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WINEMAKING cover above the cave crown help provide the steady temperature control that is critical for optimum cold-barrel fermenta- tion. The mass and insulation effects are supplemented by an extensive system of glass doors and "smart" vents built into bulkheads that control the movement of conditioned and unconditioned air throughout the winery cave. Once the wines have fermented dry and are stabilized, they are removed, and the White Room becomes a very busy barrel workroom. Robust air supply and exhaust ducts, provided to assure safety during fermentation, are ideal for exhausting warm, humid air created by barrel washing. This room is also one of three areas that use radiant heating in the floors for climate control. While primar- ily a tool for providing a safe dry floor, controlling humidity and/or moving along sluggish fermentations, it is easy to see it being most appreciated if the room is used for a hospitality event. The doors, air supplies, exhausts and warm floors divide the cave into six separate zones with different temperature- humidity environments. The flexibility to raise or lower the temperature and hu- midity at various times allows each space to be tuned for its function. For example, the main fermentation hall is maintained at a lower humidity of around 55%; the barrel storage areas should be cool and always humid, while human-only space may be warmer and drier. In all areas, proper air movement promotes the clean- liness Kaplan believes to be critical to careful winemaking. It is rare for caves to accommodate so many varying climates. If the entry tunnel is transformed into barrel storage, CO2 can be exhausted through a pre- installed pipe. In the tunnel connecting the White Room and the main fermentation hall, there is an elevator from the crush pad into the cave floor, which eases workflow. Kaplan has designed the winemaking functions in a sophisticated fashion: At least nine different types of utilities and three separate drainage systems hide behind the walls and in the floor. The automated tanks are of Kaplan's cus- tom design and incorporate VinWizard air-driven controls and individual tank recordkeeping. There is a broad range of tank sizes and types. Materials were selected (for example glass doors and stainless steel waste drain lines), sourced or tested to avoid TCA and TBA con- tamination. In addition to multipurpose, flexible-use spaces, even larger changes have been planned for: If the own- ers choose to transform the long entry tunnel into additional barrel storage in the future, fermentation-generated CO2 from the main fermentation hall can be exhausted through a pre-installed pipe under the tank slab. The cave at Arkenstone makes it possible to preserve the vineyards and the ranch setting long into the future, setting it apart from many of the buildings being constructed today. William A. Fuchs Ph.D., California Profes- sional Geologist PG 7695, works for Mago- rian Mine Services (MMS), which constructs wine caves such as those of Arkenstone. To reach Fuchs, or to comment on this story, e- mail edit@winesandvines.com. INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER Westec's New Tank Jacket covers the majority of the tank in a 5' total height dimpled cooling jacket for complete temperature control. The tank shell is seamless — making the tank easier to clean and allowing for larger, more effective cooling jackets. Our New Tank Jackets can be used on any size tank: place the dimple jacket anywhere on smaller tanks, to optimize the heating/cooling capabilities. Place fewer, larger jackets on larger tanks, and potentially reduce plumbing costs. You won't find a solution like this anywhere else. Please contact us today for more information, a tour of our facility, and an estimate for your next job. Westec's New Tank Jackets can be built for any size tank, including our portable tanks. QSEE US AT UNIFIED, BOOTH #1819 50 Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2011 Wes_Wn&Vn-J/F-2011 halfpg4c.indd 1 12/2/10 3:35 PM