wine making equipment

Types of wine-making equipment

Modern wine making equipment is available in various shapes, sizes, and material combinations that wine makers can customize for any requirement. Here's a look at the most important pieces of wine-making equipment.

• Cold Press Grapes

  The crushed grape juice is called must. It contains grape skins, seeds, and stems that remain in it. Wine makers allow fermented yeast to feast on the sugars of the grapes in the must. The cold press uses a hydraulic press, sometimes called bladder presses, to extract juice from grape pomace. They have a cylindrical or rectangular shape and are made of stainless steel or food-grade PVC. Wine makers exert pressure on the pomace through bladders or plates inside the press to separate the juice, which is then fermented into wine.

• Gravity Table Sorting/Shooter

  A wine-making equipment conveying crushed grapes, stems, and seeds to the wine press is called a shooter. Gravity tables have sloped vibrating tables with screens sorting the undesirable parts of grapes. Some wineries use air guns to shoot the sorted waste downstream, while others employ moving belts with perforated tables to sort out unwanted grape parts.

• Destemmer

  A machine that removes grape stems while gently crushing the fruit is called a destemmer. It is the first piece of winemaking equipment that the processed fruit encounters. The sorting of undesirable fruit takes place before the grapes go through the destemmer. The undesirable fruit that doesn't pass through the overhead sorting table may include rotten or underdeveloped grapes, those with defects, or plant material that became a part of the harvest. The overhead sorting table usually employs 10-15 people to remove these undesirable items. Some modern destemmers include cameras and artificial intelligence technology to sort out undesirable fruit automatically.

• Fermentation Tanks

  The must is transferred to fermentation tanks after it goes through the destemmer. Microorganisms called yeast feast on the sugar of the grapes, converting them into alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation. Fermenting grapes will have skins floating around the surface. More than a dozen types of fermentation tanks exist that contain various materials.

  Open-top tanks allow the fermenting wine to breathe. The operator of the tank can monitor the fermentation process and give the wine better extraction, tannin, and flavor. Open-top fermentors are usually made of wood or stainless steel.

  Closed fermentation tanks offer less oxygen to the wine. They are made of fiberglass epoxy, rubber and food-grade PVC, stainless steel, and epoxy-coated steel.

  Some of the fermentation tanks include: bell-shaped fermenter, foudres wooden vat, concrete egg, and conical fermenter.

• Optimum Conditions for Wine Aging

  Wines are aged in barrels or tanks after fermentation is complete. Wines develop their flavors and earthy palette.

  A wine barrel surpasses a fermentation tank in price considerably. Fermentation barrels are made of oak, which is a porous wood. They are called oak barrels because the oak wood lets oxygen in very slowly and imparts vanilla, spice, and toasty flavors to the wine. Many wineries now use fiberglass, stainless steel, or concrete for their ageing tanks as an alternative to oak which is expensive.

• Bottling Machines

  Wine bottling machines have a corking head and filling nozzles. Gravity and pressure filling are the two methods used to fill wine in bottles. Inline bottling machines are the most common used to replace the wine in the bottle as gravity does its job, putting corks in bottles as they exit the machine on the other side.

Specifications and maintenance of wine making equipment

Specifications

Specifications for wine production equipment may vary depending on the brand and model. The following are standard specifications corresponding to various pieces of equipment:

• Crusher destemmer: The dimensions may be approximately 2,100 x 1,500 x 1,400 mm. Its weight may be estimated at around 600 kg. The processing capacity is usually from 1,500 to 3,000 kg/h. The power of the motor can be 2.2 kw, with a voltage of 380 v.
• Must pump: It may have an 8,000 l/h flow rate and a 5.5 kw power motor at 380 v. It weighs around 56 kg and has the following dimensions: 610 x 280 x 400 mm.
• Fermentation vessel: The capacity of fermentation tanks varies depending on their different sizes. For white wines, the fermentation temperature is 12-20°C for approximately 5-7 days; for red wines, the fermentation temperature is 22-28°C for approximately 5-15 days. For dry red wines, fermentation should be done for around 4-8 weeks at a temperature of 28-32°C.
• Wine filter: Wine filtering equipment may have a 1.5-3t/h processing capacity. Its dimensions may be approximately 750 x 720 x 1710 mm. The motor power of its pump may be 1.1 kw at 380 v, and the weight is around 188 kg.
• Bottling line: The length of a small-scale bottle filling line may be around 3,065 mm. Its width might be approximately 1,335 mm; height: 2,078 mm. Its motor power may be estimated at around 2.2 kw, and its weight is approximately 560 kg.

Maintenance

• Regular cleaning: Regular cleaning is an important part of wine-making equipment maintenance. Clean the equipment carefully to get rid of any residual wine and bacteria to avoid contamination.
• Systematic inspection: Periodically inspect the equipment components, such as hoses, valves, pumps, etc., to ensure they work properly. Replace the damaged parts to avoid unnecessary interruptions in production.
• Sanitization: Sanitize the wine equipment to avoid any cross-contamination. Use appropriate sanitizing agents and follow the instructions when using them.
• Lubrication: Lubricate the movable parts of equipment, such as pumps and valves. Lubrication can reduce friction between them, avoid abrasion, ensure their good operation, and lengthen their lifetime.
• Pay attention to temperature and humidity: It is quite important to pay attention to temperature and humidity levels. The wine-making equipment should be stored in an environment that is not too dry. Or it is not too damp and maintains the appropriate temperatures so that the equipment is not easily damaged.

Scenarios

• Commercial wineries:

• Small and microbreweries:

  Small and microbreweries are wine-making equipment buyers looking for space-saving and affordable options. Compact fermenters, home crushers, and presses, as well as bottle and labeling machines, are popular choices.

• Restaurants and bars:

  Wine-making equipment is also used in some restaurants and bars that offer their own house-made wines. These establishments typically use smaller-scale equipment like countertop fermenters and wine dispensers to produce small batches of wine on-site for exclusive serving to their customers.

• Agritourism and vineyard tours:

  For agritourism businesses and vineyards offering farm tours, wine-making equipment can be used for educational purposes or wine-tasting experiences. Smaller equipment such as mini fermentation kits, grape crushers, or wine educational apps can be showcased to visitors to demonstrate the wine-making process and provide hands-on activities.

• Research and development:

  Wine-making equipment is also used in research and development institutions or universities studying wine production techniques or exploring new wine varieties. These may require advanced wine-making devices such as micro-vinification systems, sensory evaluation tools, or wine chemical analysis equipment for experimental purposes and wine quality assessment.

• Wine bars and tasting rooms:

  Wine bars and tasting rooms can use wine-making equipment to create personalized wine aromas and flavors for their customers. With machines like fruit fermenters or flavor infusers, these places can offer unique tastes that may attract more clients and give them a better experience.

How to choose wine making equipment

Before investing in wine making supplies for sale, customers should consider the quality, capacity, and options of the equipment they are looking to purchase.

First, the equipment must be manufactured with food-grade materials that are strong and resistant to corrosion. For containers that are used during the fermentation, storage, or aging of wine, such as fermenters or barrels, businesses will need to ensure that the materials are compatible.

Second, business buyers should consider the capacity of the wine-making equipment to ensure they are purchasing items that will meet their business or customer needs. Bidders should think about how many liters of wine they can sell to them at one time and how frequently they will make it. It is good to match the demands of the target market and to be scalable for future expansions.

Third, it is necessary to look at the options that are available so businesses can provide their customers with better choices. There is a variety of wine processing equipment with different functionalities, and some also have advanced features with automation capabilities. Invest in those pieces of equipment that will help the overall efficiency and productivity of the wine-making process.

wine making equipment Q and A

Q1: What are wine press machines?

A1: Wine press machines are key pieces of equipment used to extract juice from crushed grapes during the winemaking process. They separate the grape skins, pulp, and seeds from the juice. Different types of wine presses are available, such as traditional basket presses, bladder presses, and hydraulic presses.

Q2: What are fermenters/demijohns?

A2: Wine fermenters or demijohns are containers used to carry out the fermentation process of wine. They allow for the conversion of grape juice into wine by permitting the entry of air while keeping unwanted contaminants out. Common wine fermenters include glass demijohns, plastic fermenters, and stainless steel tanks.

Q3: What are the storage facilities for wine making equipment?

A3: Storage facilities for wine are containers or spaces used to age wine or store wine after production. These facilities provide the necessary temperature, humidity, and lighting control to ensure the proper maturation and preservation of wine. Storage facilities for wine include wine barrels, wine tanks, and wine cabinets.

Q4: What are wine filters in wine making equipment?

A4: Wine filters are devices used to filter and purify wine in order to remove suspended particles, impurities, and sediments. They ensure that the final product is clear and free of unwanted particulates. Wine filters are available in various types, including pad filters, cartridge filters, and membrane filters.