Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/40615
WINERY By Josh Hermsmeyer Tank Control and Monitoring Software Remote-access systems can help winemakers get more sleep ability to track fermentation kinet- ics, schedule pump-overs and gly- col cooling, and to manage power usage via laptop, smart phone or iPad – even when the winemaker is nowhere near the facility. "It's a huge savings personnel- Jordan Vineyard & Winery has iPads loaded with TankNET software, which show the status of the winery's fermentation tanks. Photo: Lisa Mattson early every winemaker has woken suddenly in the dark of the night, terrified that a crucial work order might have gone unplaced, or that some routine-but- important process was neglected back at the winery. In the past, the only recourse for those afflicted with cold, sweaty brows and clam- my hands was to jump in the car and speed out to the winery for a first-hand look. Happily for weary winemakers, 28 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT SEPT - OCT 2011 web-based winery control sys- tems that allow remote access to crucial operations and data have come along to solve that particular problem. TankNET and VinWizard are soft- ware solutions that integrate with tank heating and cooling systems. They allow a winemaker to remote- ly monitor wine tank temperatures from fermentation through cold stabilization, and everything in between. Both products offer the wise," said Lisa Russell, wine qual- ity manager at Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville, Calif. Korbel uses TankNET hardware and soft- ware from Sonoma-based Acrolon Technologies. "We used to have to physically go out and visit each of the tanks." Korbel produces more than 3 million gallons of spar- kling wine each year, utilizing more than 100 individual tanks. Now Korbel staff can monitor fermenta- AT A GLANCE Winery control systems allow winemakers to remotely control tank temperatures and pump-over controls. Alerts can be set to notify produc- tion and cellar crews when prob- lems arise. The two main companies servic- ing the U.S. industry are TankNET and VinWizard. Both companies have California- based installers for setup and support. WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM