Ovoid and Amphora-shaped tanks to improve micro vinification.

Editorial Staff 14/03/2022

OVOID AND Y AMPHORA SHAPES TO PROTECT WINE FROM OXIDATION

Thanks to a growing interest in concrete among oenologists and winemakers, Sonoma by SAS has developed different models of concrete tanks for wine,  with capacities ranging from 9 to  54 hl. The company has tanks in unique shapes such as the Amphora, the Egg and their new tank the SuperEgg.

With tanks installed in over 400 cellars across the world and over  120 years of experience with concrete Sonoma Cast Stone and SAS joined forces in 2019. Since then, their concrete tanks have been the perfect reflection of the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence. Sonoma by SAS offers the best concrete tanks for wine on the market, including those which are notable for their unique and special shapes.

The amphora-shaped tanks, initially designed for the ageing and conservation of wine, are becoming increasingly more popular for the fermentation, maceration and ageing processes. The Amphora tank from Sonoma by SAS was inspired by the ancient Roman amphoras and it offers a larger contact surface for the wine with the suspension of the lees in the upper part of the tank.

Its design makes it the perfect tank for both the fermentation and ageing processes. It offers a volume of 18 hl which is perfect for micro vinification. Its shape offers many benefits in the vinification of red wines: it helps to keep the rim submerged, achieving intense macerations, a heady aroma and a strong grape colour. The creation of white and sparkling wine with the Egg is ideal thanks to the fact that its shape helps with the natural movement of the lees. Thanks to the absence of corners, the wine can circulate freely by keeping the lees in suspension, thus avoiding its oxidation.

Its ovoid shape provides a larger contact area for the wine with its lees, reducing the bâtonnage actions and saving the time spent working in the cellar.

SuperEgg is its latest innovation for  2022, and it is aimed at cellars that do not want to give up the advantages of ovoid shapes, but at the same time, they want to have larger capacity tanks.       

Sonoma by SAS is the only company on the market that offers a large-scale ovoid shape among its range of tanks. The SuperEgg of 38 HL is an exclusive format that has all the advantages of the Egg (18 hl)
while offering a larger format than the more common concrete tanks. Its geometry offers benefits in the vinification of red and white wines. This is due to the fact that the free circulation of the wine keeps the lees in suspension, avoids oxidation, reduces the actions involved in bâtonnage and saves time spent working in the cellar. It is a tank that can be used for both fermentation and for ageing and with both formats it stands out for the continuous movement generated by it.

DOUBLE-LAYER SYSTEM, A UNIQUE STRATEGY FOR RESISTANCE AND DURABILITY

All the tanks from Sonoma by SAS offer a double-layer structure made of concrete at a thickness of 100 mm. This double layer comprises an external layer, measuring around 20 or 30 mm, made from concrete and GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) that provides structure to the tank and acts as a concrete shell, preventing potential fractures to the internal layer.

During its manufacturing process, the colour is added to the mass in this external layer and, therefore, it guarantees an even colour in appearance, that belongs to the concrete and does not appear to be simply added to the tank. In addition, by working with the material in this way, it gives a long-lasting colour as a result that will not need to be adjusted year after year.

The internal part of the tank is the part that is in direct contact with the wine, therefore   it is solely made of concrete, without any added chemicals or additives . It is made with a smooth finish that makes it easier to clean , irrespective of the model selected.

This unique manufacturing system from Sonoma by SAS guarantees the tank’s high quality and durability,  which

enables the  company to offer a guarantee  of 10 years against cracks and fissures.

Likewise, one of the options for customising the tanks from Sonoma by SAS includes the temperature  control system (Glycol). This system is fully integrated into the tank’s walls, without coming into contact with the wine, thereby avoiding the accumulation of tartrates, dyestuffs or yeasts. This system makes cleaning and punching operations easier, which offers a huge improvement to the cooling plates  and coils.

The concrete tanks from Sonoma by SAS involve a unique manufacturing process that improves the neutrality and balance of the wine and retains the flavour and typical characteristics of the terroir.