The Humidification Challenge
Dry Conditions and Wine Loss
The barrels used to store wine will either expand or contract depending on how they absorb and adjust to the amount of moisture in the air. When the air has too little relative humidity (RH), dry casks and corks allow the wine to evaporate, spoil in the presence of too much oxygen, and reduce the alcohol content, forcing wineries to “top off” and replace wine that has vaporized.
Without humidity, the aging process will be delayed, and wineries will consistently struggle to replace and replicate the aging profile of wines.
Excess Moisture and Wine Spoilage
But too much humidity permeates wine barrels in different complications. If the humidity causes condensation or wet spots, wine barrels can support mold and other airborne bacteria.
These contaminants ultimately disturb the alcohol percentage of the wine, and make the aging room a more hazardous place for employees to work.
Fluctuating and High Temperatures
Not only do wineries have to ensure that the storage room is humid, they also need the right temperature (between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit).
This can be a challenge for above-ground storage areas, especially in hot climates. But in most cases, the cooling unit removes humidity from the air, making the balance between humidity and temperature even more difficult.
The Self-Evaporative Solution
Preventing Wine Loss:
Striking the right level of humidity and temperature creates ideal aging conditions, like those found in the underground, enabling winemakers to top off less frequently and preserve volume and quality.
Humidity like this, between 70-95% RH, significantly cuts vaporization down and allows the right amount of oxygen to assist in the aging process. This lowers the cost of production and also reduces the chance of accidentally mixing batches.
Preventing Excess Moisture
But this progress is undone if mold or other contaminants spoil the wine. To tap into every advantage, and to prevent the cascade of new problems, this humidity cannot wet.
Self-evaporative humidification technology prevents condensation, puddles, and all unwanted moisture from forming on barrels or sticking to surfaces for this very reason.
Creating Consistent and Cool Conditions
Additionally, self-evaporative technology offers a double cooling method for temperature control, ensuring that neither temperature nor humidity levels fluctuate. Regardless of the input temperature, the output is always 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Empowering Wineries
Ultimately, Smart Fog’s self-evaporative technology helps wineries save time and money by reducing the need to top off wine barrels, eliminating contaminants, and providing a non-fluctuating way to cool.
Emulating natural underground humidity, our self-evaporative humidification creates perfect environments for premium wines.