Wine Tanks
(book excerpts)Deciding what tanks to use in the winery is something of a philosophical exercise since so much of the decision process depends upon the specific winery and winemaker. Wine tanks fall into two broad categories: (1) multi-purpose tanks and (2) special purpose tanks. The multi-purpose tanks are not designed for any specific single winery operation. Conversely, special purpose tanks are designed for specific winery operations, i.e., fermentation, blending, etc. Tank sizes and the types used for wine production vary depending on the size of the winery (i.e., tonnages crushed) and styles of wine produced (e.g., red, white, or sparkling wine). Tanks are made of either stainless steel, wood, concrete, and plastic. Tanks are made into various shapes such as cylindrical, cubical, conical, oval, and others. As there are many types of tanks used in winemaking, winemakers have a variety of options available to them such as aspect ratio, cooling jackets (dimple or channel style), gas vents, tank control systems (e.g., temperature, cap management, etc.), tank bottoms (flat sloped, dished, or conical), manways (round, oval, or rectangular), and fittings and valves of all common types and sizes. Whether multi-purpose or special purpose, each type of tank has its own unique benefits and drawbacks, so it's important to do your research before buying just any type of tank.
Click on the following topics for more information on wine tanks.
Topics Within This Chapter:
- Special Purpose Tanks
- Special Purpose Wine Tanks
- Closed-Top Wine Fermentors
- Open-Top Wine Fermentors
- Active Wine Fermentors
- Blending Tanks
- Portable Tanks
- Bottling Tanks
- Multi-Purpose Wine Tanks
- Jacketed Variable-Capacity Tanks
- Materials Used for Wine Tanks
- Stainless Steel
- Grades
- Stainless-Steel Surface Finishes
- Concrete
- Egg-Shaped Tanks
- Wood
- Plastic
- Wine Tank Accessories
- Aspect Ratio
- Red Wine Fermentors
- White Wine Fermentors
- Cooling Jackets
- Tank Bottoms
- Tank Control Systems
- Temperature Control
- Ports
- Manholes
