Harvest 2023: Crush to Fermentation

As half-ton bins full of freshly picked grapes are delivered to the winery, they must first be sorted for quality using a vibrating sorting table and optical sorter. We then use a large, automated crusher-destemmer, which separates the grapes from the stems and then splits open the grape skins to expose the juice and pulp. Finally it’s time to start fermentation with the addition of yeast. For our red wines, our winemaking team employs punch downs several times a day to keep the skins in contact with the juice. When all the sugar has been converted to alcohol and CO2, it’s time to separate the wine from the skins. We do this by pumping the liquid out to a new tank and finally digging out the skins and cleaning the tank for the next batch. All of our grape "waste" is then composted and reused in the vineyard for the next growing season.

Shown in this video are Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Frank Family’s S&J Vineyard in Napa’s Capell Valley.