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WINERY & VINEYARD EQUIPMENT 38 WINES&VINES July 2018 QST offers its clients……. Professionally fabricated stainless tanks 35 years of tank fabrication experience Performance & reliability guarantees Custom designs & modern features Quick & competitive tank project pricing On site tank repairs & modifications Special application tanks of all sizes "In stock tanks" from 500 to 10,000 gallons 510 Caletti Ave. Windsor, Ca. 95492 Phone 707-837-2721 or Toll-Free 877-598-0672 www.qualitystainless.com Company Website winetanks@aol.com email contact/sales info Custom Fabricated Tanks for the perfect size & fit… or Ready to Ship "Stock Tanks" Either way QST is ready to assist our clients! Call QST today for information or pricing! QUALITY STAINLESS TANKS A lex Lewis, director of hospitality at Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos, Calif., has been working in the winery's hospitality depart- ment for more than 11 years and says the glasswasher is one of the winery's most important pieces of equipment. "Because we are showcasing world-class wines, we are diligent about our glassware," she said. The historic winery is home to a tasting room and wine bar and plays host to a wide vari- ety of events — from intimate tastings to weddings, and even wine education courses. "On a busy Saturday, we could easily require 1,750 glasses between all departments just for that day." To keep up with the demand and flow of wine tasters through- out the day, Lewis and her team use the D2 TimeSaver, a two-rack glass washer by Auto-Chlor System. Big winery, large loads The D2 TimeSaver is a low-tem- perature chemical-based washer that uses an integrated automatic- dispensing system to release a combination of detergent, rinse aid and sanitizer throughout each cycle — which can be as quick as 60 seconds. According to Benny Sanchez, Auto-Chlor's Santa Clara, Calif., branch manager, the amount of chemicals the machine releases is customized by the com- pany's technicians. "It's adjusted to what you're washing," he said. "We tend to use less chemicals on wine glasses because they're not as greasy as, say, a breakfast plate that held a bunch of bacon." The industrial machine also includes a fully enclosed pump to maximize spray pressure, a built- in pressure regulator to ensure consistent water volumes for each cycle, and a freshwater low-tem- perature rinse (120°F to 140°F) that uses a standard water supply, so no external booster heater is needed. The low water usage (as little as 1.94 gallons per cycle) and low-temperature sanitization mean the Auto-Chlor System meets Energy Star requirements for energy efficiency. For a stan- dard 90-second cycle, the ma- chine uses only 20 amps. "We even have a line of products that meet green requirements," San- chez said. "We can customize our washers depending on what peo- ple want because we build them right here." Customization is key for winer- ies as large as Testarossa, where the washer can run anywhere from 12 to 40-plus times per day, Lewis said. Auto-Chlor provides a regu- larly scheduled inspection every 28 days but increases that inspection to up to three times a month for those running washers as often as Testarossa. "It's a 29-point inspec- tion," Sanchez said. "We check everything from the correct chemi- cal quantity to water flow, and even things you may not think to check like the motor vents." An important check for Testa- rossa is the water itself. Water in Santa Clara County is considered "hard," so-called because of the excessive calcium and magnesium — minerals that will leave white, crusty residue after the water has evaporated. PRODUCT FOCUS Glasswashers for Tasting Rooms Choosing the proper stemware washing system By Stacy Briscoe