With its introduction to cellars around the world, Air Mixing MI has revolutionised the concept of maceration for red grapes, optimising the extraction in tanks of any shape, material and size. Functionality, safety, cost-effectiveness, energy-saving and reduced processing times are combined with the optimum oenological result, leading to stable and well-aligned wines that satisfy the quality and market objectives. Thanks to Air Mixing and the plasticity in programming, this extraction technique and technology adapts to the grapes to produce wines that are always able to please the expectations of territoriality and enjoyment.
Andrea Moser, Oenologist from Cantina Kaltern (Caldaro) in South Tyrol, talks about how the choice of every detail in managing maceration leads to continuous improvement in the quality of his wines. The objectives of the tests conducted by the winery in Caldaro for the 2020 harvest were aimed at optimising the extraction and rationalising certain critical issues regarding manpower.
“Despite the good ripening conditions, the health of the grapes, the many pumpovers and délestage, I still could not achieve the extraction results I wanted,” explains Moser. “The first objective I was seeking to achieve with the introduction of Air Mixing was greater and better extraction, whilst the second was to automate as much as possible in order to reduce chance in the operations most related to the human factor. At the end of this initial experience, I was truly satisfied with the results that have allowed us to reach and exceed expectations. With the 2021 harvest, the system will be implemented on 13 additional tanks.”
New experiences and new protocols
The intensity and frequency of injections along with the fermentation temperature are the three parameters on which to play with Air Mixing so as to define the most suitable extraction protocols for the specific grapes.
This combination of factors, as Moser confirms, requires an initial setup period to identify the best programming. “Here, we are talking about a different and entirely new way of working. If you really want to refine the final objective, it takes a bit of work but once you find the right system, you can be sure that this is 100% repeatable. Indeed, after some initial reasoning, I achieved the results I wanted. Air Mixing is a system that offers great elasticity. You can decide how to extract and how much to extract, choosing how often to homogenise or whether to adjust the extraction depending on the temperature, taking into account that the control is accurate and real.”
Optimal extractions and reduced wait times for the wines
Of course, the end result and the quality of the wines are the most important factors. “The wines I achieved in tanks equipped with Air Mixing are richer at a tannin and taste level. Undoubtedly, I managed to extract what I needed, which I could not achieve prior using traditional techniques, especially for Pinot Noir and above all in the early stages,” explains the South Tyrolean Oenologist.
Wines that are more ready and responsive to the objectives of the cellar are thus – thanks to the aromatic equilibrium and colour stability – made possible also by the rational and combined dosage of macro-oxygenation carried out continuously during the fermentation phase.
Experiences around the world
The account reported by the Oenologist of the cellar in Caldaro enriches the collection of experiences that, year-after-year, contribute to confirming the versatility and advantages of the Air Mixing Modulated Injection system.
To read the complete interview with Andrea Moser and to explore the testimonies that Andrea Uliva, Parsec’s own Oenologist, has collated on Air Mixing in the cellars around California, you can read the full article on the Parsec Oenology Blog: https://www.saen5000.com/airmxing_rossi_altoadige/
