Sanitation: 

We use all high-quality stainless steel equipment, combined with thorough and diligent sanitation, either with our hot water pressure washer, or our new ozone system - the latest in winery sanitation technology.  Both methods are chemical-free ...environmentally friendly, with no chance of residual flavors, odors, or residue from harsh chemicals.
 

Gentleness: 

Rough handling of grapes and wine can have a number of negative effects.  Our grapes are all hand-harvested to avoid premature splitting of the grapes.  Upon arrival at the winery the grapes are gently broken open by our crusher-destemmer which is equipped with adjustable rubber rollers that carefully break open the grapes without crushing the seeds – a major source of harsh tannins.  The juice is then gently pressed from the skins with a bladder press, and moved from tank to tank, or barrel to barrel, either by gravity, gas pressure, or a gentle air-diaphragm pump.
 

Temperature Control: 

Temperature control is a major contribution of modern winemaking technology.  To preserve their freshness, our grapes are delivered in refrigerated trucks, directly to our temperature-controlled winery.   All of our white-wine tanks are lined with glycol jackets that allow fermentation at a slow and steady 55° F, as well as cold stabilization at a chilling 28°F. 
 

Oxidation Control:  

Air is wine’s worst enemy!  All of our permanent tanks are equipped with variable capacity gasket covers that allow us to maintain “full” tanks at all times. 

We use inert gases to prevent air contact during all wine transfers, religiously “top up” our barrels to keep air out, and use a vacuum corker at the finish to ensure that air contact is minimized. 

Chemical Analysis: 

At our in-house wine lab we carefully analyze and monitor our wines at key stages throughout their development.  Precise and timely additions and adjustments to everything from wine pH and acid balance, to sulfite levels and alcohol content, enable us to ensure a smooth transition of the wine from grape to glass.