The Nest at Gusbourne Estate relies on the power of the Excellence-iPlus
Based near the village of Appledore in Kent, the Gusbourne Estate has become one of the UK’s finest vineyards since its establishment in 2004. Producing a selection of vintage wines that have garnered a range of top awards, it has helped to redefine the image of English wines with an unwavering focus on quality and innovation. It is also a popular tourist destination, offering tours of the vineyards and tasting sessions.
In 2017 it opened The Nest, a cellar door and tasting room that allows visitors to experience its wines in a relaxed yet stylish space. The Nest’s general manager, Dan Grainger, is extremely proud of the quality of Gusbourne’s wines. “We have uninterrupted sunshine all day, and winds that come off Romney Marsh, which ensure very healthy grapes,” he says. “Viticulture is the fastest growing agricultural sector in the UK, and English wine is now taken very seriously. We are the most awarded producer in the country, and we’re continuing to improve.”
With this focus on producing the best wines, Gusbourne wants to present it in the best possible way, which means they need perfectly clean glasses in which to serve it. “We’ve worked with Winterhalter since we opened the Nest. There’s no point in having the best wine if it’s served in a dirty glass.
“Our wines are served in the best restaurants and hotels around the world,” says Dan. “From that we knew that Winterhalter was the obvious choice for glasswashing, as it is often used in these locations. So it was the instinctive choice when we were setting up The Nest.”
As Gusbourne continues to expand, it needed a second glasswasher to keep pace with demand. “There was obviously no one else we were going to speak to when we got a new machine.”
The Nest’s latest glasswasher is Winterhalter’s Excellence iPlus undercounter model. This combines a range of technical innovations that allows all kinds of glassware to be cleaned perfectly, without the need for further attention, like hand polishing, before they are used in service. These include eco-friendly chemicals, an integrated reverse-osmosis system, and features that help to ensure hygiene like deep-drawn water tanks and rack guides specially designed to stop debris collecting.
“It’s been really interesting to see the latest model in action,” says Dan. “We’re very lucky to have the previous model sitting next to it, so we can see exactly how it compares and the benefits the new technology brings.
“For example, the touchscreen gives us more information and the menus are easier to use. We had it installed during our busiest ever season, so our glasswashing requirements have increased dramatically, but the installation was extremely fast and the machine works perfectly.”
One key to the UC Excellence-iPlus’ superior performance is the wash arm. The nozzle geometry has been designed to optimise water flow and the s-shaped washfield distributes the water evenly, ensuring that wherever glasses are placed in the wash rack they receive equal wash power and exposure during the cleaning cycle.
It also features a four stage filtration system that removes even the finest particles from the water, which both reduces how often it needs to be changed and increases its cleaning power.
The reverse osmosis (RO) system removes minerals like calcium and magnesium which can cause streaks on glasses as they dry, delivering the best possible cleaning results. RO water gives the UC Excellence-iPlus its ability to clean glasses perfectly, meaning they can be used straight out of the machine with no need for additional, time consuming and expensive hand polishing. The UC Excellence-iPlus is a hybrid water treatment system that can switch between reverse osmosis filtration and a standard water softening system.
“We’re able to turn round glassware much more quickly, it’s saved hours of staff time with how quickly the glasses come out of the machine and how we can put them straight into use,” says Dan.
Another key part of the glasswashing puzzle is using the right chemicals. Winterhalter has designed a comprehensive range of chemicals that can be tailored to precise requirements. “Here in Southeastern Kent, we have very hard water,” says Dan. “Initially we had a slight issue with odour straight out of the wash, but Winterhalter were able to advise us and we’ve moved to their F50 OD formula which has solved the problem due to its odour-neutral formulation.”
Support and training is key to ensuring perfect results every time. “After it was installed, Winterhalter’s team came and gave some comprehensive training with both our back of house and front of house team who handle the glassware,” says Dan.
Winterhalter’s Connected Wash software also helps to keep things running smoothly. This can alert staff if chemicals need to be refilled, or if any maintenance is required. “Everything about the Excellence-iPlus is designed to make it easy as possible to use, and being able to monitor it status remotely is really helpful.”
The sustainability and efficiency of Winterhalter was another big factor for its use at The Nest. “Sustainability is key to our work here at Gusbourne,” says Dan. “We’re a founder member of the Sustainable Vineyard Association here in the UK, which is an accreditation given by Wine GB. It’s very important that we’re not overusing resources in any part of our operation.
“The results we see from both our old and new Winterhalter equipment shows really good water usage figure accreditation.”
This sustainability is further guaranteed by the ongoing service and support offered by Winterhalter. “The support we get from Winterhalter’s engineers is amazing, they can fix things very quickly and it means that our equipment lasts a lot longer compared to some stories we’ve heard about competing brands from colleagues within the trade,” says Dan.
“It’s worth investing in quality equipment, and I would absolutely recommend Winterhalter. From start to finish, the service has been exceptional and the results speak for themselves.”