Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/95545
WINEMAKING not contain chlorine, and only food-grade lubricants are acceptable for equipment used on raw materials. The plan dictates wood used for oak chips to come directly from the cooper- age, and all bungholes are to be sealed with plastic bung caps or rubber bungs. Samples of all products used for "aging wine" are to be sent out at least quarterly for chemical analysis. Cooperages 1912's French staves and barrels come from Merraine International and Tonnellerie du France, which are cer- tified to ISO standards by Bureau Veritas. A July 2012 report by the lab Analytical Sciences found no haloanisoles or halophe- nols in Cooperages 1912's wood materials or at levels lower than what's permitted by the Federation Francaise de Tonnellerie, the trade group of French coopers. That federation is still analyzing the ac- curacy of testing methods for the full range of haloanisoles and halophenols as well as contamination levels with the assistance of the International Bureau for Analytical Studies, BIPEA. According to a statement released through the federation's spokes- woman Alice Dekker, the cooperage group and BIPEA are working with labs in every major wine region of the world. "It is not Seguin Moreau opened a new laboratory in Cognac, France, in September. Coopers can test oak and wine samples with gas chroma- tography, mass spectrometry and UV-visible spectrophotometry. for our federation to rule on the merits of the different methods used by these labo- ratories, but to be able to build bridges or points of comparison between them." 'Complex' logistics to ensure cleanliness Seguin Moreau's Hansen said most of the questions he receives about quality con- trol come from winemakers and wineries comparing coopers when sourcing barrels. He said the company will conduct specific barrel-shaving tests, but that's not too A Canton Cooperage worker in Kentucky takes a shaving sample from a finished barrel. Oak shavings are sealed in an aluminum and plastic package and sent to a lab in France for testing as part of the cooper's HACCP plan to ensure quality control. common. "Most people want to discuss our protocols to compare with other coo- pers they buy from," he said. Hansen added that Seguin Moreau tests all incoming wood for any type of contaminants. The water used in the aging yard is checked twice per year, and when the wood has finished seasoning, random samples are taken before the lots enter the cooperage, Hansen said. Inside the coo- perage, Seguin Moreau analyzes its water, tests barrels for leaks and uses 15 differ- USED BY THE FINEST WINERIES TO ACHIEVE THE BEST RESULTS Call Now to Schedule Design Appointments! LT™ & LT 2+2™ MOG Separators Fruit Receiving Systems Bin Dumpers Sorting Tables Belt Conveyors Screw Conveyors Vibratory Conveyors Peristaltic Pumps...... • Gentle • Durable • Highest Quality • Best Performance • Self Priming • Powerful The Good News? Your goal of perfection just became more attainable. The Bad News? Everybody wants one. Membrane presses from 18 HL - 80 HL. Precise control in an exquisite machine. World Renowned Quality Santa Rosa, California 95403 P 707 573 3141 • F 707 573 3140 www.pnlspecialties.com 1650 Almar Parkway CA Contractor's #803431, OR Contractor's #180330, WA Contractor's #PLSPELS923BZ SOLUTIONS • EXPERTISE • QUALITY • SATISFACTION WINES & VINES DECEMBER 2012 37