On the Bottling Line

All is quiet in the vineyards as the grapes develop and we look for the first signs of veraison (when the grapes begin to change color).  The vineyard crew watches and waits, monitoring the vines and anticipating the upcoming harvest. It may be peaceful in the vineyard, but the cellar tells of a different story.  For a short window of time, this small facility is a flurry of activity.  Hoses hooked up to tanks brimming with wine pump into a filler where a crew, with swift hands and an eye for detail, are busily bottling and packaging all of the upcoming release wines.

ZD Wines takes pride in the extent of quality control that we are able to personally exact upon each of our wines. Zero Defects! Whizzing by at 75 per minute, individual bottles are placed on a belt at the start of the line.  Nitrogen is pumped into the empty bottles to displace oxygen before being filled with the awaiting wine.  Corks are inserted, foils are added, front and back labels are applied and skilled hands fill waiting boxes with the finished product.

All hands are on deck! Our Winemaker, Chris Pisani, and Assistant Winemaker, Brandon deLeuze, lead a small, wonderful team filled with friends, extended family members, and ZD staff to tackle the whirl of activity. One young man, Jose, has returned for his sixth year on the bottling line! All of this activity in the cellar makes for an exciting Cellar Tour. Currently bottling Chardonnay, we will wrap everything up with Reserve Cabernet and Abacus within a week, so come by while you can – see how our favorite beverage finds its way into those beautiful glass bottles.  Come be a part of this exciting time at the winery.  We hope to see you here!

July 30, 2010

Read more about what's been happening at ZD: July 2010 | June 2010 | May 2010 | March 2010 | February 2010 | January 2010 | December 2009 | November 2009 | October 2009 | September 2009 | August 2009 | July 2009 | April 2008