Announcing Garagiste by WinePod®
The team here at Provina announced today via BusinessWire the release of Garagiste by WinePod®, our affordable, entry–level personal winemaking system that makes for a perfect holiday gift for wine enthusiasts.
The Garagiste version of WinePod® is great for those who want the simplicity of natural winemaking, but still want the convenience of modern equipment. With Garagiste®, budding winemakers can make the highest quality wines using natural fermentation temperatures while minimizing the hassles of traditional winemaking equipment.
Combined with our WineCoach™ software, our premium grapes and the WinePod® networked community, the Garagiste (like our original model) empowers wine enthusiasts to become winemakers at home absolutely with no experience required.
Both the original WinePod® model and Garagiste by WinePod® make four cases of world-class wine per fermentation using premium grapes including cabernet sauvignon from Rancho Sarco and Napa River Ranch in Napa Valley, pinot noir and chardonnay from Sangiacomo Vineyard in Sonoma Valley, and syrah from Annadel Vineyard in Sonoma Valley.
And, both come with the WineCoach™ software and step-by-step instructions for winemaking, including advice from professional winemakers and online support from a worldwide social network of WinePod® winemakers. Garagiste by WinePod® sells for $1,999. The WinePod sells for $4,499.
Where the models differ is in their level of automated controls and USB connectivity.
| WinePod® | Garagiste by WinePod® |
|
| All-in-one, ferment, press, short term ageing | Yes | Yes |
| 75–liter stainless steel fermenter | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic “moving head” wine press | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic press clean (pomace removal) | Yes | Yes |
| WineCoach™ software | Yes | Yes |
| Stainless steel tank support pedestal and base | Yes | Yes |
| Heating/cooling system (range 50-95F) | Yes | No |
| Temperature sensor | Yes | No |
| Real-time brix sensor (range 40° to -2° , +/- 1°) | Yes | No |
| Automatic temperature control (UCL and LCL) | Yes | No |
| Automatic data logging of brix and temperature | Yes | No |
| Programmable fermentation curve | Yes | No |
| USB connectivity | Yes | No |
| Price: | $4,499 | $1,999 |
November 26th, 2008 at 10:58 am
[...] Garagiste by WinePod®, $1,999. The Garagiste version of WinePod® is great for those who want the simplicity of natural winemaking and the convenience of modern equipment. For more information on this newly released winemaking system, click here. [...]
November 28th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
To whom is may concern:
Great move on your part to release a more affordable model. However I see a big lack in the garage model. The making of excellent wine requires heating and cooling and you don’t have this available in the new garage model. How do you think that an amateur wine maker will succeed without the heating and cooling. I know how to make wine. I have done so for 20 years in Swtizerland. Now that I live in California/San Diego I am missing this kind of activity. You gave me some hope with original winepod. The price was somehow prohibitive. Also I cannot justify to have such a great piece of art (the winepod) in my living room. Making wine can be “messy”. The garage model, maybe less pleasing for the eye should give all the functionality to make more wine. But don’t leave out the essential such as heating and cooling. Even a manual operation of the heating and cooling could be fine.
I hope that this helps.
Best regards,
Yves
November 28th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I really enjoyed reading this column. Well done, very informative. The Garagiste sounds like a great product that even the more knowleadgeable wine maker would find very convenient to use.
Wishing all of you at Provina a wonderful Holiday.
Sincerely, Dave
November 29th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Thanks to those who commented. Here’s some additional notes that might be of interest.
The Garagiste’s tank is specifically designed to allow for the control of
temperature through outside devices. The tall cylindrical design provides a
maximum of tank surface area for the volume of the tank.
The Garagiste comes with a thermal blanket made of neoprene that will work
to hold in heat during fermentation. If more heat is desired then we would
recommend using a heating blanket and placing it between the stainless steel
tank and the neoprene blanket. To cool the tank simply remove the neoprene
blanket and the tank will gradually cool toward ambient temperature. If more
aggressive cooling is desired then we would recommend the purchase of a
cooling system or upgrading to the WinePod.