High Speed Optical Sorting in the Field

Napa Valley Vineyard Technical Group

Napa Wine/Vit Tech

1. Improve the quality of Napa Valley Wines2. Provide some technical information to

members4. Aid members in solving technical winemaking

and viticulture problems5. Carry on enological and viticulture research

Mechanical HarvesterOnboard Berry Sorting

Gimbre Trailer

Agitation Table

Sorting HeadA Change In Basic

Assumptions

Gimbre TrailerAgitation Table

Sorting Head

Wine Trial Introduction

• Wine A (Left)• Wine B (Right)

Please taste the wines and note:Preference is Wine APreference is Wine BNo 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

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 HarvesterOnboard Berry Sorting

Gimbre Trailer

Agitation Table

Sorting HeadA Change In Basic

Assumptions

Gimbre TrailerAgitation 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 Hand Traditional Mech Alternative Mech

Cluster Sorting Y N Y

Berry Sorting Y N Y

Reduce MOG Y N Y

No “Storage” Issue Y N Y

No Pick Size Minimum

Y N N

Min Vine Damage Risk

Y N Y

All Varieties OK Y N N

Less Labor N Y Y

Less Logistic Complexity

N Y Y

Harvest Goes Fast N Y Y

Yes 7 3 8

No 3 7 2

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