Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/417249
W i n e s & V i n e s D e C e M B e R 2 0 1 4 29 for vineyard and orchard use are designed for "berm flaming" and can be used as an effective method of weed control or to control pest pressure by con- ducting a com- plete winter burn down to remove insect habitat. Details: flameengineering.com. Affinity barrel by Mercier Mercier's newest barrel is the Affinity, which is made with staves of tight-grain French oak that are air seasoned for 24 months and formed with a special water- bending process. The cooper says the com- bination of tight grain and a specific toast helps extract smoother tannins that respect the fruit and accentuate freshness, mineral- ity and round mouthfeel. The barrels are available in 225-, 228-, 300- and 500-liter capacities. Details: tonnellerie-mercier.com. Electro-pneumatic fillers by GAI The new electro-pneumatic fillers manu- factured by the Ital- ian supplier GAI and distributed by Prospero Equip- ment feature four electro-pneumatic valves to separately control a vacuum, tank gas, auto leveling and de-gassing. The filler can handle spar- kling and still wines; fill heights can be adjusted while the machine is operating, and the electro-pneumatic valves ensure an effective sterilization cycle. Details: propsperoequipment.com. Creative Line by Rivercap Rivercap USA launched its new Creative Line of labels and capsules to provide wine packaging that the company claims offer a tactile experience that is enticing on retail shelves. The capsule is produced with a tex- tured polylaminate that retains its tex- ture after spinning, while the label mate- rial is produced through micro-engraving. The adhesive label can be partially or totally textured as well as customized to any kind of paper support. Details: river- cap.com. Prooftag and Smartrac collaborate on new tag Two suppliers of traceability and security systems announced their collaborative ef- fort to produce a new kind of tag that offers near-field communication (NFC) for iden- tification and the security of a Bubble Tag for authentication. Prooftag and Smartrac worked together to integrate NFC chips into the Bubble Seal range of security tags. The new combination of technologies in relation with the Prooftag Cerv service plat- form offers new services for brands and a new "user experience" for consumers. De- tails: prooftag.net, smartrac-group.com. Locking spin handles Westec unveiled new locking spin handles for wine tanks. The locking handles are designed to pre- vent a tank being opened by accident or "unauthorized tank entry." The new han- dles can be added to new tanks or existing tanks as a retrofit. Details: westectank.com. New 'Exquis' barrel by Garonnaise French cooper Tonnellerie Garonnaise un- veiled its new Exquis barrel. The barrel is formed with staves that have undergone 36 months of seasoning and are bent with a combination of water and steam "to pro- vide finesse and elegance" and the use of fire for toasting to add "power and depth." Details: garonnaise.com. Eaton's BECOPAD ® depth filter sheets provide excellent filtration while maximizing throughput. It's the choice for winemakers who demand high capacity, minimal drip loss and virtually no color adsorption. Visit www.eaton.com/wine or contact Marge DeAngelis 732-212-4703. Get the Clear Advantage F I LT R AT I O N P R E C I S I O N D E C E M B E R N E W S