Welcome to Harvest 2008 at Crushpad. While the winemaking process may seem like lots of chemistry and biology, we at Crushpad are here to help break it down into a few easy steps, thereby removing much of the mystique. Think of it as an education, an experience and a chance to create a top notch wine.
PLAN
Every wine made at Crushpad begins by creating a wine plan, or blueprint, as to how the wine will be created. Once you have decided on your varietal you start by describing the style of wine you are interested in making, and along with the style, the wine plan contains a series of winemaking decisions that you make which help describe how the wine will be processed. Don't be worried if you are new to winemaking. Crushpad provides many resources to assist you in this effort. Besides an extensive on-line library of resources, both video and text, you will be able to discuss the wine planning process with our expert winemaking staff. Crushpad also hosts a series of wine planning seminars which provide access to our winemaking staff, as well as others making wine.
| Starts |
Finishes |
Key Events |
| Once you've selected your wine |
By July 1st, or as soon as possible |
Wine Plan Creation |
GROW
While the wine planning process is in full swing, the vineyards are slowly awakening to a new harvest. Crushpad provides you with periodic updates and videos from the vineyards which are the sources of fruit for your wines. You can follow along from bud break to harvest.
The vineyard updates will be provided throughout the growing season, culminating with the harvest update, when the fruit is picked. We will endeavor to give you as much notice as possible of the impending harvest so that you may schedule a visit to the winery during the most exciting yet demanding time of the year for us.
| Starts |
Finishes |
Key Events |
| Budbreak (around April) |
Harvest (Late September- November) |
Vineyard Updates
Harvest Updates |
PROCESS
Harvest has occurred, the fruit has been picked and the anticipation of the winemaking process is now a reality. Take part in the various processing steps, either in person or virtually. The processing stage is a little different between red wine and white wine, but basically it consists of crushing, fermenting and pressing the wine. At the end of the process stage, the wine will be sitting in an aging vessel.
| Starts |
Finishes |
Key Events |
| Harvest |
About one month after harvest |
Crush
Fermentation
Pressing |
- Crush
Once the grapes arrive at the winery, it's time to begin processing them. Decisions in your wine plan will drive the crushing process. For red wines, you crush your grapes to a fermentation vessel. For white wines, you crush to the press.
- Ferment
Fermentation is the process by which the grape's natural sugars are converted to alcohol. For red wines, the fermentation process generally takes between one and three weeks, right after the grapes are crushed. Some red fermentations may take longer, particularly wines of higher alcohol or if native yeasts are used.
For white wines, the fermentation process occurs after the wine has been pressed and the juice is cold settled. Based on the decisions made in the wine plan, the fermentation process for white wines will generally complete within four weeks.
- Press
The pressing stage occurs at different times for red and white wines. Red wines are pressed once they have finished fermentation. Upon completion of fermentation, the red wine would be pressed directly to barrel.
In white wine production, the grapes are pressed before fermentation to minimize the contact with the skins. The white grape must is pressed to a fermentation vessel and enters the fermentation stage.
AGE
While your wine is aging, you will periodically receive notifications when any measurements or additions are made to your wine. As part of your wine plan, you specify what additions are allowed, as well as what type of aging vessel (barrel or stainless steel) is to be used.
All red wines are aged in barrel and will spend between 8 and 24 months maturing, as outlined in the wine plan. For white wines, the choice between stainless steel and barrel fermenting also determines the vessel in which the wine is aged. White wines are not aged as long as reds, generally between 3 and 15 months.
| Starts |
Finishes |
Key Events |
| Once wine has finished fermentation (around the beginning of the year) |
Reds (8 to 24 months later)
Whites (3 to 15 months later) |
Racking
Blending |
DESIGN
Long before the wine is bottled, your creative side gets tapped to design the name of the wine, label, and bottle choice as well as the cork and capsule. If you are not very creative, don't worry, Crushpad's design team will work closely with you to create a label and image that will make you proud to share with friends.
| Starts |
Finishes |
Key Events |
| 8 months prior to bottling, while wine is aging |
At least one month before bottling. As early as possible. |
Label Design
Packaging Selection |
BOTTLE
When the wine has finished aging, it is time to bottle it; the culmination of your vision, in a bottle, ready to share with friends. You will be notified at least a month ahead of time, when it is time to set up a bottling date. Come join in on the final step of filling your bottles, putting on the labels and filling your cases. If you are unable to attend, that's ok as you can monitor your wines progress on the webcams we have that are accessible via our website.
| Starts |
Finishes |
Key Events |
| When wine is ready to bottle. One month prior to being ready, you are contacted to schedule a bottling appointment |
When bottling is completed, usually done in an afternoon |
Bottling
Shipment |
So get started by logging into Crushnet and start working on your wine plan for your 2008 wine.
Email is the best way to get a quick response from us if you have any questions. info@crushnet.com
