A wine tank may look simple from the outside, but its shape, dimensions and configuration can have a significant impact on how it functions in the cellar.

At Santa Rosa Stainless Steel (SRSS), custom wine tanks are designed around how a winery actually intends to use them—from fermentation and cap management to temperature control, blending, storage and bottling.

For red wine fermentation, conical tanks offer one example of how vessel design can support the winemaking process. The tapered shape helps keep the cap semi-submerged and can make punch-downs, pump-overs and rack-and-return operations easier. Tanks can also be configured with automatic pump-over systems, customized manways and multiple heating and cooling zones to give winemakers greater control during fermentation.

Cylindrical tanks offer another level of flexibility, with configurations available for red or white fermentation, blending and storage. Cooling jacket placement, insulation, floor jackets, tank dimensions and even leg and manway designs can all be customized around the needs of an individual cellar.

White wine fermenters bring their own considerations. Because cap management is generally not a factor, these tanks can be designed taller and narrower, providing efficient temperature control while allowing the same vessel to serve multiple purposes such as fermentation, cold stabilization, racking and bottling.

That ability to build around the winery—not force the winery to build around the tank—has been central to SRSS since its beginnings in Sonoma County in 1968.

Now in its third generation of family ownership, Santa Rosa Stainless Steel continues to design and fabricate wine tanks in Windsor, California, combining more than 55 years of experience with custom solutions for modern winery operations.

Learn more about Santa Rosa Stainless Steel's custom wine tanks and fabrication capabilities at SRSS.com.