Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/60007
WINEMAKING The ultimate in reductive winemaking, the Siprem VS20 does not use compressed air, but instead pulls a vacuum on the juice side and recycles a blanket of CO2 . also ideally suited for Amarone-style fermentations of current vogue. Other choices include: The Monofulltank (who comes up with these names?) contains a piston that plunges horizontal paddles through the cap, then retracts, rotates 15° and repeats. This mechanism can be retrofit to existing tanks, and oxygen may be injected as desired. Palitank, a delestage sytem for 2,000- to 20,000-gallon tanks, contains four horizontal bars in a star pattern that breaks up the descending cap. Returned wine irrigates the cap from above. The Pluviatank gives gentle irrigation on small tanks by pump over from above; alternatively, the Robotank employs a motorized rotating sprayer. The submerged cap Supertank is limited to 4,000 gallons, but it is an economical, labor-free gentle means for complete, continuous wetting for easily extractable varieties. It's quite cheap and easily removable for subsequent storage. Large fermentations cannot be handled by mechanical punch down, flood irrigation or submerged cap. For these fermentations, the TurboTank (designed for 15,000- to 200,000-gallon fermentors), a central spindle with an integrated heat exchange system, pumps liquid on a programmed cycle. The Noveltank handles carbonic macerations. The Criotank manages fermentations down to 40o F, while the Frigotank is designed for sub-freezing cryo-maceration and cold stabilization. Not currently sold in the U.S., the VinPilot system from WFT the tank (see vinpilot.com). The software also permits controlling fermentation according to a pre-set temperature curve and can provide an early warning system for stuck fermentations. Winetechnology is worth looking into as a control system adjunct to programmable fermentations, offering the novel idea of altering automated operation for different stages of fermentation using feedback obtained from measuring evolving CO2 exiting Wines & Vines FeBRUARY 2012 61