| PROJECTS |
Concrete wine tanks
ARE WINNERS! Wine producers are turning to precast concrete tanks for fermentation and maturation. There are several reasons for what is becoming a global trend, but the overriding factor is the production of wines which are more integrated and complex.
They are also softer, fuller-bodied and have more mouth feel – some of the other reasons several South African wine estates are riding this wave. Marketed by Ikapa Concrete and produced by Cape Concrete, locally produced precast concrete wine tanks have been available for the past five years. Ikapa has supplied concrete tanks to over 40 local estates, the first delivery having been to the Alheit Vineyards in February 2015. Cape Concrete makes the full range of concrete tanks for Ikapa. It includes the egg-shaped (Eon) 1 520-litre unit and rectangular tanks in four sizes: 2 550 litres, 6 000 litres, 8 000 litres and 10 000 litres. During the first quarter of 2021, Cape (Top): Waterkloof Estate wine-maker Nadia Barnard. (Above left): Some of Waterkloof Wine Estate’s egg-shaped wine tanks. (Left): Noble Hill proprietor and wine-maker Kristopher Tillery and his 10 000-litre concrete tank duo.
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PRECAST | ISSUE TWO | 2021
