Fining, Filtration and Bottling Kay Simon & Clay Mackey, Proprietors Chinook Wines Prosser, Washington 509.786.2725 info@chinookwines.com
Chinook Wines, est. 1983 Winery is located in Prosser, Washington. All wines produced from Yakima Valley AVA fruit. Dry wines from Semillon, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, & Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Total Production: 3500 4000 cases annually.
THE MOST CRITICAL TIME OF THE YEAR: Wine grapes are handharvested for a small winery; primary processing occurs.
WHITE WINE- Crushing & destemming or whole cluster pressing RED WINE- Crushing & destemming; gravity transfer to fermenter
CHINOOK Gravity Crushing & Pressing System PRIMARY Self-designed gravity crushing & pressing system. Crusher is elevated over must container. Grapes are fed from sorter/conveyor. This eliminates a must pump. Must container is lifted by forklift to hydraulic lift & emptied directly to press. This eliminates any augering of must or pomace.
WHITE WINE- Typically aged up to one year; sometimes longer for dry, barrel-aged white wines. RED WINE- Aged in oak tanks or barrels for 1-5 years; depending on style and grape variety.
: The deliberate addition of an adsorptive compound that is followed by the settling or precipitation of partially soluble components from the wine.
WHITE/ROSÉ WINE- 1) Blending; adjustments. 2) Gravity settling. 3) Bentonite is added for protein stabilization. 4) Wine is held at 25-35 F to cold stabilize (tartaric acid precipitation). 5) Wine is racked & filtered. RED WINE- 1) Blending. 2) Gravity settling. 3) Fining to reduce tannin content (optional/if needed). 4) Filtration to clarify.
LABORATORY Bench Trial or testing is essential to commercial wine quality. BENTONITE TRIALS: 1. SAMPLE 2. PIPETTE 3. SETTLE @ CELLAR TEMP. 4. DECANT & FILTER 5. INCUBATE 6. READ RESULTS
: PRIMARY DEPTH : Choice of Filter Media is important. Filter sheets or pads are commonly used in beverage filtration. Diatomaceous earth filters build cake on a stainless steel screen. Both methods utilize the concept of tortuous pathway for particles, including microbes to be removed from the filtrate (i.e. finished lot of wine). ABSOLUTE
ABSOLUTE : We hope you don t actually use this as a filter! Membrane filtration is, instead, your insurance policy. (This is how the bottling trucks make their money.)
SUPPLIES: Are your CORKS, GLASS, LABELS, GASSES ON HAND? Are they the supplies you ORDERED? Are they correct?
WINE PREPARATION: KNOW YOUR Wine temperature how does it affect label application, gassing etc.? Wine analysis & parameters vis-à-vis your style. What is the microbial load? How are you dealing with that? Legal requirements: e.g. LABEL INFORMATION; Alcohol%; do you have a COLA? Don t bottle without it! What is your sulfur dioxide level?
EtOH 70% SANITATION OF THE LINE & FILTERS. Think from the wine tank & filters downstream. Be methodical. Be consistent. Think/breathe/live QC. Don t re-contaminate!
YOUR QC TEAM:(AND, WHY THEY MATTER!) IF YOU ARE A SMALL or LARGE WINERY: CREW SHOULD BE AVAILABLE & EXPERIENCED FOR CRITICAL JOBS, AND KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS PART OF THE QC/QA TEAM! EVERYONE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO DETAILS/EXPECTATIONS: HEAR, SMELL, TOUCH. EtOH 70%
Resources: 1. Principles & Practices of Winemaking (text); Boulton, Singleton, Bisson & Kunkee. 2. Fining: Gusmer.com (esp. bentonite, filtration resources) ALSO, for list of materials authorized (federal): http://cfr.vlex.com/vid/246-authorizedtreatment-wine-juice-19673502 3. Filtration: FILTROX, GUSMER & Also BEGEROW for BECOPADS. Websites: Filtrox.com Gusmerenterprises.com Begerow.com 4. Vineyard & Winery Management magazine for Bottling series (Tom Payette, author)
Please contact us with questions: Kay Simon & Clay Mackey, Proprietors Chinook Wines Prosser, Washington 509.786.2725 info@chinookwines.com www.chinookwines.com