19fbtechreview.comAPRIL - 2021company to carry on the usual volume of wine production for its clients even in a trying year like 2020, not getting bogged down by crises like the COVID-19 pandemic or California wildfires. "These uncalled-for catastrophes forced a lot of wineries to shut down their facilities or lay off some of their seasonal intern staff. Not only did we provide our facility to help them continue their production, but we also provided housing and seasonal employment to some of the interns that were displaced due to these devastating circumstances up North. We are committed to our clients and each year, our focus is on strengthening their relationship with us," mentions Shannon. At the Cutting Edge of WinemakingFrom the beginning, the company has always embraced new and innovative technologies and offered them to clients as a tool to help craft high-quality wines. "All of our winemaking techniques are developed and perfected in collaboration with wine and food companies from Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Australia," explains Corneliu Dane, director of winemaking at MWC.For instance, to improve the quality of the red wines, MWC uses a partial thermovinification process that was developed by leveraging the Italian horizontal macerators to improve the structure, stabilize the color, and remove the green character from the Merlot and Cabernet grape varieties from the region. In 2009, the company also installed the first commercial Flash Détente unit procured from France in the U.S. This offered thermovinification process with a full vacuum flash cooling--allowing for better and almost instantaneous extraction of grape's color and tannins while reducing pyrazine compounds and the aromas associated with rot and mold. "The wines produced by this method are also valuable for Kosher and organic wines by reducing the microflora and offering quicker and better-controlled fermentations at a colder temperature to preserve the character of the fruit," informs Dane. In addition to the innovative Flash Détente process, MWC is now exploring ways to enhance grape color and extract tannins without using thermal technologies. To that end, MWC is conducting trials for two technologies at an industrial level: pulsemaster PEF technology from France and the Netherlands, and ultrasound technology from Spain.As much as the red wines, MWC is equally invested in producing high-quality white wines. For the latter, MWC uses an ultra-filtration technique that removes the colors and high phenolics from the heavy pressed white and rosé juice fractions--to match the same composition as the free-run juice. This not only improves the outcome (reduces the bitterness of the wine and mends its color) but, from the production side, also cuts the cost of the entire process. MWC, in collaboration with a research firm from Spain, has also developed a special activation process of a selective resin for white and rosé wines to remove a considerable concentration of polyphenols and ensure the reduction of color without adversely altering its organoleptic qualities. This process can also be applied to rosé wines that are too colored and need an adjustment or to the old wines that are oxidized and require some help with its freshness. "We also use a similar process with another type of selective resin to remove the potassium from wine, lowering the pH without affecting the acidity while stabilizing the wine. This improves the fermentation process without using costly tartaric acid additions," explains the winemaking maven.Blossoming at Heart and Soul of the Wine CountryToday, these proven capabilities have made MWC a real catalyst for innovation in the U.S. winemaking space. Apart from the leading winemaking services, MWC is also known for its flagship wine brand called Poppy (named after the Californian flower), which is handcrafted exclusively by Dane and distributed across the U.S. and abroad. In the years ahead, as much as MWC desires to keep making strides in its own winemaking journey, it also wants to be a guide for more budding and established winemakers, helping them embrace technology on a commercial level to maneuver the art of modern wine crafting. All of our wine making techniques are developed and perfected in collaboration with wine and food companies from Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Australia
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