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BARRELS Barrel Washing to Suit Your Program Innovative products and processes offer options for a variety of cellar needs Highlights • ombining hot water and high pressure C is the most common first step to keeping barrels clean and sanitary. • team provides another option for S cleaning barrels. By Andrew Adams • dry-ice scouring of barrels can A provide an annual "deep cleaning." A t Napa Barrel Care, owner Mike Blom's business is barrels. Blom oversees about 15,000 barrels in his 80,000-square-foot warehouse designed to provide barrel storage and management for 45 winery clients. The barrel lots range from just a few barrels to a few dozen, and Blom provides racking, topping and all other barrel-management services. When it comes to washing barrels, he needs a system that provides as much flexibility as possible. Blom says he found the answer in the barrel-cleaning units by Rancho Cordova, Calif.-based AaquaTools with KEW Poseidon power washers. The units can provide 1,100 PSI of water pressure and handle 180° F water. "That seems to be our best fit," Blom said. "We've tried a number of systems, (but) having a system with more flexibility is more important for us." Blom said cellar workers at California Barrel Care move from barrel to barrel, inserting power washers into the bungholes of upside-down barrels. Cleaning cycles last 3 minutes, and Blom said he could typically clean 240 barrels in a regular 10-hour shift. If a client requests it, Blom will follow highpressure hot cleaning with an ozone rinse. What works best for Blom, however, is not necessarily the answer for every winemaker or operations manager. Cooling off the heat At Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos, Calif., a 24,000-case producer of Pinot Noir, Char- Patent # 7357069 Inspired Design Our spirals made from Premium, American or French Oak deliver 100% new barrel flavor (8 months) in as little as six weeks. Now you can boast authentic oak flavor using neutral barrels or tanks – with rapid, controllable and predictable results. www.InfusionSpiral.com (800) 201-7125 West Coast–New York–Texas Len Napolitano (805) 712-4471 len@thebarrelmill.com Four toast levels Economical Sustainable Time-saving Win es & Vin es F EB RUA RY 20 14 47