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W i n e s & V i n e s J U ly 2 0 1 4 45 Fermenting with Pulsair Each tank outside is linked to a central Pulsair System that Ortman uses to man- age red fermentations. A heavy-duty Gard- ner Denver air compressor sends air to each tank. In addition to Pulsair, the win- ery has a TankNet system to control and monitor fermentation temperatures. That system also is linked to the winery's barrel room to monitor humidity and trigger the chiller and SmartFog system if needed. Ortman said he manages the Pulsair System with a central control panel to set the level of air and the timing of each pulse for every tank. For a tank that's just been filled with must, Ortman can pro- gram the system to deliver six pulses per day, getting it well mixed so he can get an accurate lab analysis on the juice. Later, as fermentation begins, Ortman said he sets the frequency, duration and timing of air blasts for each tank. Instead of having cellar workers insert long probes to deliver air beneath the cap, each tank is fitted with a valve in the center of the tank bottom, which delivers a pulse of air through the entire column of must. The valves also enable Ortman to ensure the tanks receive the correct amount of air pressure and dial back the pressure if needed. By being able to do that, Ortman said he could fill a tank about halfway and run a fermentation but reduce the air pres- sure for a gentler blast of air. He said he became familiar with the Pulsair system while working at Cellar 360 in Paso Robles, where he had the chance to experiment with it. "I just think it's amazingly flexible," he said. During a peak period in harvest, Ort- man said he could adjust the system to run a quicker fermentation for maximum extraction yet still clear tanks in about a week. Ortman can also adjust for sea- sonal variation if the grape phenolics aren't exactly where expected or needed, and he can apply a highly precise fermen- tation protocol to get the wine where it needs to be. In addition to being flexible, the system is more reliable as well. The other benefit he's found is that by eliminating punch downs or pump overs, the winery is safer and winemaking requires less labor. While the Pulsair sys- tem is mixing tanks, cellar workers can be processing fruit, sanitizing other tanks or topping barrels rather than standing next to a tank for 45 minutes to an hour mind- ing a pump over. "There's just a lot less labor involved," he said. After helping to build a crush pad from the ground up, Ortman's looking forward to managing the next phase of expansion at the winery. The goal is to expand pro- duction capacity while also ensuring the wine remains a steady performer. Winemaker Matt Ortman adjusts the central control panel for the Pulsair system. Vintner's Vault supplied crush pad equip- ment, which includes a hopper and destem- mer by Imma and a Mono must pump. Paso Robles Tank supplied the stainless steel tanks, which included two small open-tops. San Luis Obispo NV CALIFORNIA Pacific Ocean Paso Robles Villa San-Juliette Monterey San Luis Obispo C A L I F O R N I A G R A P E G R O W I N G W I N E M A K I N G