Now at TCW: Ecoflot from Della Toffola

This month, we're thrilled to partner with Omnia Technologies to offer a new machine that helps wineries with a process called “flotation”. Flotation is a very widespread practice among wineries in Europe and Australia, used for juice and wine clarification. It is the process where grape solids are separated in juice using gas (air/nitrogen) bubbled from below which disperses the solids from the liquid.

“With Della Toffola's Ecoflot, winemakers can perform a flotation process in a single tank in just a few hours instead of a few days.”

Traditionally, wineries achieved clarification through the process of settling, which takes a long time and is most effective when the juice is chilled. Flotation, on the other hand, does not require chilling, and can be carried out much more rapidly. The net result is vastly reduced time and significant energy savings. In fact, in a survey of Australian winemakers, flotation was regarded as the second most common practice that created a positive impact on winery operations in the last five years.

Ecoflot allows you to perform flotation in a single tank during pumpover. The must is treated with an adjuvant (bentonite, gelatin, silica sol) to break down its colloidal reticular structure. It is then saturated with nitrogen or air so as to entrain all the lees and carry them to the surface. Once the liquid has been saturated while the must is pumping over, a sample is collected to analyze the quality of the product: if the sample's clarity is still not adequate, you can continue pumping over until your desired results are achieved. Saturation can continue for as long as necessary. See more product information its features, and available options in our online store.

Additional reading:

• Explanation of Flotation by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI)
• Scott Labs' Best Practices for Flotation in Juice