Pneumatage: Air Mixing Equipment from Pulsair Systems, Inc.
"Pneumatage" is a proven method of managing the cap of grape skins during red wine fermentation also know as 'maceration'. Pulsair System's Pneumatage process and wine equipment is being used by wineries around the world to automate their cap management and replace wine pump over, wine punch down, irrigation and other methods of cap management that require can result in increased labor cost, cost contamination and poor fermentation results.
It works by injecting a large bubble of compressed air or gas in the bottom of the fermenation tank above the seed bed. This vertical mixing motion mixes 100% of the fermenation tank and increased the wine juice (must) contact with the wine cap of skins to enhance the extraction of flavor, tannins and color into the juice.
This method of flooding the wine caps maintains freshness, reduces bacteria from forming and help aerate unwanted wine mercaptans and volital sulfur compounds. Unlike other methods Pneumatage actually breaks up the cap into individual berries and then circulates them in the liquid. The action keeps the yeast healthy and cap moist throughout. Utilization of Pulsair during the initial phases of the fermentation keeps the cap in a semi-loose state making it easier and more efficient to periodically conduct the Pneumatage.