Page 20 - GrapevineMarApr 2022

In The Winery

in-house for seamless integration and consistent polyethylene tanks that defy all of these concerns
quality.” and are safe for food and beverage purposes.

Roussel said Algor uses certified European AISI Other Wine Tank Considerations
304 and AISI 316 grade stainless steel alloys for its
tanks. Both tanks offer high corrosion resistance Cost is always a huge consideration when choos-
and ease of cleaning, resulting in negligible product ing wine tanks. Stainless steel tanks are often
contamination. produced locally, making them easier to find and
eliminating high shipping costs. Also, stainless-steel
“The 304 is perfect for most applications and bud- tanks tend to last considerably longer than oak
get-friendly,” Roussel said. “The 316 can be worth and can save a winery money over time. Variable-
the expense if you need to have superior corrosion capacity tanks commonly run between $500 and
resistance, such as if the tanks live outside and in $5,000, based on size and features. But don’t forget
the proximity of the ocean or if you produce wine about the costs of tank accessories and ongoing
vinegar. Our customers also opt for 316 when pro- maintenance, so they don’t exceed the equipment
ducing some specific wines such as whites from the budget for the year.
Burgundy and the Chablis regions in France.”
Another consideration is how to keep tanks and
Pros & Cons of Other Types of Tanks their contents safe and protected in case of an
emergency or natural disaster. Onguard Seismic
Wood tanks intentionally change the flavor and Systems is a New Zealand-based company that pro-
texture of wine. They are usually cylindrical and vides patented seismic systems for liquid storage
often used for decades; however, they offer the tanks that protect the tank, its contents, the people
best sensory changes within the first two to three and the environment from earthquakes.
years of use. Wood tanks keep the fermentation
at a warmer temperature, making it necessary to “Losses suffered from earthquakes in global wine
monitor that temperature closely and requiring regions are numerous and include loss of prod-
more labor hours. uct, loss of market share, insurance deductibles
and compromised infrastructure,” Will Lomax,
Meanwhile, concrete tanks are porous and let Onguard’s founder and managing director, told The
some oxygen in during fermentation. Concrete Grapevine Magazine. “These losses can be avoided
offers more gradual fermentation and a more with the use of the Onguard seismic system. Unlike
authentic representation of the wine without add- most incumbent anchoring methods seen in the
ing oak. However, concrete tanks can be challeng- U.S., Onguard’s energy-dissipating anchors also
ing because of sanitation difficulties and cracking meet the U.S. building code’s seismic requirements
due to temperature changes. for the design and construction of liquid storage
tanks. The Onguard system can be installed on new
Amphorae is a nostalgic and historically used tank tanks or retrofitted to existing tanks to improve
material that offers a natural approach to wine- seismic performance and resilience.”
making. These types of tanks come in various sizes
but are not readily available and are more labor-in- Lomax explained that winery tanks are generally
tensive to use than the other options. either mounted onto elevated stands or placed
directly onto a concrete slab or elevated pedestal.
Plastic tanks started being more widely used for He said that tanks on stands require a full engineer-
wine in the 1980s and are still cost-efficient today. ing design of the stand and the tank, which often
They can help wineries maximize their floor space gets overlooked.
and allow oxygen to permeate through the tank
walls because of the polymer construction. There “Optimum seismic performance of tanks on stands
have been concerns about the quality of wine pro- is achieved by detaching the tank from the stand
duced in plastic tanks, the wine’s lack of character, and installing the Onguard anchors between the
and the plastic odors left behind in wine from the two, rather than at the feet,” Lomax said. “Tanks
tanks. Yet the stigma of plastic tanks has been mounted onto concrete are a simpler structural
fading away with the emergence of higher quality system, as loads are transferred directly from the

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