Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/197145
WINEMAKING warm water for heating the grapes back up. Each station also provides compressed air, argon/nitrogen and electricity, with the electricity serving to regulate tank temperature. Frustrated by the amount of time necessary to press wine, Rodgers set about customizing a solution. He collaborated with Therma Corp. of San Jose, Calif., to design a custom piece of equipment that presses wine right in the fermentation tank. Rodgers likens the design to a French coffee press in reverse: The press is rolled over to the fermentor, the plate is fixed in place, and the tank rises up to meet it. The press can be set from 0.1 to 3 bars, and what previously took four hours to accomplish can be finished in 25 minutes, Rodgers says. Better yet, he has found the press wine to be less bitter than traditionally pressed wine. "It wasn't that different from the free-run wine, so the press wine was of a higher quality than if you beat it up the old-fashioned way," he says. And because the floor is set 80 inches lower in the barrel cave next door, wine from the press flows through sterile hoses directly into barrels in the adjacent cave without the use of a pump. "We don't own a filter, and we don't own a pump," Rodgers tells Wines & Vines. "The winery is meant to be a gravity winery, and we're true to it by not having any pumps. Wine flows from tank to barrels to bottling." Paul Sakuma Photography Winemaker TJ Rodgers discusses the wine press he designed. The press moves between utility stations in the fermentation cave, pressing each tank in as little as 25 minutes. Barrel and bottle aging Barrels are treated with ozone gas once per month before filling. Each stainless fermentor fills four barrels. Wines are barrel aged for 18 months in François Frères barrels, and View video in the Wines Rodgers is partial to & Vines Digital Edition. Watch co-owner Valeta those from France's BerRodgers discuss the trange forest. Early vinsorting, foot crushing tages were aged in 100% and pressing processes new oak, but the wineat Clos de la Tech. maker now uses 70%. Try Before you Buy – conTacT your local rep Today FREE Take advantage of this risk-free offer to try our new TankJet 55 barrel cleaner in your winery. You'll experience benefits like these: TRIAL OF OUR NEW • Powerful cleaning using low flow rates to prevent toast removal and reduce water and chemical use TANKJET® 55 • Fast cycle times enable cleaning of multiple barrels in minutes BARREL CLEANER Superior Spray. SeriouS reSultS. TankJet 55 barrel cleaner for cleaning barrels up to 5' (1.5 m) in dia. • Durable construction and use of wear-resistant materials extend service life • Easy to use – compatible with most pumps and pressure washers Try the TankJet 55 today! Call 1.800.95.SPRAY or visit TankJet.com. Win es & Vin es NOV EM b er 20 13 31