The right tools can make a winemaker's job easier and craft a better product. But staying abreast of technological advancements takes time, and testing alternative tools requires repetition to build confidence in the results. Perhaps that’s why so many winemakers rely on the winemaking community for recommendations on new ways to process grapes and create wines.

McFinn Technologies’ Bowpeller pump has earned a reputation as a superior choice for gently moving juices, especially during pump overs. Its modern design delivers low-shear, non-disruptive juice handling that minimizes damage to skins and seeds, helping to avoid harsh tannin extraction or oxidation and improving wine quality.

Bowpeller pump at Duckhorn's Goldeneye winery “A standard centrifugal pump has blades that slap the liquid and make it change direction by 90 degrees and a casing that allows damaging re-circulation,” says John McGinn, co-owner of McFinn Technologies. “The design of the Bowpeller impeller and our staged casing ensures wine is not damaged and product does not recirculate in the pump. The difference is that a standard centrifugal impeller and casing violently beats the product and our impeller and casing design protects the product and gently pumps it. We can gently pump product across all speeds.Our impeller doesn’t beat it into 90-degree submission, but rather does so gradually, which means that there are no pinch points inside the pump to worry about, so skins and seeds will remain intact. The Bowpeller is also very gentle on the product and won’t break up air or entrained gas bubbles.”

The Bowpeller’s efficiency with pump overs also helps save time and reduce labor costs. Lyle Dowsett, Assistant Winemaker at Duckhorn’s Goldeneye winery, agrees, “Before the Bowpeller, we had to remove the solids with a sump and screen ahead of the pump, which used a lot of labor and added unneeded oxygen. Now, with Bowpeller, we can connect it directly to the tank, and it’s so gentle that grapes and skins remain intact. We can also dial in how much oxygen it’s getting rather than having to splash it into a sump.”

Patrick Muran, winemaker at Niner Wine Estates, describes how the Bowpeller streamlines his workflow, “We're using the Bowpeller pumps in an automated system that hooks up a fermenting vessel and sets it onto a schedule we change daily.”

Bowpeller pumps at Niner Wine Estates Muran emphasizes that the automated pump over works well for Bordeaux varieties because the targeted extraction timing can be critical. With a tight window to extract color from these grapes and a limitless opportunity to extract tannins, the Bowpeller allows winemakers to easily adjust the timing and sequences to maximize color extraction while capping tannin extraction. He adds, “Bowpeller pumps fit our scale, are affordable and provide the automation we need to hit that window.” 

Bowpeller pump at Frey Vineyards 

These examples demonstrate that the Bowpeller’s low-shear technology can meet the demands of other sensitive applications, reinforcing its value to a winemaker seeking the utmost control over their wine quality. 

Want to Explore Bowpeller for Your Winery?

Contact McFinn Technologies to learn more today.