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February 2017 WINES&VINES 35 BARRELS night-cooling system to take advantage of the free cold air that moves in to the area from the Pacific Ocean. "It's a metal tilt up, and it's well designed, but your insulation pays for itself," he said. The winery has one central compressor skid powering a glycol system used for the tank room as well as four fan coils that cir- culate air in the barrel room. The barrel room is split by a central aisle that is large enough for forklifts and served by a rectangle drain running its length. The HVAC and compressors were installed by APCCO. "They did a great job with us, and they did every- thing both for the tank room and the barrel room," Riboli said. Humidity is managed through a fog sys- tem that is also tied to the winery's TankNet software, which provides real-time monitor- ing of barrel room conditions and will issue alerts if the humidity or temperature fall out of set parameters. While Riboli hasn't filled the barrel room to capacity just yet, he said everything worked great for the 2016 vintage. The night-air cooling system worked particularly well, and high-speed roll-up doors helped ensure as much cold air stayed in the build- ing as possible when barrels were moving in and out of the room. With most of the barrels still in Los Angeles, Riboli said the winemaking team hasn't required an elabo- rate inventory system, but it will when the room is filled with multiple vintages. Riboli expects he'll use The Winemaker's Database system, which uses barcode stickers and a scanner. The Winemaker's Database is one of several winemaking programs with barrel-manage- ment systems, including Vintrace, InnoVint, Orion, Vintegrate, Vintners Advantage and others. Most use some type of bar code scan- ning to manage barrels. For racks, the winery is equipped with four- barrel, stainless steel racks from Western Square. The larger racks offer more security in the event of an earthquake, and the stainless steel holds up longer and looks nicer in the barrel room. Riboli also invested in a four-barrel washer by Tom Beard. The unit has valves to turn off two of the spray nozzles in case only two barrels need to be washed. While the winery's main boilers heat water to about 140° F, the washer has two electric heaters to boost temperatures up to 180° F for the first barrel-washing cycle. "We didn't want water crazy hot for regular operations," Ri- boli said, "You gain that extra boost for washing, and it only gets used as needed." After the hot wash, the barrels receive a cold rinse followed by a rinse of aqueous ozone from an ozone generator supplied by Carlsen & Associates. The winery is equipped with two mobile ozone generators that can even be hooked up to a spray system set above the tanks to provide a sanitizing final rinse. If the cleaned barrels aren't going to be filled soon, Riboli said his staff gasses them with sulfur dioxide. In Los Angeles, where it's drier, he said he'll typically fill them with a small amount of sodium metabisulfite solution for sanitary hydration. KEY POINTS Maintaining the right temperature and hu- midity are paramount in a barrel room, and that's accomplished with the right kind of air handling and mister system, or by tak- ing advantage of natural features around the building. A barrel-management program that uses barcode scanners makes keeping a large barrel inventory in order much easier. Hot water at high pressure, steam or ozone and sulfur dioxide gas ensure bar- rels stay fresh all year and are ready for the next vintage. Originally founded by the oldest of the great Cognac houses, Tonnellerie Leroi boasts a rare expertise in the production of oak barrels. The noble quality of the material is matched by the mastery and skill of its expert coopers. By perfectly taming the heat during the toast, the master cooper reveals the subtle aromas of the oak, which brings to the wine or spirit its aromas and vitality. Contacts: Michael Mercer North American Sales Manager Cell: (707) 508-5006 michael@leroibarrels.com Arianna Spoto Cell: (805) 453-9030 ari@leroibarrels.com 1285 S. Foothill blvd Cloverdale, CA 95425 Ph: (707) 224-2377 Fax: (707) 224-2390 www.tonnellerie-leroi.com 10/11/2016 14:55