Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/81015
WINERY SOIL & CELLAR NEW CONCRETE WINE TANKS! eggs can be made for red wine and include a door for pomace removal. In an egg-shaped fermentor, con- vection from fermentation creates a vortex that continually mixes the lees; red-wine fermentation main- tains the cap submerged for better and more uniform extraction. The egg has caught on so much that wooden egg tanks are now being constructed. Concrete vessels' popular- ity has also increased due to new design elements that allow for temperature control with imbed- ded stainless steel tubing, and eas- ier sanitation. Companies such as Nomblot and Sonoma Cast Stone provide customization and work with winemakers to design the ves- sel for specific needs and uses. Proper sanitation is critical, and it is important to check and maintain all gaskets and seals. WHEN IN ROME A few innovative winemakers CONCRETE WINE TANKS S O N O M A C A S T S T O N E Many of the World's Finest Wines are Made in Concrete emphasizing non- intervention- ist, "natural" winemaking have embraced the use of amphorae for fermentation, going back to the times of ancient Greek and Roman vintners. The recent resurgence of these vessels was led by Jasko Gravner, whose winery is located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. He began ferment- ing his wine in amphorae in 2001 and has inspired others throughout the world to embrace these ancient earthenware. Typically the amphorae are craft- Egg-Shaped 476 Gallons Truncated 2,200 Gallons Square 800 Gallons Conical 915 Gallons (888) 807-4575 concretewinetanks.com 36 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT SEPT - OCT 2012 ed from terra cotta, and the interi- or can be coated with beeswax to prevent oxidation by limiting oxy- gen ingress, and wine loss through evaporation. Some producers keep the amphorae in their caves and cellars, but others bury them to take advantage of the natural tem- perature control. Some amphorae producers, such as Artenova in Tus- cany, have added modern twists including epoxy liners and stainless steel lids. Similar to barrel fermentation, using amphorae comes with the increased costs of managing and monitoring a plethora of small indi- WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM