Wines & Vines

36 WINES&VINES Collector's Edition COLLECTOR'S EDITION of UC Davis' Teaching and Research Winery, which opened in 2011 and has been heralded as the most advanced and most sustainable winery in the world. Equipment Vendors A whole new industry to support grapegrowing and winemaking Just as the U.S. cooperage trade improved to serve the U.S. wine industry, so, too, have com- panies that either produce equipment or distrib- ute products and materials from vendors in Europe. Cutting down wait times and ensuring the availability of key winemaking products such as yeast, enzymes and chemicals, while providing the equipment, spare parts and ex- pertise to keep crush pads humming during harvest helped winemakers produce better- quality wines at ever-increasing volumes. Scott Laboratories, ATP Group, Enartis USA and many other vendors supply an extensive range of products, while companies such as Criveller Group, P&L Specialties, Tom Beard and Carlsen & Associates manufacture equipment such as bin dumpers, barrel washers and conveyors used by wineries. In light of the importance of the U.S. wine industry, major European equip- ment manufacturers such as Della Toffola, Bu- cher Vaslin and Pellenc have established offices and facilities in California and other states to directly support the industry. The multifaceted company G3 Enterprises is a leader in trucking as well as packaging, distribution and product development. As the options and services for equipment and materials expanded, analytical services from companies such as ETS Laborato- ries have grown more sophisticated and avail- able in every major wine region in the U.S. William Bridgman Grower with a long-lasting influence in Washington William Bridgman (1878-1968) was neither the first to plant grapes in Washington state, nor the first to make wine from them, but his influence on the state's wine industry may well have been the most far-reaching. An immigrant from Canada, he practiced law in Sunnyside and helped write legislation governing water rights that remains in effect today. Seeing the potential for viticulture in Eastern Washington, he planted vineyards at Harrison Hill in 1914 then at Upland Vineyard on Snipes Mountain in 1917. Thompson and Muscat grapevines remain today, near the remains of a winery Bridgman established in 1934. That same year, a young horticulture student named Walter Clore arrived at Washington State University, eventually becoming Bridgman's protégé. Bridgman also advised the founders of what became Columbia Winery and sold them grapes. Today, the Newhouse family operates Upland Vineyard, having acquired it following Bridgman's death in 1968. Cellar Equipment European expertise matched by American ingenuity Not all of the industry's most helpful equipment is developed in Europe. American ingenuity and entrepreneurship have led to the successful development of many pieces of notable wine- making equipment. A San Luis Obispo, Calif., engineer developed the Bulldog Pup racking wand that gently pushes wine out of barrels using inert gas, and variations of the pumpover irrigator developed by Tom Beard and winemak- ers Dave Ramey and Zelma Long are used in wineries throughout North America. The small startup Vintuitive used 3D printing to create its Lotus pumpover device, which has proved to be a hit with several winemakers. Systems such as TankNet to monitor and control tank tempera- ture as well as winemaking software such as Winemakers Database and InnoVint not only provide winemakers with an exceptional level of control but also allow for remote operation through tablets or smartphones. Winemaking may fundamentally remain the same, but it's become much more efficient, sanitary and eas- ier, thanks to improved technology. Gary Eberle The godfather of Paso Robles wine Paso Robles has more than 270 wineries now, but when Gary Eberle arrived in 1973, there were only three wineries and two tasting rooms. His professors at the University of California, Davis, thought Paso Robles was a good place for growing high-quality red grapes, and he took them at their word. He started the now- defunct Estrella River Winery and later founded his eponymous winery. Along the way, he developed a reputation for fine Cabernet Sauvignon, but he also became the first California vintner to produce a wine made from 100% Syrah (released in 1978). For years he was the only source in the state for Syrah vines (the so-called Estrella clone). Ever the promoter of his adopted home, Eberle — considered by many to be the "godfa- ther of Paso Robles wine" — was one of the forces behind the establishment of the Paso Robles AVA, and Eberle Winery was one of the founding members of the Paso Robles CAB Collective.

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