Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/210765
WineEast TECHNICAL REVIEW Africa to create a building that would provide the best possible layout while also integrating with the architectural style of the existing Boordy buildings. The new production facility connects directly to the bottling and storage building, which was constructed in 2000, and includes the fermentation cellar, a laboratory for wine analysis and quality control, a cold room for grape storage during harvest, an Internet shipping room and a covered grape-processing area. The 32 tanks located in the fermentation cellar (ranging in size from 600 gallons to 6,200 gallons and purchased from VinQuip in South Africa) are accessible from a catwalk system along the exterior walls; a spiral staircase leads to the catwalk for the largest tanks in the center of the cellar. The stainless steel catwalk hand railing along the walls doubles as the pipes for water, CO2, nitrogen, high-pressure water and compressed air. The railing pipes then connect to utility stations that allow for targeted use of whatever is necessary for a given tank. A track along the ceiling on one side of the room permits a crane to hoist a satellite tank with a 2-ton capacity above the fermentation tanks; when the satellite tank is properly positioned, a gate valve can be opened and the grapes dumped directly (without pumping) into the tank below. The wine production building is oriented and the roof designed so that solar panels can be added at a future date. A bio-retention water-treatment system for winery wastewater was created on the far side of Stainless steel tanks tower over visitors touring the wine production facility on its opening day. the building in a field that slopes gently down toward a small creek. According to Deford, the contractor hauled out 115 truckloads of dirt to create the retention area, which is now planted with the appropriate wetlands reeds and bushes. Looking forward In addition to allowing the winery to have improved control over every step of the winemaking process, the new facility at Boordy has increased the winery's production capacity by 57%—from 108,000 gallons to 170,190 gallons. Currently the winery produces about 125,000 gallons per digital printing flexo printing screen printing embossing hot & cold foil specialty papers 716.542.3000 • WWW.NIAGARALABEL.COM 78 W in es & V i ne s DEC E M be r 20 13 year, but Deford emphasizes that the primary goal of the Landmark Project was to increase quality rather than to grow larger. Looking back on the project, Deford commented that the most important aspect was "learning to believe in your region, and then making an investment for the future of Boordy and the region. There is something special about the Mid-Atlantic area, and I believe we can produce wine of the highest quality." With the implementation of the Landmark Project at Boordy, Deford hopes the winery will be in a position to lead the Maryland wine industry to a new level in coming years. WE