I’m in the market. Looking for something that doesn’t chew stuff up much as my biggest problem here might too much tannin and bitterness, but also doesn’t handcuff processing speed. Thinking about peristaltic, but hearing some caveats about dry varieties (Merlot) and plugging, in addition to tube maintenance and a tendency to need babysitting (I do enough of that at home).
I must say I haven’t even used one since about 2004. I will have to buy one here, though…unless I want to fill a 10T fermentor by walking up 15 ft of stairs with 5-gal buckets. Now that would be some artisan shiznit.
What cultivar(s) are you going to pump? You mention Merlot. Any others? If you are working with Pinot Noir, my approach is do not pump the must, which is kinda stating the obvious. BTW, I worked with peristaltic pumps at two places in the early-nineties and was underwhelmed by them. You pretty much cover this aspect in your post.
Thanks, David, for the reply. The crickets were really getting to me.
I’ll be crushing Merlot, Cabernet, franc, Petit Verdot, Pinot noir (maybe), Sangiovese, Malbec, Refosco, a little bit of Zin, and Syrah.
I wouldn’t mind not having a must pump (although I don’t think it is a particularly evil device), and have not worked with one for years, but it is not an option…unless you have a spare half-mil or so to refurbish my cellar to accommodate this. There’s a case of wine in it for ya.
[quote=“David Vergari”]I wouldn’t mind not having a must pump (although I don’t think it is a particularly evil device), and have not worked with one for years, but it is not an option…unless you have a spare half-mil or so to refurbish my cellar to accommodate this. There’s a case of wine in it for ya.
Nate,
Actually, I was fixin’ to call you to see if you had some extra dinero sitting idle. Damn!
But I know you’ll be right there to defend them, John.
When I saw the title of the thread and then Nate Weis as the originator, I yelled at the computer screen, “No!!! Don’t pump Pinot must, Nate!!!” Glad to see it’s with other grapes and only out of necessity, although there is that maybe next to Pinot Noir.
Once during the harvest of 2000 our open tops and Tbins were all full and we had another 6 tons of Bien Nacido PN to put somewhere. We had one 2,000 closed top tank that was sitting empty. Of course we had no must pump, but the Waukesha and a 2" line sort of worked, although I wouldn’t recommend it if you plan on getting out of the winery before 4AM.
From where Winston stood it was just possible to read, picked out on its white face in elegant lettering, the three slogans of the Party:
WHOLE CLUSTER IS PEACE
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT IS SLAVERY
GRAVITY IS STRENGTH.
this prole is checking in from the Ministry of You’re Wasting my MuthaF-in’ Time.
If you’re keeping score, I’ve had two "don’t buy one"s, one suggestion of criminalizing must pumps, and one Orwellian reference. Not one mention of an actual make of must pump (although Senator Vergari approached a discernable answer - thank you).
Guess it’s what I should have expected from a bunch of pansy ass Pinot-producing Berserkerz. Some “Cellar Rats” you guys are…
yo biatch- don’t get us started on fermenting reds in closed top tanks…don’t go there…
and don’t be playin’ the “that’s all we got” card…remember, that’s why god invented blowtorches…they’re not just for unpaid gambling debts…
Since da Senator’s goal is complete discernability–at least with regard to must pumps–here are some of the ones I’ve used along the way:
–Coldstream Hills (Australia): an open-throat, progressive cavity pump was used for every red varietal save for Pinot.
–Covisa (Spain): Ragazzini peristaltic pump (I was not too keen on the “slurry” concept)
–Hess Collection: Ragazzini for D&P, although it’s highly likely that they’re doing something different (Mr. Guffy, weigh in por favor).
–Phelps: Waukesha (4-inch) to transport red must (no Pinot at the time).
–Rutz: Waukesha (3-inch as I recall) that was used to move must to the fermentor with apparently no ill effect (I’d be happy to elaborate at another time if you’d like). BTW, I wish I could have sold tickets to that gig!!! It was absolutely-bleeping crazy. I mean damn!
…and so it goes.
Ps., have you moved on from P&H? I am so out of the loop with that stuff.
Nate - check with Thomas Brown at Outpost. They got a new must pump prior to the 07 Harvest that everyone really liked. Left a lot of the berries completely intact. I can’t remember the name but the speed was good and don’t recall any negative issues with it. It replaced the Waukesha
David - Thanks for the info. Yes, I moved on from P&H at the end of 2008. It was tough to go, but when the Antinori family offers you a job making their wine in CA, it’s difficult to say no. Their lease of the property and winery (all owned by the family since the 80s) that used to house Atlas Peak Vineyards ended in late 2008, and Antica Napa Valley has risen from the ashes.
Tony - Very interested to see what they’re using. As I don’t know Thomas and would imagine he is difficult to reach, is there a day-to-day person there? An Assistant WM or Cellar Master or something?
Nate,
Gotta retract my offer, unfortunately. Just looked at it in our shed and it ain’t pretty. It’s somewhat better than a 1950s era bottling machine that we’ve got, though…How are the kids? Is Piero still a snazzy dresser? He’d come into the cellar at Tignanello wearing a three-piece suit, which was bold considering all the fruit he had to process.
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