State of the Grape: Part 2

The 2007 Sonoma County grape harvest and 2007 Napa Valley grape harvest are in full-swing right now. Workers are tromping through vineyards throughout the night (to pick the grapes in the moonlit coolness); trucks are busily--and noisily--plodding across back roads, main roads, and highways. Winemakers and other winery workers are busy crushing. All in all, it's an exciting time, full of the promise--and the flavor--of things to come.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit my friends at Nord Estate Wines to witness their bottling. This process usually takes place in August, primarily to empty the tanks and barrels to make free space to take in the new grapes which will be coming in in September and October. The "mobile bottling" is a fun--and fast!--experience. Here's how it works:

1. empty bottles enter a convey belt at the back of the mobile bottling truck



2. each bottle is shot with air, to blow out dust and other unwanted particles

3. each bottle is shot full of Nitrogen, to push out the air (oxygen, of course, damages wine)

4. each bottle is over-filled with wine


5. the extra wine is pulled out, and the bottle sealed with nitrogen

6. the cork is placed inside each bottle

7. a foil cap is placed on top of each bottle (pretty much the only by-hand step)

8. a machine seals the foil cap

9. the label is placed on each bottle

10. the bottles return to the back of the truck, where they are placed into cases

The bottling company can do up to 2,000 cases a day. Like I said, it's a fun process to watch...and an exciting one, knowing that all that great Napa Valley and Sonoma County wine is that much closer to being enjoyed by all!

P.S. For "State of the Grape: Part 1", see my post of August 14, 2007.