Wine pumps, make the right choice

A first for the paper magazine Réussir Vignes, an 8-page feature coordinated and written by journalist Justine Gravé.

An eminently interesting subject, given that wine pumps have become so commonplace that they are systematically installed in every winery’s wine cellar, whatever the region.

From the arrival of the harvest to bottling, the oenological pump is everywhere and increasingly indispensable. Versatile, handy, intelligent… the pump’s autonomy and reliability have made it the right-hand man of the modern wine merchant. So it’s only logical that a professional medium with a national reach should take up this subject.

The different categories of wine pumps :

In addition to a few arguments put forward by a number of equipment manufacturer representatives, including a contribution from our Industrial Director Antoine Roche for PMH Vinicole, this “Pump Special” feature presents a summary of the various pump technologies available on the market.

Five categories of wine pumps :

• eccentric rotary piston pumps
• rotor pumps(e.g. Smartflex)
• rotary lobe pumps(e.g. Oenopompe)
• centrifugal pumps (e.g. …)
• peristaltic pumps

Advice from Jean Michel Desseigne (IFV):

Jean-Michel Desseigne, an engineer at the Institut Français du Vin (IFV), has been a connoisseur of cellar pumping for many years, and shares his advice and recommendations for choosing and maintaining oenological pumps. Questions addressed include

• Why have pumps become so technological?
• What are the main criteria for choosing a wine pump?
• What precautions should be taken when transferring wine?
• What are the best ways to maintain a pump?