Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/670021
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m M a y - J u n e 2 016 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 5 7 p r o p e r m a i n t e n a n c e , b o t t l i n g equipment will last 35 years and it's not too costly; approximately $1,500 per year. As long as you stay on top of things and have a technician visit once per year, you'll be in good shape," says DiDo- nato. Kruse, Fifer and Pearmund all agree. Some of the equipment replaced by their recent upgrades dated back to the 1980s. Fifer's biggest word of advice regarding maintenance involved sourcing equipment. Most of his equipment is Italian. If the line hap- pens to require a major repair and the North American dealer doesn't have parts in stock, they have to come from Italy. "If I need some- thing quick, it's not going to hap- pen. But if you buy American, it could be here the next day." MOBILE BOTTLERS There are many reasons the pur- chase or management of a bottling line might not be feasible. Enter the mobile bottler. Traveling from winery to winery for 10 months per year, mobile lines supply the equipment and expertise to crank cases out at roughly $3 to $4 each. A mobile bottler can set up for a half day, full day or for weeks, but they must be scheduled well in advance. Randy Hemphill of Hunter Bot- tling in Ontario, Canada, refers to scheduling as one of his two top challenges. "It's first-come, first- served. Our core clients book us a whole year in advance so they can pick the exact dates they want." Trying to schedule a mobile bottler only a week or two in advance will likely result in being left empty- handed. "A lot of folks don't plan until they need it," says Hemphill. Filtration is the other major headache of mobile bottlers. "If the winery doesn't filter [the wine] correctly, filters too far in advance or makes additions after filtration, there will be problems," says Hemp- hill. Mobile lines are equipped with filters but they should be considered as last-ditch insurance to protect wine from any lingering yeast, bac- teria or fruit flies. Relying on bottling line filters to do heavy lifting results in bottling day disasters. Even for wineries that own bot- tling lines, mobile bottlers can be helpful. If the winery wants to test- sell a new closure or packaging to its customers, it can generate small lots via a mobile bottler before committing to changing over its own equipment. A f t e r a l o n g s e a s o n o n t h e road, Hemphill and Hunter Bot- tling head home to deep clean and maintain their trucks. Hunter Bottling's newest truck, only one year old, has packaged 3 million bottles already. "We rip the entire filler apart from top to bottom and scrub it. We check for bearings and other parts that may need replacing," says Hemphill. After a couple months of rehab and recu- peration, they get back on the road for another year. For wineries producing approxi- mately 1,000 cases or less per year, hiring a mobile bottler makes the most sense. Those surpass- ing 1,000 cases each year may daydream about purchasing bot- tling equipment and, with plentiful automation options, it's possible to make dreams a reality. How- ever, wineries serious about a purchase make well-informed deci- sions after first researching equip- ment options, seeking feedback from existing bottling line owners, considering ongoing maintenance needs and discussing financing considerations with an accoun- tant. A carefully planned bottling line purchase balances the equip- ment's production capacity with the winery's demand, both pres- ent and future. Above all, whether purchasing equipment or utilizing a mobile bottler, plan ahead and be prepared for the inevitable bottling day glitches. Janice Cessna is a freelance writer who crafts informative content for magazines and businesses. Her experiences as a vineyard manager and cellar rat help inform her wine industry articles. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. World-class equipment. Unmatched service and support. • Equipment manufactured by companies recognized world- wide as leaders in the industry • Eight service technicians with over 150 years combined experience • Over $2.5 million inventory of parts in our local warehouse • Six inside personnel dedicated to serving our customers' parts and service needs • Machine audits and preventative maintenance programs • Pre-harvest maintenance services for grape processing equipment 171 Camino Dorado, Napa CA 94558 707.258.3940 • www.collopack.com The ColloPack Commitment 051507 ColloPack Ad_ver1.indd 1 6/3/15 2:30 PM