Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/62409
WINEMAKING conference entitled "From Rootstock to Bottle: Conserving water throughout the winemaking process." Simple steps for big savings Perhaps the simplest way to save water, Oberholster said, is by educating winery staff about the need to conserve and then em- bedding simple conservation steps in routine tasks. These can be as easy as making a dry sweep the first step in winery clean-up, no matter how easy it may be just to pick up a hose and start spray- ing the floor. "We've all done it; you've got 10 berries and you use—I don't know how many—gallons of water to clean it. I've done it," she said. Adjust winery operations to conserve water Oberholster also suggested making blends by racking from tank to tank and said flotation tanks can reduce the number of tank transfers by fining wine in place. Using chemicals such as peracetic acid saves water by sanitizing tanks without a final rinse. The so- lution can also be reused in the winery. Reusing rinse water also can be implemented into barrel cleaning. Oberholster said that in her experience, sulfur gas or wicks can be as effective as an ozone water rinse. "Generally speaking, you don't need to use everything," she said. Oberholster reported that UC Davis' own winery conserves water by collecting rainwater. This water flows through a bioswale and then a rough 50-micron filter before being used for landscaping, irrigation and flushing toilets. In the future, she said, there are plans for a CIP sanitation system and possibly using nanofiltration or reverse osmosis to recover up to 90% of the winery's wastewater. Dr. Anita Oberholster, a cooperative extension specialist in enology, sug- gested making blends by racking from tank to tank to save water. QSEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #1714 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2012 61 CONCaNNON