab – perhaps an 800-milliliter representative sample from a wine vessel.

2.   Accurately weigh 1.0 gram of tartaric acid and fully dissolve the acid in approximately 85 milliliters of the base wine with which you are working. Use the stir bar and plate for this process.

3.   Once fully dissolved, place the full amount into a 100 milliliter graduated cylinder or as one becomes more experienced you may just make the solution in the 100 milliliter graduated cylinder directly.

4.   Bring the amount of volume in the 100 milliliter graduated cylinder to the 100 milliliter mark with additional base wine.  [One should be clear they have made a solution of 1.0-gram tartaric acid dissolved into 100 milliliters of wine.]

5.   In a clean graduated cylinder, pipette 10 milliliters of the newly prepared acid stock solution into the cylinder.  Bring to the complete 100 milliliters volume mark with the base wine.  This represents a 1.0-gram per liter tartaric acid addition.

6.   Pipette twenty milliliters from the stock acid solution made in step four into another graduated cylinder and bring to volume to the 100-milliliter mark.  This represents the next addition level of 2.0 grams per liter tartaric addition.

7.   Continue to add to the number of samples you care to do the trial on in standard logical increments.

8.   Analysis the pH and titratable acidity, record and have available for the tasting below.

SET UP THE TASTING TRIAL

1.   Pour about 70 milliliters or a quantity one desires to smell and taste, of the base wine, into a control glass and place it to the left hand area of the tasting glass orientation.  (One should always taste against a control from left to right)

2.   Pour the trials to be tasted, made in steps 5,6 and 7 above, in increasing increments in each wineglass progressing from left to right.  Mark their contents.

3.   Add to this flight any wines from past vintages you may want to review or any other blind samples from other producers you may care to use as a benchmark.  Only do this step if needed.  Mark their contents.

4.   Taste and smell each wine several times.  Go through the flight and detect what wine/juice may best match or improve the desired style one is trying to achieve.  Review the chemistry data generated in step 8 above while tasting the trials.

5.   Select the best match and leave the room for 1 to 2 hours so your palate may re-calibrate.

6.   Return and re-taste to confirm your previous decision with a fresh palate.

7.   Repeat as often and needed.

  Should chemistries play an important role to reviewing certain additions be certain to run a necessary panel of lab test to ascertain the proper numbers are also achieved.  One may need to balance taste, flavor and chemistry to make some tough choices.  Have all the data necessary and available to make those choices.  

Calculation:  Once the fear of the metric system is overcome and confidence is achieved, the calculations become very simplistic.  Let’s take the above as the example.  If we dissolve 1.0 gram of tartaric acid into 100 milliliters of wine we now have 0.1 gram of tartaric acid in every 10 milliliters of wine.  From this base if we blend 10.0 milliliters (one-tenth gram of tartaric) into 100 milliliters of the same fresh base wine – this represents the equivalent of one gram per liter.  If we were to have used twenty milliliters that would represent two grams per liter in the small 100-milliliter blend.  If we keep track of what we are tasting or testing and select the trial we prefer, one can mathematically calculate how much of the given addition is needed in a tank of a known quantity of juice or wine.  One can also extrapolate this out to larger volumes in the laboratory should it be desired to work beyond a 100-milliliter sample.

Spicing it up!  Once the first set of trials is mastered one may build on to the next step projecting out what one may want to do with the juice or wine.  This could eventually, and perhaps should, build out to treating large enough samples that one could cold and protein stabilize the wine in the lab, filter to the projected desired micron size and taste with a panel.

  If tartaric acid is not giving the desired result – select other approved acids for that wine.  Fruit wines, other than grape, often have other principal acids so one may need to explore using that principal acid first.

Double checking the results:  From experience, one can get so creative in a lab it can be difficult to trace exactly how one arrived at a certain desired concoction.  Copious notes should be taken throughout the complete process in the lab.  Given a tank of juice or wine can often equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars or more it may be prudent to run the selected trial a second time, and compare, to confirm any additions before performing the action in the cellar.  Be confident of what you are about to do.

Action in the cellar:  This is often the simple part.  Using tartaric acid as an example for the addition one will simply calculate the amount of acid needed to match the desired trial.  Weigh the desired amount of tartaric and dissolve in a bucket of warm water or wine from the tank.  Once dissolved add slowly to the tank while mixing.  Continue to mix until fully integrated and then select a sample from the sample valve for tasting, a quick pH and titratable acidity analysis.   This will confirm the task was achieved.

Summary:  Given time and experimentation with this system many pH-lowering trials with additions will become easy and systematic.  Trials will often take less than ten minutes to prepare and one may taste at several points during the day or use extra time to perform lab test to confirm desired objectives.

Other helpful tips:  Keep in mind not to over scrutinize your accuracy in the laboratory.  By this I mean make sure that if we measure something very exactly in the laboratory make sure this action will be able to be duplicated outside the lab.  It is not uncommon, early on, for winemakers to get extremely exact in the lab only to step into the cellar with sloppy control over what they had just experimented with.

  One can use other base solutes should that be desired.  It does not always have to be wine.

  This system can be used for dosage formulation for sparking wines.

  If accurate scales may be an issue the winemaker may always start by weighing larger quantities and dissolving into solution then breaking down that solution.  Example:  If a winemaker wants a 1.0 gram per liter solution and the scales are not accurate enough to weight one gram the winemaker may dissolve 10.0 grams into 100 milliliters and then measure out 10 milliliters of that solution and this should roughly equate to one gram.

  Make sure all solids are dissolved and dispersed equally into any solution.

  One may also be able to blend two trials in 50% to 50% solutions to get an example of a trial in the middle without having to make one up specifically to match the amount desired.

  Always remember your palate may become desensitized while tasting and to step away from tasting for an hour or two and then return to taste ones preference.  You may be shocked you had become used to [Desensitized] certain levels because of tasting such extremes.

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

You may be familiar with a famous quote about water being the source of all life. However, in the winemaking industry, water can be both the solution to and the cause of many operational issues. Not only do wineries use substantial water in their processes, but they also generate wastewater that must be dealt with to keep costs down and effectively utilize this valuable resource. According to the Watershed Information & Conservation Council in Napa County, California, wineries create an average of six gallons of wastewater for every gallon of wine. At least a quarter of that wastewater is produced during the year’s harvest period.

  Past wastewater concerns primarily focused on the grape-growing phase and water shortages during droughts. However, there is also a need for wastewater sse the right treatment option for your winery.

Understanding Winery Wastewater

  Wineries generate wastewater from many processes, including cleaning, crushing, pressing and rinsing tanks. Wastewater also comes from residual drainage, filter and barrel washing and clean-in-place operations. This wastewater contains the remnants of unused grapes and juices, as well as sugars from the alcohol and any cleansing agents applied to the tanks, barrels and filters.

  The issue with winery wastewater lies in the acidity and organic chemicals it often contains. This used water is often filled with particles from cleaning products too. If not treated properly, it can damage soil around the winery property, attract insects and other animals and produce a noxious odor that negatively affects the visitor experience. Other hazards associated with winery wastewater are linked to high energy consumption, dredging for sludge control and the proximity to nearby homes and businesses.

  Yet anyone experienced with winery work will tell you that winery wastewater treatment is essential for the viability of the business. Making productive use of winery wastewater can alleviate water scarcity concerns while reducing a winery’s overall consumption and environmental impact. Good wastewater treatment strategies depend on vineyard productivity, wine quality and sustainable operations.

Challenges with Wastewater in the Winery

  One of the biggest challenges with winery wastewater is the sludge produced by treatment systems. There are primary, secondary and advanced treatments and discharge fees to work into the winery’s budget.

  For many wineries, the biggest hurdles to overcome lie with having staff to oversee good maintenance and monitoring of the treatment systems. Another issue is the insufficient amount of oxygen required to break down microbes in winery waste, a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) measurement. Some wineries may use ponds as treatment methods, but sizable bodies of water take up space that could be used to grow grapes. Leach fields with septic tanks to flush water into unground pipes are options but only work with certain types of soil, and the treated water can’t be used for irrigation. Meanwhile, hydrate systems consisting of tanks with filters that remove solids and oxygen pumps to aid microbe breakdown are options when physical space is limited.

  “For small wineries, a big challenge can be finding a cost-effective system to treat the relatively small amount of process wastewater generated at their facility,” said Jennifer Kintzer, business development and process engineer for Specialty Treatment Solutions, LLC (STS) in Benicia, California. STS develops reliable, environmentally sustainable and cost-effective wastewater treatment systems that are fully automated and scalable for wineries, breweries and food industries.

  “A common mistake made by wineries is underestimating the amount of process wastewater they generate at their facility,” Kintzer said. “Depending on their processes a winery can generate anywhere from three to 12 gallons of process wastewater for each gallon of wine produced. Some wineries will estimate a low volume of process wastewater per gallon of wine, and then their wastewater system is not sized properly to treat the amount of flow entering the plant.”

  Yoni Szarvas, the CEO of AquaBella Organic Solutions, LLC in Sebastopol, California, told The Grapevine Magazine that the biggest challenge, especially for smaller wineries, is that they generate a large amount of wastewater in a short time, and it is an enormous cost to build a waste treatment facility to treat it. AquaBella specializes in innovative microbial products using naturally occurring, good bacteria to reduce water pollutants and produce higher crop yields.

  “This is where we come in,” Szarvas said. “It’s an easy application because we just pour the AquaBella BioEnzyme directly into the existing reservoir without having to build additional infrastructure. Wineries run out of space in the reservoir to treat their waste and have to build more reservoirs to treat the excess waste. Using AquaBella BioEnzyme allows a shorter treatment time, and the water can be released from the reservoir so it can be refilled.”

Wastewater Treatment Solutions

  There are physical and chemical processes and mechanically based biological processes that can be pursued to address winery wastewater. The options differ for small and large wineries, yet there are creative ways to recycle, reuse and process wastewater for significant benefits.

  Specialty Treatment Solutions offers three popular operations contract options: full service, basic service and daily remote monitoring only. STS’s winery wastewater treatment systems typically consist of influent screening, equalization facilities, pH adjustment and nutrient addition, a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), membrane bioreactor (MBR) and aerobic sludge digestor facilities. These systems can come in various sizes and configurations, such as custom-engineered steel tanks, bolted steel tanks, polyethylene tanks, fiberglass tanks and concrete basins to meet the customer’s individual needs.

  “Some wineries do not have the staff available to attend to their wastewater treatment system, so they have STS provide full operations services. We stop by their sites two to three times per week, in addition to daily monitoring of their system over the computer,” said Kintzer.

  “Others have people available but like to have some assistance at times, so they will select the basic service where we physically stop by the site once or twice a month and daily-monitor their system over the computer,” Kintzer said. “Lastly, there are customers who only ask that we monitor their system over the computer and notify them if we notice something that should be attended to. Many times, the winery will make a decision based upon their staffing and knowledge base. All systems are equipped with remote monitoring and operations technology, so the customer can select the services that meets their needs at the time and can change their service plan as their needs change.”

  Szarvas from AquaBella shared with The Grapevine, “We offer a cost-effective solution for wineries so they don’t have to invest a fortune in a waste treatment facility and, if needed, more reservoirs. In addition to dealing with the BOD, nitrates and phosphates, as a bonus, our aerobic and anaerobic bacteria help to reduce the sludge build-up so they can easily store more water.”

  “Cost depends on the size of the pond and the extent of the problem,” said Szarvas. “The beauty of our product is that it will work with any existing infrastructure they have. Application depends on the severity of the situation, so you might need to apply more than once or twice a year.”

Choosing the Best Solution for Your Operations

  Fortunately, winery wastewater treatment is not a cost-prohibitive endeavor since minimal upfront investment is needed, and the technology to handle it already exists.

  Concerning cost, Kintzer from STS said that this varies considerably based on the size of the system and the level of treatment desired. “We design each system to meet the aesthetic, site needs and treatment objectives of the customer while keeping in mind the economic impact the system will have on the customer,” she said.

  Kintzer shared that STS’s services stand out in the industry because the company can evaluate a customer’s entire process and suggest ways to minimize the amount of processed wastewater entering the treatment system, potentially saving the customer money on freshwater and wastewater sides of the operation.

  Szarvas from AquaBella’s most significant advice to wineries about deciding on the right wastewater solution is to choose the most cost-effective solution that will resolve their issues.

  “We believe that AquaBella BioEnzyme is the most valuable, low-cost solution that will help solve the water quality issues that plague vineyards,” Szarvas said. “In addition, the product is completely natural, so it doesn’t harm the water or land, which means it’s doing its job sustainably. It’s a powerful option with both short-term and long-range benefits. AquaBella BioEnzyme is also proudly OMRI-certified to benefit organic wineries.”

  Looking ahead, it is crucial to have everyone in the winery, from owners and upper management to cellar crew and seasonal field workers, onboard with an agreed-upon wastewater management program for consistency and accountability. Wineries can integrate the concept of minimizing all forms of waste into the business culture with relevant training, reporting and performance measurement. In the overall scheme of things, now is an excellent time to start looking at wastewater as something to be managed and also an opportunity to reduce water consumption throughout the vineyard and winery property for long-term success.

How Tradition and Technology Blend to Fill Winery Needs for Pumps

By: Cheryl Gray

Pumps are as essential as grapes when it comes to a functioning winery. Their overall purpose is, of course, to protect the quality of wine, whether it is managing must, treating wastewater or guarding against oxidation. Both traditional pumps and advanced alternatives are on the market, giving wineries a choice when it comes to selecting that all-important piece of equipment for a specific task. In all cases, experts with decades of industry experience help wineries make pump selections designed to improve their operations.

  When Vijay and Meera Singh started their New Jersey winery in 2013, it prompted them to come up with ways, they say, to work smarter. Meera Singh is a winemaker, WSET level 3 and a sommelier. Dr. Vijay Singh has more than 40 years in the biotechnology industry, with some 20 patents to his credit in multiple fields, such as biotechnology, gun sights, hydroponics, mixing and, of course, winemaking.

  Together, the couple founded GOfermentor,  the namesake of one of their signature products, the GOfermentor®, an eco-friendly, automated wine fermentor. What followed was SmartBarrel®, offering advanced wine storage options. Then came GOblend, an electronic wine blender. All three products are marketed worldwide.

  The company’s latest market entry is GOpump. Dr. Singh explains how the product was created.

“Several years ago, I had made a flow-controlled pump to handle operations in our own winery. A GOfermentor customer asked me in 2022 if I could make something for him. The result of this prototype work is now the commercially available GOpump – the first wine pump with precision flowmeter based batch capability.”

  Transferring wine is routine in winery operations, whether done in racking, blending or filling. And while there are pumps on the market that facilitate these tasks, Dr. Singh says something is missing.

  “What is lacking in the industry are pumps with accurate flow metering and the ability to automatically dispense user-preset amounts of wine. I wanted the ability to set a wine volume, say 110 gallons, start the pump and walk away to do other things. The pump would transfer the 110 gallons and stop. This saves time and allows me to perform other tasks.”

  Market response to GOpump, Singh says, has been good. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive. The typical comment is that it is a marvel of human-machine engineering with all of the functions logically and ergonomically laid out. Users are enthused by the time they can save by not having to monitor the pumping process.

  The portable, lightweight, splash-proof design is well-liked. The fact that it can be operated remotely using a smartphone app is appreciated, as the pump can be switched on or off from high up on the barrel rack if needed.

  Even flow rate and batch volume can be adjusted. User applications are wine racking and blending. The preset batching feature makes these operations efficient and easy.”

  GOpump and the other products developed by Singh are backed by his in-depth knowledge of the device and pump design.

  “I have a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, and have worked with all kinds of pumps and flowmeters for over 40 years with over 20 patents. I have developed hardware and software for controllers used in pharmaceutical and beverage processing. The GOfermentor fermentation controller design and manufacture was done by me in 2016 and has been refined constantly since then. Hundreds of these are in service worldwide. Some of the flowmeter and pumping concepts used in the GOpump originated in the GOblend device I developed in 2020. GOblend is a laboratory machine for quickly generating wine blend samples for evaluation. It pioneered the precision flow totalization techniques used in GOpump.

  The GOpump is shipping now at a list price of $2,200, which includes a sight-glass and strainer, along with a choice of inlet/outlet fitting. Users can select 1 ½-inch triclamp, 2-inch triclamp, HFC12 quick-connect or just bare female ½-inch NPT. The Android Bluetooth app is included.”

  Industry leader Gorman-Rupp Pumps has been manufacturing pumps since 1933. Based in Ohio, the company enjoys a global presence with 20 locations, 11 subsidiaries and sales in 135 countries. Gorman-Rupp is known for pumps used in waste-handling applications for multiple industries, including wineries. It specializes in self-priming centrifugal pumps, which it says are ideal for pumping stems, skins, seeds and other types of waste that wineries have to manage. Jeff Hannan is the product manager for centrifugal pumps at Gorman-Rupp. He uses his 29 years of experience in the pumping industry to help wineries large and small.

  “With pumps ranging in size from 1-inch to 16-inch discharge and flow rates up to 15,000 gallons per minute, Gorman-Rupp can work with almost any size of winery in the market. Our reliability, reputation and service set us apart from the competition. Gorman-Rupp has been manufacturing pumps in the United States since 1933 and has the strongest network of factory trained distributors in the industry. This allows for the local distributor to offer support around the clock right where the pumps are being used.”

  Hannan adds that the company’s range of products is designed to optimize production time, manage costs and enhance wines. He gives some examples of Gorman-Rupp pumps that fill that checklist.

  “Super T Series® pumps equipped with the Eradicator™ Solids Management System are the best choice for pumping clog-prone waste. 

  Gorman-Rupp’s Super T Series pumps, equipped with the Eradicator solids management system, are the best pumps for handling waste materials, such as seeds, stems, skins and all other types of stringy solids. With the ability to pass up to 3-inch spherical solids, Super T Series pumps are designed to eliminate clogging and increase uptime. With over 4,000 installations in the toughest applications you can find, these pumps have a proven track record. 

  The Eradicator’s three-part solids management system. The system consists of a new, lightweight inspection cover, an innovative back plate incorporating an obstruction-free flow path and an aggressive, self-cleaning wear plate with integral, laser-cut notches and grooves in combination with a revolutionary ‘tooth’ designed to clear the eye of the impeller constantly and effectively. Upgrade kits are available for existing Super T or Ultra V pumps in the field. The upgrade kits provide everything you need to put the best self-cleaning pump technology in the industry to work for you.”

  When it comes to waste handling pumps, Hannan says the dependability can’t be compromised.

  “When selecting a pump for any waste application, consideration must be given to reliability, low total cost of ownership and overall uptime. It is best to select pumps that are easy to maintain and are designed to prevent clogging. Gorman-Rupp Super T and Ultra V Series pumps, equipped with the Eradicator solids management system, are the best choices for self-priming, solids-handling pumps for any maintenance department. Externally adjustable clearances between the impeller and wear plate, in combination with the new lightweight inspection covers, are just a couple of the features that make routine maintenance on these pumps easier than ever.”

  Hannan describes a recent addition to the Gorman-Rupp Pumps solid handling pumps product line.

  “Eradicator PlusTM, Gorman-Rupp’s most aggressive solids handling pump to date, is specifically designed for installations where nuisance clogging is affecting uptime and costly maintenance. Eradicator Plus’ innovative design is currently available for 3-inch, 4-inch and 6-inch Super T Series® pumps. For those extreme-duty applications where municipal waste, wipes, industrial by-products, agricultural wastes and other organic solids are present, Eradicator Plus cuts and tears the solids, allowing them to pass through the pump.”

  In business for nearly 40 years, Milwaukee Instruments provides clients from multiple industries with instruments to use in their analytical requirements. For wineries, the product line includes T.A mini-Titrators, V.A. Mini-Titrators, Dissolved Oxygen meters, Turbidity Meters and pH meters in portable (field) or bench (lab) applications in the wineries and BRIX meters for field analysis.

  The global company, based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, works with wineries of all sizes. Its president, Carl Silvaggio, talks about what he believes makes the products offered by Milwaukee Instruments stand out from competitors. 

  “Our Mini-Titrators for T.A. and V.A. are very cost effective, easy-to-use, accurate and repeatable. Our Portable and Bench top meters offer up to five-point pH calibrations with two Custom buffers allowed as well. Our meters have data-logging features up to 1,000 points and are USB downloading, with built-in GLP (Good Lab Practice) features, all at very cost-effective prices. Our technical service and after-market service all have the human element, as we answer phones, emails and chats accurately and quickly. We have no bots.”

  Silvaggio adds that new product launches are already underway.

  “Our MW106 Portable Waterproof  Data Logging MAX pH Meter has up to five points of pH calibration, two custom buffers, 1,000 data logging points, USB download, automatic calibration and temperature compensation.”

  Experts agree that post-sale service should accompany any pump purchase or an ancillary piece of equipment. As Hannan explains, this spotlight on customer service understanding is critical.

  “If something would ever happen to go wrong, and something invariably does, I would want to know that I can trust the pump supplier to work with me to get the situation resolved.”

By: Tom Payette – Winemaking Consultant  

Blending is an excellent resource to make improvements in wines.  To do it properly takes time, work and organization. Standing in the cellar and walking from wine vessel to wine vessel roughly pouring the quantities from glass to glass in estimation of what a blend will be like is not acceptable.  Beyond the practical applications it is a great time to review overall winemaking quality and to plan the upcoming winemaking schedule for the year.  Following these steps will result in better quality wines, more cellar organization and fluid production parameters for any winery whether making 2000 cases or 40,000 cases and beyond.  These sessions give the winemaker long-term direction and will keep others in the winery better informed and involved with what is happening in the cellar.

  In this article, I will go into detail with a step-by- step analysis how a blending session can be performed.  This process gives a platform to taste and review all of the winery’s products and make blends in a systematic session outside of the cellar. One should be dedicated to this process.  The first blending session may have some disjointed moments but don’t let that discourage the process.  By the third session one should be on top of all aspects of this process and ready to build on it to make it an even better operation for their winery.  Take the time to follow this process from sampling on through to the follow-up report.  It works!

1)  First, establish a set of goals for the blending session.  Most of the time the goal will be to meet a certain style of wines that have the consistency of previous vintages or better.  One can establish other goals as needed to fit the particular set of circumstances in the cellar.  Goals such as blending a reserve style blend for a particular wine variety and then making subsequent blends is a perfect start.  Always taste past vintages of these same wines from the wine library. This will give great information as to how wines are holding up in the bottle and help remember the earlier wines and how they were crafted.  Collect winemaking data of these past vintages for review should that be necessary.  If one marvels over a competitor’s wine, then purchase some of that wine and put it into the initial blind tasting.  It may help move your wine style in the direction desired.  Try to answer this question before, during and after the blending session: “Do we know where we are with our wines and where we are trying to go”? Asking yourself and the others this question will help the winery move the wines forward.

2)  The Next step in a successful blending session is collecting the samples early.  Go into the cellar, at least one week prior to the scheduled blending day, and pull all the samples needed in sufficient quantities.  Usually at least one 750 ml sample of each large lot will be sufficient for a two person blending session.  Perhaps a 375 ml sample of the smaller lots will suffice.  When in doubt – collect multiple 750 milliliter samples of one lot.  (If using this article, as a client of mine, lets please touch base to discuss sample sizes and participants in the blending session)  Make sure these samples represent the lot of wine.  If twenty barrels are in the lot – try and pull the sample from at least 10 representative barrels to make sure it is uniform.  If a certain wine is in two distinct sets of wine storage conditions, take samples of each and indicate the differences.  If the sample does not represent the wine it is supposed to, a successful blending session can not be performed.  If older lots of a certain wine remain in the cellar, sample them as well. It may help to round out the newer vintage blend.  Take samples of anything that does not already have a direction in your winemaking plan and that may even remotely have a chance of adding to the blend.  All the way down to carboys if you have them. If looking to purchase wines in bulk, have those samples sent to you well ahead of time with their respective chemistries.

3)  Pull the wine samples in the same style glass bottle to eliminate the influence of preference, or lack thereof.  The wines will be tasted blind and one would not want to influence the tasters by having the glass bottle, color or style tip the taster’s hand. (It happens!)  Using a t-top closure is the best for these samples to save time.  This will make it easier to remove the cork at the blending table and prevent fumbling clumsily through the opening of each bottle while pulling a cork.

4)  Mark each bottle with the lot code, vintage year, variety, quantity and any other data deemed important – for example “new French oak” or “malo-lactic”. Place the bottles into brown bags or wine bottle bags all of the same style.  This action, will again, prevent any bias resulting from remembering what wine went into which bag.  Randomly move the bottles around to facilitate the blind tasting process for yourself (optional).  After shuffling the wines around sufficiently, label them in a number or letter sequence and place, in flights, into boxes.  This process should be completed one week prior to the actual blending session and the wines should be stored upright to allow any sediment to form on the bottom of the bottle.

5)  Collect background data on each of the wines to be presented at the blending table.  This information should include harvest data, fermentation data (yeast, temp, enzymes etc), a full chemistry panel (ph, TA, so2, VA, malic, alcohol etc.)  Record this data on a spreadsheet for copies to be distributed to every member of the tasting panel at the appropriate time.  Speak with the owner or sales department to get information on sales data for each product.  This will help determine how much of a given blend that should be made.  Collect current inventories, on hand, in both case storage and bulk wine – if more of a current blend is to be bottled.

6)  With the above information in hand make a “wish list”, independent of what known volumes you have on hand, for all wines to be blended.  Make this wish list up with volumes needed for the business goals.  So :: each varietal, each vintage and how much of each to make.  This is very important to make the blending day run smooth.

7)  When all of the wines and information are collected for the blending session, take time to remind the other members on the blending team of the date, time and location of the blending session.  Remind them not to wear smelly colognes or perfumes that day and to dress comfortably.  (There is no need to wear a tie as it may only drag through a glass of wine as one reaches across the table).

8)  The day prior to the blending session collect the other items necessary in the room to be used.  Check the wine glasses for potential cardboard dust odors or other off smells and wash them if necessary.  Check the actual room for off odors, paint smells, or other odors that may interfere with aroma evaluation.  Place a white table cloth on the table to be used.  For all the items to be used try to eliminate any colors to have mostly white and clear objects present.  For each sitting area have the wine glasses fanned out, in a semi-circle, in the quantity necessary to accommodate the largest flight of wines.  Have room to add about four more glasses to evaluate blends as they are made.  At these place settings have a water glass, pencils, paper, cracker dish and a spit cup.  At one end of the table have several graduated cylinders, beakers, and pipettes all of varying quantities.  Place several calculators on the table for use as mathematical questions may arise.  If your tap water has an off flavor, or a slight odor, use distilled water or bottled water for the sessions rinse water and drinking water.  Gather several clean 5 gallon buckets and place them in the room to assist dumping the glasses of wine after each session.

Okay! Now we are set up and ready for our blending day.

9)  The morning of the blending session have everyone gather in the room and take their place setting.  Give them an overview of what they will be doing but be careful not to reveal any information on the wines that are bagged and to be tasted blind.  Start with the first blind flight of wine.  This most often will be a primary focus wine flight of past vintages that have been made by the winery.  Older vintages help one understand what the consumer has been purchasing, how the lots are aging and what characteristic one may want to enhance or refine for future vintages.  Try to evaluate at least three vintages.  It is best to have six, seven or more if the winery has that many years under its belt.  This is a good time to slip in a competitors bottle that the winery has discussed trying to emulate.  Perhaps slip in a well known brand to see how your wine compares.  Pour the wines from left to right and make sure that everyone has them in the same order.  This will eliminate confusion when speaking and critiquing the wines.  Taste through each wine and take notes.  Indicate the positive and negative attributes of each wine on paper.  Allow as much time as necessary to thoroughly go through each wine and do it with complete silence and no discussion.

10)  After ample tasting time, have each member that feels comfortable doing so, talk briefly about each wine.  Perhaps have them rank the wines or select their favorites and mention why.  Keep a rough tally of the table’s favorites.  Is there a consensus?  Do most people have a favorite or dislike?  Zero in on the positive attributes of those favorite wines and mentally lock in those flavors and aromas.

11)  Unveil the wines and reveal their labels or contents.  Keep them in the order that the glasses are on the table so each one can record what wine goes with his or her notes.  Speak a little about each wine as it is unveiled and then allow some time after all the wines are exposed for light discussion and possible surprises that people have commented on.  Collectively agree with the rest of the table what three or four wines may be needed to evaluate the next blend, refresh the pours into the glasses and ask them to put them aside.  Mark their glasses with a pen or simply have some white paper in front of them and label the place setting for that particular wine.  Clear the table of the left over glasses of wine by dumping the contents into the dump buckets.  Cork the remaining bottles for potential future evaluation and remove them from the table.  Rinse all the glasses lightly and take a small break.

12)  During or shortly after the break, start to pour the next blind flight.  This flight will be all the bulk wines and blends from the cellar that will be possible candidates to help make the next vintage of the previous wines just evaluated.  Be sure to include any older lots of wine that have been left behind in the cellar for one reason or another.  If an older wine is being blended perhaps taste and reach out for a newer vintage that may increase the fruitiness and freshness of the wine.  Taste and evaluate silently all of the potential components for the next blend.  Take notes and express the positive and negative attributes of each wine.  Rank them and discuss them after everyone has had time to evaluate them.  Reveal the bottles’ contents to the panel of tasters and perhaps have some light discussion about the wines, what vineyard blocks they came from and other possible factors that may add to the table. 

13)  After discussion, take a look at the quantities and chemistries you have of each wine in the cellar that is represented at the table.  Express those quantities to the rest of the table so they can help with the formulation of potential blends.  Have a pre-made spreadsheet with all the information needed and simply pass that out to the members to save time.  Now we have all of the information on the table to make our first blend!  (Whew – yes this is a task that takes time, energy and focus!) 

14)  First, formulate a blend on paper that may guide your new wine in the direction that you would like to see it go.  Take a look at the wines that will add the most to the new blend.  Start with several “paper blends” and make them at the table. [This may be done blind with the other tasting members excused.] Use the graduated cylinders, beaker, pipettes and other measuring devices to make the blends in the quantities that will fit the volume needed.  If the quality will allow more and the sales of the winery will allow it – make more.  If the quality will not allow a reserve blend, review the potential of not making one.  After the table blends are made, make sure to mix them well and then pour a portion of those blends for each person at the table. Pull the previously tagged glasses from the prior flight forward and taste the new blend up against the older vintages.

15)  Take time, with silence, for each member to evaluate the wines and select one or two that reflects an improvement on the previous vintages.  Discuss the wines and potentially make more sample blends, for the same wine, while refining and focusing the desired qualities.  Keep doing this process until an agreement can be reached as to which blend is the best.  Once that is done, subtract the volumes used for that blend from the spreadsheet and indicate the quantities that are remaining to work with.

  Dump and rinse the glasses that will no longer be used for the next blending flight.  Any glasses one decides to keep, be sure and mark accordingly and keep off to ones side.

16)  Now prepare for the next flight to be tasted blind.  Pull the next flight of library wines to the table to make the next level of quality for that style.  For example if the first flight was to make a “Meritage style blend” perhaps the next level will be a Reserve style or Premium blend.  Be careful not to use a descriptor such as “Regular Cabernet” because there should be nothing regular about it!  It also gets many in the winery referring to a blend in a non premium fashion. Taste just as we did before {blind and in silence} the next flight of library wines that correlates to the next wine that will be focused on and blended.  Once the tasting is completed discuss the wines with the table and start to focus on the next blend to be made.  This process can be repeated as often as necessary until all the wines have been made.  Once you are finished with the primary focus wines you can move into another quality tier.  Depending on the size of the winery one can work on reds one day and whites the second.  If some red wine will be needed to enhance a blush or rose, remember to hold that back during the previous sessions. 

17)  Once the process is complete be sure to compile all the information and double check the quantities assigned during the blending session.  Do this the next day if possible.  Make copies of the spreadsheet and pass them out to the participants and others at the winery.  If a mistake has been made it is much easier to regroup and find alternatives while the information is still fresh on the minds of the team.  Sit back and look at the complete picture the blending session has drawn for the cellar. Make sure new product lines were not left out or that the session will fulfill the year’s sales goals as best as possible.

18)  This process can be very daunting at first but once a system is in place it becomes second nature like anything else.  I like this process because it enhances the wine quality and it gives the cellar long-term direction.  One blend isn’t jeopardized because another one was made.  The winemaking team can move the wines forward, cohesively, in the cellar at a pace that should not be rushed.  Dry goods needs such as labels, corks, capsules and bottles can all be investigated and set up to arrive at the winery as needed.  The winery has a summary of the wine compositions and the exact blend percentages can be calculated.  This helps one put together a bottling schedule well into the next 6 months or longer.

19)  If many wines are remaining, at the end of the sessions, with “no home” discuss what some of the potential options are for those wines.  Will they get better?  Should they be offered for bulk sale? What is the future of the left overs?  Will there be enough cellar space to carry them over the next harvest?  Will it hamper the quality of the next harvest through “forced blending” due to cellar space issues?

Summary:

  Once this process has been performed several times it will become very systematic.  One can perform this process twice a year.  Perform the first blending session in the winter and another just prior to harvest.  This will help “shore up” loose ends in the cellar and prepare the cellar for the upcoming harvest.  The preharvest blending session is a great time to review fining trials on wines that may need refinement.  One can prepare these wines well in advance and taste them with others, blind, to get a true perspective to the best fining agents for a particular refinement.

  The success of a blending session is based on tasting the representative wine samples blind.  Getting the wines out of the cellar and evaluating them blind will help assemble blends without bias.  Try this process and give it at least three sessions over the next two years.  You will find the quality of the wines will improve, the cellar team will be better informed and focused and the complete winery team will all be aware as to the status of the wines.  It is the final touch to the winemaking art form.

Wine Blending Checklist

Objective:  To make the best possible blend(s) from the components of wine available in the cellar or off premise bulk wine.

Material Checklist:

4Wine bottles 4Wine bottle bags 4T-tops

4Magic markers – permanent (can be removed with ethyl alcohol) 4Adhesive labels for bottles

4Wine glasses – the small Viticole 7.25 oz glass is a nice “average” glass for this. 4Water glasses 4Pencils 4Paper 4Crackers 4Cracker dish

4Graduated Cylinders (multiple sizes) – 25 mil, 50 mil, 100 mil, 250 mil, 500 mil •Beakers – 500 milliliters 4Pipettes – [ 2 ] serological 10 milliliter

4White tablecloth – optional but nice. Large white paper is best. 4Spit cups 4Dump buckets (3) 4Distilled water

•  Be sure to collect samples from all lots in the cellar.

•  Recent data on wines to be tasted – organized and ready to answer questions.

•  Data on quantities to make – firm volumes known ahead of the day.

•  Sales data and current bulk wine data – more for your internal needs – not mine.

•  Current bottled wine data – again – to help you understand sales rates and needs.

4Calculators

4Past vintage wines and / or competitor’s wines

4Cork screw

4Quiet room

4An open mind and a great tasting team (….. but not too many people )