Hey Everyone I thought I’d update everyone on what we’ve decided to get, and why…
Naturally there are multiple variables that can effect a large equipment purchase like this, some obvious ones being, Price, Availability, Suitability, Service, to name a few…
If price and availability were no object we probably would have gone with the Puleo Vega 10, and the Carlsen Basket Press, based on the glowing reviews, here and elsewhere, but that would have been over $60K, and there was not a new PV 10 to be had in the US this year.
If we had found either of those items used and nearby for sale we might have done that, but there are none. That being said the folks at Carlsen here in Healdsburg have been very helpful, and we wish we would have been able to work with them on this, but we do buy all kinds of other doodads from them, and will probably be doing that forever.
After visiting and/or talking to several of our friends who make very fine Pinot Noir, we’ve decide to go with the Lugana 1R Destemmer (with the plastic cage, no rollers), with a catwalk, and a SK PSP-8 programmable Membrane Press, all from Prospero in Windsor.
We have some very good friends who use the slightly larger models of this setup and who are very happy with it, and will be available to assist us as necessary, as well as Prospero being local to us here in Healdsburg.
We also managed to find a used Bin Dumper as a great price, so except for a sorting apparatus, (which think we are going to build ourselves) , it looks like our equipment line up is settled for this year.
Thanks for all your help, comments and insights.