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W i n e s & V i n e s D e C e M B e R 2 0 1 4 53 are positioned. That cost $20,000. Then we dug some drain trenches in the remaining concrete, too. Your choice of drainpipe will be critical. The best stuff (acid resistant polyethylene plastic sold under the Zurn or Fuseal brands) is too expensive for most of us. Cast iron is cheapest, but it corrodes quickly from the acid in wine. This can be mitigated by regular flushing. In between is ductile iron piping, which is what we purchased. It's more resistant to acidity than cast iron, but not as good as the polyethylene plas- tic. Still, it'll work, and it will last—espe- cially if maintained with regular flushing. Lighting and electricity Get a good electrician. It won't be cheap. And neither will your lighting fixtures if you buy nice-looking ones. You can't just go to a lighting store and buy industrial lighting either. It'll take four or five weeks to arrive. Of course, it's taken us longer. The first supplier screwed up so many times we finally had to look elsewhere and lost three months. And remember that presses and other large pieces of winemaking equipment can require 480 volts. And your glass washer, which requires super hot water, will probably be 220 volts. (We're still trying to get that wiring over to the kitchen!) Your glycol chiller will also boost your electric bill substantially when it's on a lot—like dur- ing harvest and cold stabilization. Our monthly bill jumped from $400 in August to $2,500 in September! Finally, you might want to install volt- age meters on your press, chiller, compres- sor and other high-voltage equipment. The first time we used our press, we got a surge from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) that blew out our press compres- sor and cost us a lot of money to fix. We kept getting these surges, which caused other damage as well. Finally, PG&E dis- covered they had loose connections in their transformer that were causing the problems. Ultimately, you need to protect the equipment you depend on. Tanks, press and other crush equipment Get ready for a shocker. New stainless steel tanks are expensive. (Oak and con- crete tanks cost even more.) If you can find good used tanks, you'll save money— maybe half of what you'd pay for new ones. Don't forget you'll still have to out- fit them with glycol piping and thermostats. Like used tanks, a used press and destemmer will cost much less than new ones. If you can find used equipment through a reputable dealer who can guar- antee functionality, you'll save money. We've used Carlsen Waukesha pumps for years and have had great experiences with both their equipment and service. So when Carlsen offered us a used press, hopper and destemmer at a great price with a warranty, we jumped at the oppor- tunity. (Be wary, however, about buying used equipment from a winery that might be in financial straits. You may find you've purchased something that belongs to the bank.) NV CALIFORNIA Pacific Ocean Covenant Wines Mendocino San Francisco Napa OR Oakland c a l i f o r n i a Wasco 661-758-4777 Paso Robles 805-237-8914 Modesto 209-523-8036 santa Rosa 707-542-5510 serving the Wine, table Grape and Raisin Industries Great ideas are only as good as their execution. and Vintage nurseries innovation has proven itself, over and over again. We listened to our growers who we consider our partners, and responded by doubling our mist propagation system, quadrupling our lighthouse capacity, and installing a new water reclamation system and higher volume shadehouse structure. as always, Vintage also continues to lead the way in technology that combats industry-wide pests and pathogens. our goal is to keep striving to provide optimum growing conditions and superior quality products for our growing partners. Tat comes through innovation, day after day. It's what we do best, and it's just the beginning for many more exciting innovations to come. www.Vintagenurseries.com | 800-499-9019 | bold Innovation. Vintage Quality New ShadehouSe FacilitieS updated GreeNhouSe FacilitieS expaNded liGhthouSe capacity New MiSt propaGatioN Facility water reclaMatioN SySteM Visit us at the Unifed Symposium. Booth # 1520 G R A P E G R O W I N G W I N E M A K I N G