High Speed Optical Sorting in the Field Napa Valley Vineyard Technical Group

Napa Wine/Vit Tech 1. Improve the quality of Napa Valley Wines 2. Provide some technical information to members 4. Aid members in solving technical winemaking and viticulture problems 5. Carry on enological and viticulture research

Mechanical Harvester Onboard Berry Sorting Gimbre Trailer Agitation Table Sorting Head A Change In Basic Assumptions

Gimbre Trailer Agitation Table Sorting Head

Wine Trial Introduction Wine A (Left) Wine B (Right) Please taste the wines and note: Preference is Wine A Preference is Wine B No difference between Wine A and Wine B

High Speed Optical Sorting in the Field Napa Valley Vineyard Technical Group

Topic of Discussion: High Speed Optical Sorting in the Field – A) Contrast Traditional Processes – B) Describe Alternative Processes Mechanical Berry Sorting Field Optical Berry Sorting – C) Considerations with Alternative Processes Viticulture Winemaking

Traditional Fruit Handling Process (Hand) Cluster Thin #1 Cluster Thin #2 Cluster Thin #3 Hand Harvest #4 Field Cluster Sort #5 Winery Cluster Sort #6 Winery Destemmer Standard Berry Sort #7 Ideal and “High End” Winery Tank

Traditional Hand Pro – Discrimination of Clusters – Reduced MOG – Longer Storage Time – Small Picks OK – Gentle on Vines – Etc. Con – Very Expensive – Crew Availability – Physical Labor Risks – Complexity of Logistics – Can Be Slow – Etc.

Traditional Fruit Handling Process (Mechanized) Cluster Thin #1 Mechanical Harvest Winery Destemmer Not Ideal and “Low End” Winery Tank

Traditional Mechanized Pro – Saves Money – Around the Clock Operations – Fewer Pieces of Equipment – Reduces Labor Input – Etc. Con – Indiscriminant Everything – Increased MOG – Shorter Storage – Vine Damage – Size of Pick – Second Crop – Etc.

Traditional Process (Hand) Cluster Thin #1 Cluster Thin #2 Cluster Thin #3 Hand Harvest #4 Field Cluster Sort #5 Winery Cluster Sort #6 Winery Destemmer Standard Berry Sort #7 Cluster Thin #1 Mechanical Harvest Winery Destemmer Traditional Process (Mechanized) Winery Tank

Topic of Discussion: High Speed Optical Sorting in the Field – A) Contrast Traditional Processes – B) Describe Alternative Processes Mechanical Berry Sorting Field Optical Berry Sorting – C) Considerations with Alternative Processes Viticulture Winemaking

High Speed Optical Sorting in the Field (Mechanical) Cluster Thin #1 Cluster Thin #2 Mechanical Harvest On-Board Berry Sort #3 Field Optical Berry Sort #4 Winery Tank

Mechanical Harvester Onboard Berry Sorting Gimbre Trailer Agitation Table Sorting Head A Change In Basic Assumptions

Gimbre Trailer Agitation Table Sorting Head

Gimbre Trailer

Alternative Processes Pro – Saves Money vs Hand – Around the Clock Operations – Fewer Pieces of Equipment – Reduces Labor Input – Discrimination of Clusters Berries – Reduced MOG – Fast to Tank – Etc. Con – Indiscriminant Cluster – Increased MOG – Storage – Size of Pick – Second Crop – Varietal Differences – Etc.

Traditional HandTraditional MechAlternative Mech Cluster SortingYNY Berry SortingYNY Reduce MOGYNY No “Storage” IssueYNY No Pick Size Minimum YNN Min Vine Damage Risk YNY All Varieties OKYNN Less LaborNYY Less Logistic Complexity NYY Harvest Goes FastNYY Yes738 No372 Top 10 Napa Red Variety Considerations “PROS and CONS” CHART

Topic of Discussion: High Speed Optical Sorting in the Field – A) Contrast Traditional Processes – B) Describe Alternative Processes Mechanical Berry Sorting Field Optical Berry Sorting – C) Considerations with Alternative Processes Viticulture Winemaking