Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/766392
40 WINES&VINES January 2017 WINEMAKING temporarily demonstrate top feeding at mini- mal cost. After it showed the expected quality improvement, he was able to justify the proper long-term solution. Negotiating tactics: Brock thinks the best way to know you are getting a fair price is to get multiple quotes and let the suppliers know you are doing that. It's more work, but consider that you have to live with your decision for at least 10 years. He suggests that price quotes should itemize service contract costs and pay- ment terms. New vs. used: Brock recommends that small wineries consider used equipment, though that doesn't work for his high-volume, custom-crush operations. He does buy used barrels, provided they fit his malolactic-free specifications. Service contracts: Brock recommends buying service contracts for bigger ticket items like presses, as it extends equipment life. And he recommends ordering as soon as possible to arrive with plenty of time to install. 'The physical space' Steve Ryan is the general manager for The Wine Foundry in Napa, Calif. He has many years of experience as both a brewer and win- ery manager. The Wine Foundry started opera- tions in 2012 and has grown rapidly, crushing 550 tons annually for its own brands and roughly a dozen clients. Decision-making process: Ryan's ap- proach is that "it all starts with the physical space." The Wine Foundry took over an existing facility in an industrial park south of downtown Napa. Opportunities to knock out a wall or lease additional space are few, so efficient use of the existing space is paramount. Ryan talked to other general managers and winemakers, seeking the advice of those whose facilities were more like his. In hindsight, he says he would have talked to even more people. Ryan used the example of sourcing fermen- tation tanks to illustrate his decision-making process. He knew he needed more tank capac- ity, though his existing space was limited. Ryan believes shows like the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium are a great place to learn and talk to vendors, and he goes "with a shopping list and an open mind." "You may think you need Brand X, but an objective process may convince you that Brand Y is the better fit for your operation." That said, he recommends you check out actual performance before going with a lesser known brand. He gives preference to those salespeo- ple who were knowledgeable and followed up after the show. Going into trade shows with an open mind was helpful, as Ryan ended up selecting La Garde's square-shaped fermentation tanks in- stead of standard cylindrical tanks. They were $6,000-$10,000 more expensive than a cylin- drical tank, but their square shape allowed him to install roughly 50% more tanks in the same square footage. Ryan compared the scenario to a restaurant being able to fit more tables I N S I D E www.stelvin.com Co nta c t yo u r STE LVI N ® ex p e r t at + 1 87 7 - 7 8 3 - 5 8 4 6 STELVIN® is a trademark of the AMCOR Group I've used STELVIN® closures for over a decade and I am impressed by the reliability, aromatics preservation and consistency from a bottle to another. I especially rely on STELVIN® Inside to keep my wines at their highest quality for years. FLO MERLIER HEAD WINEMAKER, VAN DUZER VINEYARDS " " ELEGANT AND CUSTOMIZABLE DESIGN GUARANTEED TCA-FREE CONTROLLED OXYGEN TRANSMISSION RATE The original taste keeper since 1964 The best way to know you are getting a fair price is to get multiple quotes and let the suppliers know you are doing that. —Clay Brock, Central Coast Wine Services and Paso Robles Wine Services