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TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT WINEMAKING April 2017 WINES&VINES 55 major national retailers includ- ing Costco and BevMo and is considering exports to China, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. "It's exacting, but at the same time it's a huge chal- lenge to create the inventory and the supply." He buys the 187 ml cans pre- labeled with only an American appellation and no vintage so he can stay flexible with his supply. "If you think about it, why would you put an appellation on a can? Why would you put a vintage date on a can?" The wine comes from Califor- nia wine and grape brokers, and supply is often dictated by price. "The margin is so low on the canned products, the per-gallon price is the big driver." Blending is key to consistency, but Parsons admits the consumer and typical drinking environment for canned wine does give him some wiggle room. "It's not for ev- eryone, you know; the people who are buying $80 bottles of wine aren't drinking wine in a can," he said. "Remember, (if) you're drink- ing out of a can, you're probably hiking or camping. It doesn't have to be spot-on like Coca-Cola or something, but it has to be as close as it possibly could be." Infinite Monkey Theorem is now producing 10,000 cases of bottled wine per year, 30,000 to 40,000 cases of canned wine and around 8,000 cases of wine in kegs. "It's just been massive growth," Parsons said. "All with very little investment." The initial funding was mainly through friends and family, and Parsons said as he's grown he's been able to maintain the same group of investors with just a few additional rounds of investment. In 2015, Parsons opened a sec- ond winery in Austin, Texas, where he produces wine made with Texas grapes and runs a sec- ond kegging operation. Infinite Monkey Theorem was named one of Wine Business Monthly's "Hot Brands" of 2016. "I had no idea it would become as large as it has," Parsons said of Kegging is done through the winery's separate operation called Iron Monkey. Innovative equipment solutions 975 Corporate Center Pkwy #130 · Santa Rosa, CA 95407 Phone 707-544-5300 · Fax 707-837-8742 Email dtgroup@dellatoffola.us www.dellatoffola.us Crushing · Pressing · Floatation · Filtration · Bottling · Packaging Bottling Line Pneumatic Press