As the weather continues to ease back some of the summer heat, the joy of riding through the vineyards with the windows down, breathing in the wafting aroma of grapes ready for harvest brings great promise to all of us. Even the excitement of the harvest season now at hand, however, couldn’t surpass the euphoria in recent days at St. Julian Winery & Distillery in Paw Paw where they have erected massive twin storage tanks, believed to be quite possibly the tallest such facilities in the state of Michigan.
The historic St. Julian Winery & Distillery, which will celebrate its 100th year next year in 2021, continues to modernize and expand operations with the installation of the two state-of-the-art storage tanks at its facility in Paw Paw. The 88-foot tanks, which were installed last week on August 28th, will expand storage capacity by 140,000 gallons.
John Braganini, President and 3rd generation owner at St. Julian, says, “We’re replacing many of our old storage tanks and expanding capacity at the Paw Paw facility,” and notes, “As we near our 100th anniversary, we have made the strategic decision to modernize and expand our capabilities at St. Julian Winery & Distillery. While we have been around for a century, we have always looked to the horizon and what comes next. That is reflected not only in our production facilities, but also in the products we offer for the all wine consumers.”
Installed just in time for the 2020 harvest, the new tanks will be used for storing base wines and/or juice intended for, blending, and/or bottling. Together the tanks expand capacity by 140,000 gallons or 10-percent of the total capacity of the winery. The tanks are stainless-steel with glycol cooling systems, providing the winemaking staff with the capability to control temperature of wines more tightly during and after fermentation.
The storage tanks are only the most recent investments the company has made, which include:
- The addition of 700 new oak barrels for premium wine & spirit aging…
- The addition of 80,000 gallons of capacity in smaller glycol jacketed stainless steel tanks for premium winemaking…
- New plantings of over 60 acres of 49 different premium wine grape varieties with more to come, offering nearly limitless possibilities for different wine styles and blends…
- Expansion of their wholesale and direct shipping channels to make wines more widely available to their fans and customers…
- The addition of warehouse space to a total of 80,000 square feet, providing ample storage for current and future inventory needs…
- New opportunities to engage with Nancie Oxley through virtual wine tasting events.
Nancie Oxley is Vice President of Winemaking at St. Julian, having worked there for nearly two decades. Since she joined the winemaking team, St. Julian wines have won more than 500 “Best of Class” and “Double Gold” awards in competition. She oversees wine production, guiding a talented team to make well over 150 different wines and spirits each season.
As the new tanks were going in last week, Oxley said they were actually playing catch-up with the twin giants, suggesting they’ll likely add two more next year just to keep up with the huge demand. The reason for the height of the tanks is because the winery is running out of space and needed to go upward due to limits on going outward.
Braganini says, “St. Julian Winery & Distillery continues to lead the Michigan wine industry in innovation and development,” adding, “Not only do our recent investments help us, but they also benefit the greater Michigan wine community with whom we share our winemaking and distilling expertise. We’ve always tried to be good neighbors to our fellow wine producers, as we’ve adopted the philosophy that we can all grow together.”
For 100 Years, St. Julian Winery & Distillery has been making wine, cider, juice, sparkling wines and spirits in a range of styles to meet every customer’s taste. Now helmed by 3rd and 4th generation Braganini family members, the company is committed to making authentic wine from the Lake Michigan Shore. As the largest and best-known winery in Michigan, St. Julian has led the local industry in both innovation and quality from the beginning. From its wildly popular Red Heron and Blue Heron wines to the Braganini Family Reserve Wines to Cider and Spirits, St. Julian has something for everyone.
