The machine at the front of a winery has to match what arrives at harvest. Whole bunches in small picking boxes, destemmed berries and mechanically harvested fruit do not create the same job. Avant de comparer les prix, work out which operations you actually need the machine to perform.
Crushing and destemming are often mentioned together, but buying one does not automatically provide the other. A clear equipment brief separates them, then connects them to feeding, pressing or fermentation.
Start with three different jobs
| Operation | What it does | What it does not replace |
|---|---|---|
| Crushing | Opens grape berries to release juice. | A separate stem-removal stage where one is required. |
| Destemming | Separates berries from stems. | A crushing function unless the model includes it. |
| Pressing | Separates liquid from grape solids. | An intake or fermentation plan. |
A standalone crusher can make sense when destemming is already covered or the production method uses a separate crushing stage. A combined destemmer-crusher can suit a receiving station that needs both operations. The order of operations and any bypass option depend on the actual machine; ask for a process description rather than relying on its name.
Size the receiving station around the busiest delivery
Annual grape tonnage is useful background, but it is a poor starting point for selecting an hourly duty. Ask what happens on the day with the heaviest deliveries. How much fruit arrives, over what period, and how long can the winery allocate to handling it?
For a simple planning example, suppose a lot contains 1,200 kg and the available processing window is three hours. The average flow needed is 400 kg per hour. That is an operating requirement to discuss, not a final machine rating. Feeding interruptions, sorting, changeovers, wash-down and the performance of downstream equipment still need to be allowed for.
Write down the largest lot as well as the average day. A machine that is adequate for a quiet delivery may become the bottleneck when several growers arrive together.
Check what happens before and after the machine
Walk the fruit route from the unloading point. Who lifts the containers? Is the hopper at a usable height? Where do stems collect? Where does the must go when it leaves the machine? These details can decide whether a layout works more than a small difference in catalogue throughput.
- Confirm the method used to feed grapes and whether sorting happens first.
- Keep stem collection separate from the route used to move prepared fruit.
- Check discharge height against the receiving container or must-pump inlet.
- State whether a pump, stand, conveyor or hopper is included in each quotation.
An integral pump is not a default feature of every crusher or destemmer. If pumping is required, include the hose route, height difference and the characteristics of the material being transferred in the discussion.
Ask about fruit handling, not only speed
Tell the supplier whether you want crushed berries, a largely whole-berry stream or the ability to change the process. Grape variety, maturity and incoming condition affect that conversation. If the proposed equipment has adjustable crushing or a bypass, have the supplier describe the function and its limits for the selected model.
Avoid treating a destemmer as a guarantee that every unwanted item disappears. Sorting, incoming fruit quality and the agreed separation result remain part of the receiving process.
Look at cleaning access before harvest
Ask to see how the hopper, separation section and discharge area are accessed when the machine is stopped and isolated. Parts that are simple to reach in an empty workshop may be difficult to remove once the machine is surrounded by a platform, wall or collection tank.
Allow space for inspection and cleaning, and plan where wash water goes. Request the operating and isolation instructions for the supplied equipment. This is also the point to ask which wear parts should be identified for later replacement.
Prepare a short inquiry that can be quoted accurately
- Grape condition and harvest method.
- Largest delivery, expected hourly intake and available processing window.
- Required destemming, crushing and any whole-berry option.
- Feeding method, collection heights and downstream equipment.
- Available voltage, frequency and phase.
- A sketch or photographs of the receiving area.
UNMAR can discuss a standalone grape crusher or a combined destemming and crushing arrangement around these requirements. Send the fruit route and peak intake first; the proposed model and its confirmed specifications can follow. Explore winery equipment or send your harvest-handling requirements.