Winery Conversion
A multi-million-dollar investment has transformed the winery. Winemaker-designed for versatility, the facility offers multiple winemaking options, minimal and gentle handling, and the highest quality small-lot production capabilities.

Harvesting

Grapes hand-harvested into half-ton bins during cool mornings.

Must chiller offers immediate cooling for skin contact or cold soak.

No crushing; we de-stem only or send clusters directly to press.

Gentle Handling

Over-sized equipment provides the gentlest handling of fruit.

New, larger (18-inch) screw conveyor operates at half-speed.

Waukesha positive displacement must pump runs at 30% of maximum.

Vaslin-Delta E6 de-stemmer operates at one-third to two-thirds capacity and delivers a high percentage (70% to 80%) of whole berries.

State-of-the-Art Equipment

Diemme AR80 8,000-liter press holds six tons of whole clusters, 14 tons of red pomace, contains exact juice yield of one de-juicing tank.

Willmes TP15 15,000-liter press holds 12 tons of whole cluster, 28 tons of red pomace, and has two over-sized Epernay doors for whole clusters.

Direct-to-press axial feed and gravity loading, temperature-controlled skin contact (four de-juicing tanks), cold and extended maceration capabilities.

Dual-action air-actuated diaphragm pumps with no moving parts are ideal for gentle movement of juice and wine, pump-overs and racking.

34 small lot red fermenters, graduated capacities to 13 tons: 21 are open-top with optimal 1:1 height-to-diameter ratio, floating lids with sealing gaskets, pneumatic punch-down device; 13 are closed with various cap irrigators.

Barrels

5,000 French (98%) and American (2%) oak barrels from a variety of coopers based on specific flavor attributes, 50% new and 50% used.