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Decreasing Wine Lost to Evaporation and Enhancing Wine Grade

Ms. Annie Gavignet at Domaine Annie Gavignet


Domaine Annie Gavignet is a winery in Comblanchien, Burgundy, operated by Annie Gavignet. Annie hails from a distinguished lineage of vintners, with her grandfather being Honoré Gavignet, the legendary vineyard manager for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC).

This heritage cements her as a true viticulturist and vintner. Guided by a family philosophy of crafting wines that truly please the palate—wines that they themselves would enjoy—Annie creates wines that are delicate and refined, aligning with her personal taste.

Solutions or Products Featured
in This Case Study

写真:Domaine Annie Gavignet さまのワイン

“The annual evaporation of wine has decreased by the equivalent of 130 bottles, and the quality has also been enhanced. I would recommend AKIMist® to all wineries,”
says Annie Gavignet.

One Phone Call Triggered the Success

“In 2012, I received a call from an agent of IKEUCHI EUROPE asking if they could demonstrate their product. It was a compact humidifier, so I decided to give it a try and see it in action.”

Wine is lost daily due to evaporation (known as the “angel’s share”), but when humidity drops, the loss becomes even greater. At that time, our barrels were constantly in a dry environment, making the wine more prone to evaporation. This situation led me to request the demonstration, initially with a casual attitude.

写真:AKIMist®"E"〈アキミスト〉と製品デモの様子

AKIMist® in Demonstration

Introduced without Comparing to Other Companies’ Products

I had heard about the specifications in advance, so I expected the humidification capacity to be high, but the reality exceeded my expectations. When the Dry Fog from AKIMist® spread, the humidity increased almost instantly, without creating any water droplets or puddles.

To be honest, I had never heard of the company when they first called. However, after seeing the demo and strongly visualizing the potential benefits post-introduction, I decided to go ahead and implement it without considering any other companies’ products.

Substantial Reduction in Wine Lost to Evaporation

With the introduction of AKIMist®, the humidity in our wine cellar measuring 15 m x 15 m x 3 m is maintained at 60–65% RH. As a result, the amount of wine evaporation has significantly decreased.
Previously, it was necessary to replenish the wine in the barrels every two days, but now it is only required once every seven days. This equates to preventing the evaporation of approximately 130 bottles of wine per year. The wine that would have evaporated can now be shipped, and the burden of replenishment tasks has been reduced, which I consider to be a fantastic outcome.

Enhanced Wine Grade

There was also an unexpected secondary benefit: the quality of the wine was enhanced. By minimizing the frequency of wine replenishment in the cellars, we lessened the wine’s exposure to air, thereby curbing oxidation. This resulted in a smoother, fruitier flavor, free from bitterness and harshness.
Additionally, in enclosed spaces like wine cellars, where there is hardly any airflow and no windows, the ambient odors previously influenced the taste of the wine.

After introducing AKIMist®, the fresh air circulated during operation has purified the environment, no longer interfering with the aging process. When appraisers checked the taste, they noted an improvement in flavor and an upgrade in quality.

Nothing but Benefits

I truly believe it was a great decision to introduce AKIMist®. Not only has the volume of wine shipped increased and the taste improved, but the workload has also decreased—it’s truly a win on all fronts.
I’m currently recommending it to acquaintances with wineries, but this is a product I would suggest to all wineries. I look forward to continuing our successful partnership.

Energy-saving Pneumatic Humidifier Producing Non-wetting Fog
Dry Fog Humidifier AKIMist®

AKIMist®, which produces the ultra-fine Dry Fog, is an industrial humidifier.
The Dry Fog is also known as “non-wetting fog” because it does not contain coarse droplets, allowing it to humidify specific areas without wetting equipment or products. Additionally, the fog has a reach of over four meters, enabling a single unit to cover a wide area.

写真:ドライフィグ加湿器 AKIMist®"E"〈アキミスト〉

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