4000L Oak Vats

We make conical trunk vats from 10 to 200 hl. and on request up to 1.500 hl. and over for wine-making, storing, refining, distilling, vinegar or other uses.

We give a slight curving using direct fire to the vats, technically called “bombè“ so digitally controlled toasting – DTS® in order to bring out the aromas for both fermentation and aging.

The hoops are always perfectly watertight thus avoiding the long-term sagging of the stave. We also toast the vats with electronic control.
The narrowly spaced hooping with top quality galvanised phosphorated iron complete the building on the vats.

All the vats are then pressure-tested in order to verify their perfect water-tightness and exact capacity. All the vats go through two strict control procedures, the first with steam then with water to verify the exact capacity and perfect hold.

• Upper drainage cover in 18/10 AISI 316 stainless steel, diameter from 400 to 1,200 mm, with central hole for filling up or 22 cm diameter high pressure flue and release valve.
• Stainless steel door opening outwards fixed to lower end of stave towards the bottoms of the vat.

• Stainless steel valve for partial drainage and stainless steel pipes for full drainage complete with valve in whatever size or attachment desired.
• Stainless Steel Ladder Support
• Suitable 30 cm high wooden supports.

• Stainless steel sash door as the bottom end for complete and easy drainage of marc.
• Thermal-conditioning pipes with polished stainless steel plate, proportionate to the size of the vat.

• Recirculation pipe for pump-overs
• Digital or mechanical thermometer.
• Freestanding supports in stainless steel, 70 cm from the ground.
• Tubes for “delestage”

STAINLESS STEEL Upper DOOR 18/10 AISI 316

Dimension in proportion to the diameter of the vat from 40 to 120 cm. Available in 2 versions: central with relative filling-up hole or with 22 cm diameter escape pipe complete with pressure valve.

Stainless Sttel Door 18/8 AISI 304 with Silicone Gasket

Fitted at 30 cm from the bottom 31 x 42 cm measure, easy to reach, opening outwards.

Total Drainage Group in Stainless Steel 18/8 AISI 304

Complete with final valve as requested, fitted to one central stave at the bottom of the vat.

Optional Temperature Control

Made of stainless steel 18/10 AISI 316 plates with double welding system and probe shaft. It can be fitted horizontally or vertically depending on the height of the vat. One plate for every 50 hl holding capacity.

Optional Stainless Steel 18/8 AISI 304 Sash Door

Fitted to the under side of the Vat for removing grape must and solids.

The growth of wood, like grapes and all natural products, depends on micro climatic variables such as the degree of humidity in the area, the composition of the earth as well as the exposure of the hill or plain. The selection criteria generally used are based only on the region and the experience of the producer. It cannot be said that wood originating from a specific region has a higher level of polyphenols than others grown in other regions, since the origins don’t make the difference, whereas the single stave does. If we think about the difference between the grapes produced in one vineyard and others produced at a distance of 5 km we can well understand just how much difference exists inside a forest where the distances reach 100km and over. The ordinary methods of analysis are ineffective as only samples of a few cm of wood are assessed in laboratories and are thus representative only of themselves.

With NIR (Near Infra-Red) technology every stave is controlled under infra-red light and its aromatic and structural features are analyzed online in order to have all the information as if it were a radiography.

The toasting is the process that enhances the flavors of the wood catalyzing those already present in the same and positively evolving them. Until now this process was realized on a brazier fed with pieces of oak where it was placed the barrel or cask. It is clear that the wood evolves these aromas according to toasting temperatures, which must be on the range of 170/180/200 degrees centigrade depending on whether you seek, more or less aromas of vanilla, licorice, chocolate, or tobacco smoke.

If the temperature and internal exposure of the staves is not homogeneous and controlled, the result are casks or barrels with aromas undefined. The staves taking less heat will develop bitter and negative aromas, the staves that take too much exposure can produce negative aromas of graphite. For this reason we created and patented the DTS® digital toasting, where a tablet, thanks to sensors, can handle the fire levels so that it is constant over the entire surface of the wood.