Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/74662
WINEMAKING cave as it advanced. The spinning cutter head moves side to side and up and down, chewing out the rock material. Sometimes cutting was easier on one side of the tunnel than the other, or easier on the top than the bottom, as different volcanic forma- tions and faults were traversed. The process required attention to ever-changing geologic and storm-related conditions as well as proper surveying and safety concerns. In the large winery, the excavation rate of advance, including support, averaged four feet per day. Considering the large cross-sectional size, the rock type and the full invert required for this large cave, this was better than what could reasonably be expected. When cutting and hauling out the cave spoils had advanced to the point where structural support was required, the shotcrete crew moved in to spray the walls with concrete. When neces- sary, a quick-setting dry shotcrete was utilized for quick initial support throughout the day, followed by wet shotcrete supplied from concrete mixer trucks near the end of each day. The wet shotcrete was applied in two-inch-thick increments in order to ensure even coverage, and the larger cave sizes ended up with 10-12 inches of shotcrete thickness. Large sheets of welded wire fabric (an open grid of structural steel) were added to give the liner additional structural support. Whereas the excavation process is similar to underground mining, the rest of the cave installation is more like construction; good cave builders blend the two processes in a seamless manner. When you walk into Arkenstone's cave from its main work- ing portal, you enter one of the most utilitarian and hardwork- ing areas of the cave, yet the experience is almost as breathtak- ing as descending through the Hobbit Hole onto the mezzanine. You enter a 16-foot wide arched cave and immediately have Vinicas_Dir11.qxp 11/19/10 10:53 AM Page 1 Machinery cuts into volcanic flow rock, which lays above red-orange tuff. a view down a darkened 150-foot section leading to the main fermentation hall. It is an eerie but awe-inspiring feeling. A short distance in are two opposing cross caves—one contain- ing restroom, shower and locker facilities, the other providing a glass-fronted break room with a small lab beyond. This is the spot where serious blending and tasting occurs. Further into the cave are additional cross-caves: one containing a workshop/ storage room, and the other beginning part of the first-year barrel storage cave. The long entry tunnel is a true multi-purpose space, its use changes depending on the winery production cycle. While at crush it accommodates a line of small, portable stainless steel fermentation tanks plumbed to the glycol system installed by Re- frigeration Technology and connected to the computerized tank monitors, it is also the staging area for bottling, receiving new barrels and surges in shipping. As you reach the end of the entry tunnel, you enter the large fermentation hall. The cave widens to 30 feet, and the ceiling quickly rises to 22 feet. The crush pad, above ground, is 40 feet above the floor of this fermentation hall. Nine shafts, spaced along the centerline of the hall and reach- ing through the ceiling to the floor of the crush pad, allow fruit to slide gently down large-diameter hoses to the tanks below. A fruit processing line is easily moved from one shaft to another, though a certain amount of coordination goes into the task when, as this past year, two lines are operated at the same time to accommodate a surge in grape deliveries. The tanks themselves, constructed by J.V. Northwest to meet winemaker Kaplan's specifications, are all the ornamentation the cave requires. The winery currently holds 37 stainless steel tanks and one concrete tank (future expansion is planned.) Two- and three-ton tanks hug the mezzanine, as four- and six-ton fermen- tation tanks run along both cave walls for the balance of the fermentation hall. Underneath the mezzanine reside two 10-ton square fermentation/blending tanks. Vin Wizard is responsible for the tank temperature controls as well as pump over and charting technologies. QSEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #1821 48 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2011 The cave lighting is an eclectic blend of classic period indus- trial fixtures, art glass and modern task lighting, providing both a functional working environment and a welcoming ambience; many fixtures are lamped with LED bulbs, and all are carefully controlled by motion sensors or programmable switches to reduce energy consumption.