Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/40615
WINERY Optical Sorters Success with Berries are seen here loading onto the belt just prior to entering Pellenc's optical grape sorter. Photo: Deborah Parker Wong Rental opt ions are speeding adopt ion Story and photos by Deborah Parker Wong ith optical grape sorting technology at work in many of the world's leading wine-producing regions, mechanization is beginning to take on a new meaning – one that is more aligned with quality gains than with the cost-saving measures histor- ically associated with mechanical harvesting. Although optics are one of the newest processing technologies for wine grapes, there is already plenty of anecdotal and empirical data available which dem- onstrates that, for many producers, optical sorting is a faster, more efficient and potentially less costly alterna- tive to hand sorting. Optical sorting technology itself is far from being new. It was used by the food processing industry for more than 30 years before it was adapted and widely marketed for wine grapes in 2008. Over the last several years, field trials conducted in France, Italy, Argentina, Chile and California by several manufacturers have been conclusive; winemakers have been quick to acknowledge benefits of optical sorting, and early adopters are buying in. While ownership might not be feasible for smaller producers, renting or leasing an optical sorter could 48 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT SEPT - OCT 2011 soon be as commonplace as using a mobile bot- tling line. For a host of reasons, including the simple truth that sorting is a winemaker's last opportunity to improve quality, optical sorters are giving producers of all sizes more control over the timing and speed at which harvest occurs. France-based Bucher Vaslin was the first equipment manufacturer to make its optical sorting technology – the Delta Vistalys R2 – available in Northern California. The company ran field trials in 2009 and introduced the unit at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in 2010. As of this writing, Pellenc SA, based in Pertuis, France; Diemme, based in Lugo, Italy; and Woodside Electronics Corp (WECO), a domestic manufacturer AT A GLANCE Optical grape sorting can be faster, more efficient and less costly than hand sorting. Berries are sorted based on shape, so the ability of a destemmer to keep berries round is a priority. Optical sorters produce optimal results with thin-skinned varieties such as pinot noir, and when fruit is hand har- vested and gently destemmed. Renting or leasing options will make optical sorting tech- nology feasible for smaller producers. WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM