Introduction
It was a dark and stormy week in Sacramento, but there was so much optimism on the 2008 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium trade show floor that one might have thought it was really sunny with clear skies forever. I've been attending Unified since before it was, well, "unified," and I can't remember a larger or better attended trade show. Attendance this year topped 11,500, up from the previous year's official tally of 10,400.
Once again, there were a large number of new and updated products on display. So many, in fact, that to look at all of them in the 15 hours allotted was a difficult task. In the end, I have selected a few products that caught my eye. Of course, it is somewhat difficult to judge the true value of any piece of winery equipment or consumable by a trade show display, but I have tried to note those products that I think could be important to our industry.
1. Holt of California -- Cat Lift-Truck Hydrogen Fuel Cell Forklifts
This fuel cell forklift could represent the beginning of the extensive use of hydrogen as a portable fuel source. When oxygen and hydrogen gas are combined, the resulting products are water and heat, or, if the right electrodes are present, water and electricity. Essentially, the process is the reverse of electrolysis.
Fuel cells aren't new, per se; Sir William Grove invented the technology in 1839. Even practical applications of the technology have been around for quite some time; after all, NASA has been using them on manned spacecraft since the 1960s. However, it seems that the fuel cell has been a technology in search of a really practical application in something less exotic than a spacecraft.
As far as the forklift is concerned, the fuel cell is just a battery that can be recharged in three minutes rather than eight to 16 hours. Like electric forklifts, fuel cell lift trucks are zero emission vehicles that can be used indoors without modification.
What's cool: At 33K (-400ºF or -240ºC), the liquid hydrogen used to fuel the fuel cell is just about the coolest thing one can encounter. Even liquid nitrogen seems tepid by comparison. Seriously, though, this forklift combines the advantages of both electric and propane lift-trucks while having few of the disadvantages of either. The need for on-site hydrogen storage to refuel the forklifts, while a potential drawback, is not an insurmountable one for larger facilities operating a number of forklifts since the on-site footprint wouldn't be too much larger than an on-site LPG or CNG refueling station.
For more information: contact Holt of California, tel: 916-373-4100, web: www.holtca.com.
2. FOSS North America -- OenoFoss Analyzer
FOSS presented me with a bit of a quandary. They introduced a couple of new products at Unified, either of which were worthy of consideration for this list. In the end, I find their brand spanking new OenoFoss the more compelling of the two.
The OenoFoss is an easy-to-use analyzer. It uses the FOSS FTIR to quickly measure glucose/fructose, pH, malic acid, total acidity and ethanol all in about two minutes and without any special sample preparation. FOSS believes that the OenoFoss will meet a growing demand from wine producers for rapid and simple-to-obtain information in support of decisions, such as when to pick grapes, how to control fermentation or when to bottle.
What's cool: The OenoFoss calibrates itself using the CO2 in the atmosphere. This is supposed to make the analyzer essentially maintenance-free. When combined with a two-minute analysis time, it's hard to see why a winery wouldn't at least take one of these analyzers for a test drive.
For more information: contact FOSS, tel: 800-547-6275, web: www.foss.us.
3. Wine Technology Malborough -- Fermetrol
The Fermetrol probe measures the conversion of sugar to alcohol (fermentation rate) and delivers the information to a computer. Real-time data is presented in the familiar graphical ferment curve format. It can be used solely for online monitoring or can be integrated with VinWizard temperature control for automated temperature changes to match the winemaker's ferment expectation. Proactive control provides labor savings, repeatability, more efficient use of refrigeration and insurance against out of control fermentations.
What's cool: The Fermentrol can be used to track fermentation much more precisely than periodic Brix measurements. More importantly, the data can be used to control cooling, mixing and pump-overs via the VinWizard control software.
For more information: contact VinWizard, tel 707-703-5956, web: www.vinwizard.com.
4. GRV SARL -- Caval Narrow-Spacing Over-the-Row Tractor, Model: "Multi-tools"
Grosjean René Viticole, SARL (SARL is the French equivalent of LLC) was founded in 1987, making it a fairly new source of vineyard equipment. Based in Peronne, Caval tractors are designed for Burgundy vineyards which tend to be both hilly and densely planted.
At 12,300 pounds, this new model of the Caval tractor is both fairly light and quite a bit larger than their 3,000 pound three-wheel model. I wasn't able to properly compare the relative ground pressure of the Caval Multi-Tools to the Caval 3x3, but I'd estimate that despite having three times the mass on each wheel, the ground pressure of the Caval Multi-Tools actually should have a slightly lower ground pressure than the 3x3 due to its much larger tire footprint. This is good news for anyone worried about soil compaction.
What's cool: Thanks to a low center of gravity, this tractor can be used to spray, mow, cultivate and vine-trim vineyards with narrow vine spacing of 5 to 7 feet that are too narrow or too steep for most other over-the-row tractors.
For more information: contact Lampson Tractor, tel: 707-584-7290, web: www.lampsontractor.com.
5. PakSense -- TXi Smart Label
The PakSense TXi Smart Label monitors temperature and time of wine during distribution. Each label is programmed to track your temperature specifications. Flashing lights indicate if temperature excursions occur, and all data collected by the label can be downloaded and graphed. This enables users to determine when and for how long temperature abuse occurred. PakSense labels provide insight into what happens to wine during distribution.
PakSense Labels are small, sealed in waterproof packaging and can be located at the case or item level. This form factor prevents false readings of ambient air and promotes highly accurate temperature reads. Price is $12 per tag, with no price difference between the different day lengths of recording (i.e., a 6-day tag costs the same as a 60-day tag).
What's cool: The inexpensive chip tracks temperature for up to 60 days. Maybe this product will finally convince the industry to use temperature-controlled trucks.
For more information: contact PakSense, tel: 208-629-3358, web: www.paksense.com.
6. Barben Analyzer Technology -- 4401 Oxy Optical Oxygen Analzyer
The Optical 4401 Oxy Oxygen Analyzer can be used to determine both dissolved oxygen and headspace oxygen. It is available in a variety of models, from a single stand-alone or computer-based analyzer for measuring all oxygen needs in real-time down to 1 PPB +/- 0.4 PPB.
What's cool: The 4401 Oxy Analyzer is an optical rather than a membrane O2 probe. This means that the required time between calibrations is months rather than hours. It also means that, unlike membrane probes, the 4401 Oxy does not require any consumables and is not affected by pressure changes, including those caused by changes in the fluid flow velocity.
For more information: contact Barben Analyzer Technology, tel: 775-883-2500, web: www.bat4ph.com.
7. Pulsair Systems -- New Pneumatage System
The new version of Pulsair's pneumatage system is user-friendly and allows the winemaker to automate the entire fermentation process. Pulse rate, injection time and length of the Pneumatage cycle can be set to change based on the condition of the cap. The Pneumatage cap management system is fully automatic.
What's cool: As one would expect from a system originally designed to mix caviar, the Pulsair pneumatage system is extremely gentle. At the same time, it appears to do an excellent job of actually mixing the juice, must or wine.The new cart-mounted Pneumatage manifold combines controls and distribution for four tank-mounted Pulsair plates as well as a smaller fifth valve for a portable Pulsair mixing wand that can be used to mix bins and small tanks.
For more information: contact Pulsair Systems, tel: 425-455-1263, web: www.pulsair.com.
8. Oak Solutions Group -- evOAK Pure2, Cuvee No. 1 and Cuvee No. 2 Infusion Staves
Oak Solutions Group continues to develop the evOAK product line. As I noted last year, there are so many oak alternative products on the market that it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between them. However, what I find compelling about the evOak line is the way they control their toasting process to bring out specific aromas.
evOAK's newest tank staves deliver concentrated, singular flavor profiles to suit specific needs and are ideal for blending. With a quick extraction rate, the specialty, high extract oak products are ideal finishing products.
What's cool: Makes oak additions almost infinitely flexible. Winemakers can selectively add oak toasted to produce specific oak characters like vanilla, macaroon and crème brûlée.
For more information: contact evOak, tel: 707-259-4988, web: www.oaksolutionsgroup.com.
9. RF MacDonald -- Seepex Progressing Cavity Pump
Seepex Progressing Cavity Pumps are versatile winery pumps with a reputation for extremely low shear and gentle solids handling. The new Model 17-6 is an open hopper, auger-fed, cart-mounted pump with variable speed drive. This pump can be used on any application, including must, pump-overs, lees, pomace, juice transfer and bottling.
Like all progressing cavity pumps, this is a big pump. Seepex has done what it could to minimize its length.
What's cool: The Seepex Model 17-6 Progressing Cavity Pumps deliver a lot of grunt in as compact a package as I've ever seen for a progressing cavity pump this big. These pumps really shine in large wineries where wine or must has to be moved long distances.
For more information: contact RF MacDonald, tel: 510-784-0110, web: www.rfmacdonald.com.
10. Skalar -- SAN++ Wine Analyzer
The Skalar SAN++ Wine Analyzer automates a broad range of wet chemistry wine tests, such as Acetic Acid, Acidity (total), Ammonia, Chloride, Citric Acid, Density, Ethanol, Fluoride (ISE), Gluconic Acid, Glucose/Fructose/Sacch., Glycerol, Hydroxymethyl Furfural, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Nitrate/Nitrite, pH, Phosphate, Reducing Sugars (total), Sorbic Acid, Sulfate, Sulfite, Sulfur Dioxide (total and free), Tartaric Acid and Volatile Acids. No sample pre-treatment is necessary. The analyzer performs on-line distillations, digestions and dialysis. It can also analyze multiple test parameters simultaneously on one sample injection.
What's cool: The Skalar SAN++ Wine Analyzer can perform an impressively long list of analyses from a single sample injection.
For more information: contact Skalar, tel: 770-416-6717, web: www.skalar.com.
Notable Runner-up
P&L Specialties -- Demoisy Winery Equipment
P&L Specialties is now representing Demoisy in the U.S. Demoisy has a long track record for producing crushpad equipment, including destemmers, crushers and Mohno progressing cavity pumps.
What's cool: Personally, I've always been fond of Demoisy equipment. It's just great to see Demoisy reenter the U.S. market. Demoisy crusher-rollers have a unique interlocking cone design that maximizes the crusher contact area relative to the linear length of the crusher (see photo). Demoisy Mohno pumps are very gentle must pumps.
For more information, contact P&L Specialties, tel: 707-573-3141, web: www.pnlspecialties.com. wbm
Curtis Phillips, an editor for Wine Business Monthly since 2000, is a graduate of UC Davis, and has been a winemaker since 1984 and an agricultural consultant since 1979.
