Potable water required???

[doctorcosmonaut]

Do professional wineries have to clean their grapes/fruit with potable water, or can they use irrigation/untreated water for cleaning before pressing and fermentation?

 

[delvorak]

I don't know the answer.. however, would you eat one of the grapes "cleaned" by unpotable (which means not fit for drinking) water? I wouldn't... so I wouldn't want wine made from those grapes either...

Scott

 

[MalFet]

Do most wineries wash their grapes? The vineyards I've been to seem to press straight off the vine, though it's certainly possible that there's a cleaning step between that they hide for romantic effect.

 

[doctorcosmonaut]

I don't know the answer.. however, would you eat one of the grapes "cleaned" by unpotable (which means not fit for drinking) water? I wouldn't... so I wouldn't want wine made from those grapes either...

Scott

Well I was thinking this step was more for cleaning off dirt and "debris," not disinfecting them... That's what fermentation does, right?

 

[Rhumbline]

Potable implies fit for human consumption. Non potable water, at least in my area, usually refers to reclaimed or reuse water.

I worked for a local utility company and the head of the water plant operations used to say "it's 97% **** free" the same guy would stop and give parents he'll for letting their kids play in the sprinklers on reuse water.

So, I don't think any reputable vendor would use non potable for anything mean for human consumption.

 

[doctorcosmonaut]

Potable implies fit for human consumption. Non potable water, at least in my area, usually refers to reclaimed or reuse water.

I worked for a local utility company and the head of the water plant operations used to say "it's 97% **** free" the same guy would stop and give parents he'll for letting their kids play in the sprinklers on reuse water.

So, I don't think any reputable vendor would use non potable for anything mean for human consumption.

Well the water I'm referring to is from an underground spring and through our irrigation system. Its not reclaimed/reuse water, but it's not tested either.

 

[Rhumbline]

Well the water I'm referring to is from an underground spring and through our irrigation system. Its not reclaimed/reuse water, but it's not tested either.

That's a whole different deal. I wouldn't say it's non potable. Well water should be fine.

 

[ZackN]

Do most wineries wash their grapes? The vineyards I've been to seem to press straight off the vine, though it's certainly possible that there's a cleaning step between that they hide for romantic effect.

I haven't seen any wash their grapes. It would just introduce water, which would dilute the wine if left on the fruit, and would probably produce a mold or mildew if tried to dry in the bins that are commonly used. Pretty sure they just pick and press.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

What has that water picked up in the irrigation system? Fertilizer, herbicide, E. Coli, cryptosporidium, fecal matter? I wouldn't use it to "wash" any food or food related items. It's called non-potable for a reason.

 

[KevinM]

Yeah, I'm going to say its the definition. It would need to be potable, drinkable. So if your well water is drinkable, fine.
Nonpotable is usually water right from the nearby creek that someone dragged a pipe to. Untreated, filled with bacteria, and other small organisms. It can also be water that someone just bathed in. Would you use that to also wash your dishes and vegetables?

But, it could also mean rainwater, which might not be as bad. (it's about to rain, put all the grapes out on netting). I wouldn't sell it though. Too many liability issues.