Page 23 - Grapevine JanFeb 2022

In The Winery

read from up to 100 feet away with more memory.
The RFID tags transmit a continuous signal with
real-time statistics. More size and memory bring
additional tracking and information functionality,
including temperature, humidity levels, and real-
time location statistics. But, because they are bat-
tery-powered, they are bulky and more costly.

Passive RFID codes, on the other hand, are small-
er, more compact, and not reliant on an enclosed
battery, making them more economical and lon-
ger-lasting than active RFID tags. Passive RFID tags
can be inlaid into sticker form or attached like tags,
making them more durable and a good fit for wine
cellars or barrel storage areas. They are stable
under diverse conditions while having the ability
to record both interior and exterior temperatures.
Passive RFID has more limited data storage capacity
but is compatible with real-time location systems
for immediate tracking capability. Additionally,
available location and temperature data allow vari-
ation tracking in temperature versus barrel volume
fluctuations and free SO2.

BarrelWise: Enhanced Technology
For Wine Production And Analysis

Barrel management is time-consuming and man- taneously, saving labor and time. By testing every
ually labor-intensive, especially for craft wineries. barrel, a winemaker reduces the inherent risk in
BarrelWise is a project initially conceived and tar- producing larger batches of wine. Critical decisions
geted for another industry by a group of University are made based on accurate data from each barrel,
of British Columbia (UBC) students, including Jason giving the winemaker more control, confidence,
Sparrow, now CEO, and Artem Bocharovaz, Director and efficiency in their decision-making. Individual
of Sales. By listening to and addressing winemak- barrels can produce significant variations, and
ers’ concerns, they’ve taken their idea and created BarrelWise helps the winemaker get each barrel
a system for winemakers that incorporates special- right through easy measurements, accurate data
ized bungs and a unique hose cart for each wine and consistent tracking
barrel that allows winemakers to take measure-
ments and top off the barrel with a straightforward
action. After successful trials with several wineries
fully outfitted with BarrelWise bungs, BarrelWise
is building and adding sensing operations to their
units.

Smaller wineries can more easily test all of their
barrels for free SO2 levels, but Sparrow said that
higher producing wineries test as few as five to ten
percent simply due to time constraints. In addition,
wine barrels routinely have an evaporative loss that
may require topping off. With the BarrelWise sys-
tem, the barrels can stay in place and provide data
through their head sensors, allowing winemakers
to top off, test, and correct and SO2 levels simul-

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