Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the Delicata winery is forging ahead with its latest investment project, namely a new bottling hall complete with top-notch equipment for the washing, filling and packaging of the company’s wine bottles.

“World-class quality is our winery’s bedrock and the governing principle that spurs any investment we make. Besides, as a 114-year-old, Maltese family-owned winery, we realise all too well that the efforts we make today are made so as to hand over the business in better shape to the fifth generation,” managing director George Delicata said.

Transferring quality grapes from the vineyard to the drinker’s glass is a delicate process. Maintaining world-class wine quality during bottling ‒ the final stage that requires a lot of professional expertise and equipment ‒ is one of the highest priorities. The ultimate objective is clear: keeping the wine’s natural aromas and freshness intact for the enjoyment of the consumer.

“Our operational bottling plant consistently maintains our wines’ quality, but the new line will also incorporate best practices for water and energy conservation as well as optimal cleaning-in-place systems. Furthermore, it will integrate the most modern machinery to improve the presentation of the labels and overall livery of our wine bottles,” Delicata explained.

The masonry and tiling works of the extension of Delicata’s bottling hall were completed earlier this year. Recently, tonnes of new equipment were hauled door-to-door from the manufacturers in northern Italy to literally inside the winery’s new building. The winery is also proud that they were successful in tapping the European Union’s Measure 4.2 scheme as part of the EAFRD 2014-2020.

In the coming months, the state-of-the-art bottling equipment will get installed and rigorously tested prior to being put to use for the bottling of the next vintages of Delicata’s award-winning wine brands.

Georges Meekers is Delicata’s head of marketing and an award-winning wine writer.