Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/573907
October 2015 WINES&VINES 51 TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT WINEMAKING The winery is equipped with a harness system that enables work- ers to safely move from the top of one tank to another while doing punchdowns. The harness is con- nected with a carabineer to a rope attached to secure mounting that glides along on a steel wire at- tached to the winery ceiling. The cable enables a worker to reach all sides of the cap when punching down an open-top tank. Fermenting in concrete The winery is equipped with 10 concrete fermentors custom built by Vino Vessel in Paso Robles. Fio- rentini said the supplier was more than willing to design a custom mold for the tanks and even apply a board form to the exterior sur- face to give them a patterned ap- pearance that matches the overall winery design. The board pattern also gives the concrete tanks a look that is evocative of oak fer- mentation vats. The concrete tanks can hold a little more than 3 tons of sorted and processed grapes. After working with concrete for several years, Fiorentini said she's come to appreciate how well they help the must hold a consis- tent temperature. "We do have heating and cooling capabilities just in case, but we've been very happy with the fermentation tem- perature curves," she said. Fruitier varieties such as Gre- nache also benefit from ferment- ing in concrete because the material seems to pull out more of the grape's subtle mineral char- acteristics. "Paso has so much amazing sunshine that the fruit is off the charts. There is so much fruit character, but we also want the wines to have more gravitas," she said. Fiorentini went so far as to say she's adamant about fermenting Grenache and Mourvèdre in con- crete. Zinfandel and Tempranillo also do well in concrete, she said, with the concrete-fermented Tem- pranillo "remaining fresh and in- teresting on the palate." Fiorentini said she has not preferred Syrah in concrete more than stainless tanks, which also work well for Zinfandel and Tempranillo. "We pretty much ferment in many dif- ferent vessel shapes, sizes and materials," she said, "always matching size and wine to be made with the fermentor." Fiorentini said when she's The Hypac press is set on a concrete platform to enable winery staff to gravity fill tanks or barrels with free-run and press wine. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K TAPP-WVM-AD-0915.pdf 1 9/11/15 10:26 AM ANDREW ADAMS