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TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT WINEMAKING April 2018 WINES&VINES 33 large fermentation vats. The large membrane bioreactor wastewater system was a significant investment, but it also meant the winery didn't have to use 2 acres of land to build wastewater ponds. Those 2 acres have been planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and will produce several hundred cases of Silver Oak Cab in a few years. "It pays back pretty fast, so those are the kinds of things we went through when thinking about why we would do this," Duncan said. The new winery comes after Silver Oak has pivoted further toward an estate model. Since Duncan has been the company's CEO, the com- pany has shifted to using 75% estate grapes and 25% from partner growers. "That's been another big strategic shift for us too, so we've acquired several hundred acres of vineyards and farm it all ourselves—both for Pinot and for Cab," he said. "I just think it's so important for us to control our supply, and we know they're not making any more Alexander Valley or Napa Valley Cabernet ground." In addition to the Alexander Valley prop- erty, Silver Oak made headlines when it pur- chased Ovid Napa Valley winery in a deal reported to be worth $50 million. Once the new Alexander Valley winery was close to completion, Silver Oak sold its old Sonoma County facility to the fast-growing Lodi, Calif.- based Michael David Winery. www.scottlab.com • info@scottlab.com Rotovib Destemmer with NEW Double RollerSorter • Two separate beds of interlacing silicon spools rotate on adjustable shafts, allowing grapes to fall through the spaces on the spools. • Jacks, stems and other debris are caught in the first rollersorter bed and are carried away to the discharge bin. • The second rollersorter bed has tighter spacing to remove any remaining raisins, shot berries or small particles. • Spacers allow for shaft adjustment to suit the size of the grapes. Double the sorting for extremely clean fruit A membrane bioreactor turns wastewater into clean, recycled water that can be used for washing equipment or irrigation. The French Leader in Barrel Alternatives Over 1000 wineries in France and hundreds worldwide benefit from VINEA enological oak quality, consistency, and performance. Jean-Christophe Varron, the owner and founder, pioneered barrel alternatives in France and has over 20 years of experience in adjuncts. VINEA French oak adds volume, length, and layered flavor/aromatic components to your wine for elegant barrel-like results. Guaranteed naturally air-dried Available in VINICERAM ™ ceramic radiant or classic fire toast, VINEA offers a complete collection of alternatives to address your needs at any point in the winemaking process: tank staves • segments • barrel inserts • chips For more information on the VINEA range of oak tools, pricing, and to obtain samples for trial, please contact: THE BOSWELL COMPANY (415) 457-3955 staff@boswellcompany.com www.boswellcompany.com DAMION HAMILTON