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WINERY & VINEYARD EQUIPMENT 82 WINES&VINES November 2016 W hen your winery is ready to make a major expan- sion, it's also probably time to invest in a large- capacity pump for transferring must from the crush pad. Peristaltic pumps have become a popular choice for moving must because the pumps don't expose the berries to air, are self-priming, can run dry, are easy to operate and are gentle on the grapes. In addition to moving must, the pumps can also be used for pumpovers, tank transfers and barrel racking. The peristaltic pumping action is created in a circular chamber, where two to three rollers apply pressure on a heavy- duty rubber tube. As the tube is continuously squeezed and released, it draws berries through the machine and out to wherever they need to go. Since the grapes don't come into contact with any mechanical apparatus, peristaltic pumps are considered one of the gentler options on the market to move high volumes of must. Richie Allen, winemaker at Rombauer Vineyards in Napa Valley, uses the pumps for moving must, pumpovers and rack- ing wine out of barrels. He believes they're the gentlest pumps on the market, and he also appreciates that they can run dry. While not the easiest pumps to move in the cellar, Allen said they're useful for pumpovers when the cap hasn't separated and for racking because the pump's action doesn't produce any foaming. Jim Frost, owner and winemaker of AuburnJames winery in St. Helena, Calif., said he uses a peristaltic pump for moving grapes from the destemmer to the tank. "We whole-berry de- stem and do not use rollers to crush the grapes. The peristaltic is the only pump I have found that can retain the integrity of the berries to any extent. We get about 70% to 80% whole berries in the tank," he said. Suppliers typically offer an additional hopper with a screw auger as an option that is pretty much required if one wants to move must, pomace or lees. Berries fall from the crusher, destemmer or vibratory sorting table into the hopper that then meters a steady flow of processed grapes into the pump's inlet opening. A few suppliers said the pumps can only pump must a certain distance, and this can be further reduced if the fruit needs to travel along curves or gain elevation. The pumping action can also be less gentle at the upper ranges of each pump's flow capacity. Prices vary by pump capacity and options, so it's best to check with sup- pliers for current prices. PRODUCT FOCUS Peristaltic Must Pumps A gentle, self-priming option for moving high volumes By Andrew Adams TCW EQUIPMENT TCW Equipment offers a range of pumps produced by Raga- zzini Rotho, which it describes as being unparalleled for gently handling whole berries. The smallest pump with 3-inch fit- tings for moving must is the MS2, with a flow rate of 8 tons per hour of destemmed grapes; the largest is the DR2, which can move nearly 200 tons of must per hour at 37 rpm. Price for the MS2 with the integrated hopper is $17,995. tcwequipment.com CRIVELLER Criveller sells Enoveneta's PEV150 and larger pumps that feature a stainless steel pump body and 304 stainless steel stand. The PEV150 pump can push 1.5 to 10 tons of destemmed grapes per hour. Op- tional features include hopper, re- mote control, pressure switch, barrel-filling system and pump cycle timer. Price: Starting at $13,000. criveller.com COLLOPACK SOLUTIONS Collopack Solutions sells the Kappa PR18 and PR26 pumps that feature electronic speed control and a maintenance probe to detect weakness or fail- ure of the inner tube. Optional features include the feeding hop- per and a remote control. The PR18 can move about 1 to 7 tons of destemmed grapes per hour. The price for the PR18 with hopper is $19,900. collopack.com Enoveneta PEV150 Ragazzini Rotho MS2