About
VinWizard is an industrial-grade automation and energy management platform purpose-built for wineries and beverage producers. Developed by Wine Technology Incorporated, the system has been trusted by wineries worldwide for more than two decades to bring modern process control to the cellar without replacing existing infrastructure. At the heart of VinWizard is its ability to coordinate refrigeration assets—chillers, pumps, and valves—so that cooling energy follows the actual needs of each tank. This intelligent scheduling can reduce refrigeration power consumption by up to 40%, a significant saving given that refrigeration typically represents the largest energy cost for any winery. The CellarView dashboard provides a unified live view of every critical asset in the facility: tank temperatures, pump-overs, chillers, barrel and case-goods rooms, CO₂ levels, water usage, and power consumption. Winemakers and cellar managers can monitor and control operations from the control room or remotely. VinWizard connects seamlessly to modern PLCs and legacy tank controllers alike, protecting existing equipment investments and allowing facilities to start with a focused pilot project and expand incrementally. Unlike traditional SCADA systems, there are no per-tank licensing fees or hidden costs—pricing is clear and predictable from day one. Beyond wineries, the platform supports breweries, distilleries, cideries, sake, and kombucha producers. VinWizard is the market leader in New Zealand and Australia and has a growing presence in South America and the United States.
Key Features
- Up to 40% Refrigeration Energy Savings: Intelligently coordinates chillers, pumps, and valves so cooling energy matches the real-time needs of each tank, eliminating wasted run time and reducing power bills.
- CellarView Live Dashboard: A unified real-time display of all cellar assets—tank temperatures, pump-overs, chillers, barrel rooms, CO₂, water, and power—accessible from the control room or remotely.
- Legacy & Modern Hardware Integration: Connects to existing tank controllers, PLCs, CO₂ systems, and other equipment without requiring costly replacements, protecting prior infrastructure investments.
- Scalable, No Per-Tank Licensing: Start with a focused pilot project covering a few critical assets and expand at your own pace with clear, predictable pricing and no hidden per-tank fees.
- Multi-Beverage Industry Support: Configurable for wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries, sake, and kombucha producers—any operation requiring tighter process control and floor-level visibility.
Use Cases
- A mid-sized winery reduces its annual electricity bill by coordinating chiller and pump schedules through VinWizard's automated refrigeration control.
- A winemaker monitors tank temperatures, pump-overs, and CO₂ levels in real time from a mobile device during harvest without being on the cellar floor.
- A large global wine producer integrates VinWizard with their existing legacy PLCs and tank controllers to modernize cellar automation without replacing infrastructure.
- A craft brewery adopts VinWizard to gain tighter temperature control and production data visibility across fermentation and conditioning tanks.
- A winery operations manager uses CellarView audit reports and traceability data to comply with quality certifications and track batch history across their facility.
Pros
- Proven 20+ Year Track Record: Trusted by wineries across New Zealand, Australia, South America, and the USA with documented energy savings of up to $1M annually for large operators.
- No Rip-and-Replace Required: Works with legacy and modern equipment alike, allowing facilities to modernize incrementally without discarding existing infrastructure.
- Transparent, Predictable Pricing: No per-tank licensing or surprise add-on charges—operators know their full costs upfront, making budgeting straightforward.
- Remote Monitoring Capability: Winemakers and managers can check temperatures, alarms, and trends from anywhere, enabling faster response to cellar events.
Cons
- Industry-Specific Focus: Designed primarily for wineries and beverage producers, so it is not a general-purpose industrial automation solution for other manufacturing sectors.
- Paid/Enterprise Pricing Model: No free tier or self-serve trial is publicly available; smaller boutique operations may find the upfront investment significant relative to their scale.
- Hardware Dependency: Full energy-saving benefits require compatible hardware sensors and controllers to be installed on-site, which involves an implementation and commissioning phase.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much energy can VinWizard actually save?
VinWizard can reduce refrigeration power consumption by up to 40% by coordinating chillers, pumps, and valves to match cooling output to actual tank demand, eliminating unnecessary run time. Some large wineries report saving over $1 million annually on energy costs alone.
Does VinWizard work with our existing equipment?
Yes. VinWizard is designed to integrate with both modern PLCs and legacy tank controllers, CO₂ systems, and other cellar hardware. You do not need to replace existing equipment to get started.
Can we start small and expand later?
Absolutely. VinWizard supports phased deployments—you can begin with a pilot project covering a few critical assets and add more tanks, rooms, or utilities over time without incurring per-tank licensing fees.
Is VinWizard only for wineries?
While wineries form the majority of VinWizard's installed base, the platform also supports breweries, distilleries, cideries, sake producers, and kombucha operations—any beverage producer needing tighter process control and real-time floor visibility.
Can I monitor my cellar remotely?
Yes. The CellarView dashboard provides live status of tanks, chillers, barrel rooms, CO₂, and utilities and can be accessed remotely, allowing winemakers and managers to check temperatures, alarms, and trends from outside the facility.
