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WINERY & VINEYARD EQUIPMENT 84 WINES&VINES January 2017 Part of what seems to be fueling winemakers' increasing interest in concrete tanks is the wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles that suppliers now offer. Most new wineries seem to have one or two concrete tanks, and eggs and cubes continue to be the most popular concrete styles for fermentation. Suppliers say most tanks are sold unlined, as that ensures the benefits of micro- oxygenation and gives wine the subtle mineral nuances that also make concrete popular. The tanks can be washed with a sodium percarbonate solution and then sanitized with a rinse of aqueous ozone. Steam and water hot enough to sanitize (180° F) are not recommended, as the heat can cause cracking, especially if the tanks have embedded glycol coils, which can expand when hot. The Wines & Vines Product Focus feature is not intended to provide a definitive listing of all available products in a particular segment or provide any comparative analysis, but rather serve as an overview of what's new or available and also of potential interest to readers as determined by the magazine's editorial staff. NICO VELO The new Eiffel tank by Italian supplier Nico Velo holds more than 1,000 gallons and is de- signed for red wine fermentation and aging. Imported through iPak Wine in Templeton, Calif., the tanks feature a large top door and embedded pipes in the tank walls for warm or cold gly- col. Originally designed for win- eries in Bordeaux, the tanks are narrower at the top than the bottom to compress the cap throughout fermentation. Nico Velo also introduced a new de- sign of the top hatch for its tanks. The lid now features a drain collar with a small pipe embedded in the concrete to drain off any spills. The Eiffel is available in capacities from 20 hl (528 gallons) to 110 hl (2,905 gallons), and the starting price is $12,540. ipakwine.com SONOMA CAST STONE One of Sonoma Cast Stone's newest designs is the NuBarrel, which is a stackable tank de- signed as a barrel alternative. According to the Petaluma, Calif.-based supplier, the tank holds as much wine as four stan- dard barrels but has a lifespan of nearly 40 years. The tank can be fitted with a racking port and stainless steel top hatch for fer- mentation or equipped to pri- marily serve for storage and maturation. Optional features include sensors that monitor the level of wine in the tank and issue alerts based on volume. Oak adjuncts can be used with a stainless steel mesh insert tube or an oak stave array. An adjust- able, stainless steel insert can also be used to administer a pre- cise rate of oxygen. The starting price is $6,500. concretewinetanks.com Concrete Tanks Fermentation and storage vessels come in many shapes and sizes By Andrew Adams PRODUCT FOCUS Nico Velo