Bottling Parties

[JohnT]

Does anybody else throw "bottling parties" as I do? I like to gather a good crew together, bottle what needs to be corked, then sit back and enjoy good food, good company, and good times. Of course, everyone gets to go home with some wine in exchange for their help.

I had one last Sunday. It was the first of the year and we only bottled 35 cases or so. It was a real good time and was just wondering if anybody else does this..

 

[peaches9324]

Does anybody else throw "bottling parties" as I do? I like to gather a good crew together, bottle what needs to be corked, then sit back and enjoy good food, good company, and good times. Of course, everyone gets to go home with some wine in exchange for their help.

I had one last Sunday. It was the first of the year and we only bottled 35 cases or so. It was a real good time and was just wondering if anybody else does this..

don't think this would be a good idea for me cuz I'm so meticulous they would throw their arms up and leave

 

[cmason1957]

Usually it is just my wife and myself doing the bottling. We are both very particular about how we do things and have a set routine. Don't think many others could stand us saying that isn't the way we do it.

Although we have gotten my bonus daughter (her daughter) interested in winemaking and might be able to let her do some stuff as a learning experience. She has already started a kit with us and racked wine a few times. She will develop her own ways, I am sure.

Besides, we seldom bottle over 3 or 4 carboys at a time and for that small an amount there isn't enough work to go around much.

 

[Elmer]

I would love to do this.
However, this brings a tear to my eye and makes me sad to say, but NONE of my friends would come over and help because they dont drink my wine.
They want no part of it, because they are either wine snobs or as my one friend says "I dont drink wine"

So this weekend I will do what I always do: have my 4 year old help me. She put on an apron and comes to the lab and is daddys helper, until something distracts her and she starts playing with her dolls.
But she makes an effort,
And in the end we get some chocolate and I drink what ever bottle has too much air space!

 

[JohnT]

I would love to do this.
However, this brings a tear to my eye and makes me sad to say, but NONE of my friends would come over and help because they dont drink my wine.
They want no part of it, because they are either wine snobs or as my one friend says "I dont drink wine"

So this weekend I will do what I always do: have my 4 year old help me. She put on an apron and comes to the lab and is daddys helper, until something distracts her and she starts playing with her dolls.
But she makes an effort,
And in the end we get some chocolate and I drink what ever bottle has too much air space!

I would take a bottle of each batch she helps with, and lock it away until she is 21. How cool would it be to open a bottle of wine that she corked when she was 4 year old!

 

[JohnT]

Usually it is just my wife and myself doing the bottling. We are both very particular about how we do things and have a set routine. Don't think many others could stand us saying that isn't the way we do it.

Although we have gotten my bonus daughter (her daughter) interested in winemaking and might be able to let her do some stuff as a learning experience. She has already started a kit with us and racked wine a few times. She will develop her own ways, I am sure.

Besides, we seldom bottle over 3 or 4 carboys at a time and for that small an amount there isn't enough work to go around much.

Still, 4 carboys is 8 cases of wine. I assign jobs to everyone ..

2 people rinse bottles and place on bottle tree
1 person fills with the enolmatic
1 person does final "top off" to the final level.
1 person corks
1 person then rinses the bottle and stacks in on the draining rack
1 person towel dries the bottle and either set the bottle in the staging area or places it into a case box.
1 person prepares case boxes, tapes them shut, marks the box with year/vintage, then stacks the box in a storage area (out of the way).

That is 8 people playing a role. Even with 8 cases, there is plenty to go around. Other people also prepare and serve food, clean empty equipment, or just hang out to be social.

My favorite part is after we are done. All the equipment is washed and put away. We all form chairs in a circle (in the winery) and do some sipping and some laughing.

At one point last Sunday, my niece's boyfriend saw that we had a brute container with about a bottle's worth of wine in it. "Put it in here!!!" he yelled as he pointed to his mouth. I shrugged, and lifted the brute up to his mouth and tilted it. Long story short, I was spraying "Wine Away" all over his shirt. Really funny and I wish I had a picture!

 

[Elmer]

I would take a bottle of each batch she helps with, and lock it away until she is 21. How cool would it be to open a bottle of wine that she corked when she was 4 year old!

I tried this with 2 batches of wine, starting a kit when my wife became pregnant.
I aged until after they were born and bottled.

I ended up dumping 30 bottles of 7 year old Pinot noir a few weeks ago, it just went bad. I also did not know at the time that Pinot was not a long keeper.

Had similar issue with a 4 year old chianti.

Guess the cheap kits dont keep!

 

[JohnT]

I tried this with 2 batches of wine, starting a kit when my wife became pregnant.
I aged until after they were born and bottled.

I ended up dumping 30 bottles of 7 year old Pinot noir a few weeks ago, it just went bad. I also did not know at the time that Pinot was not a long keeper.

Had similar issue with a 4 year old chianti.

Guess the cheap kits dont keep!

Ever try to raise the S02 level and beef up the amount of tannins?

 

[Elmer]

Ever try to raise the S02 level and beef up the amount of tannins?

no,
but it is too late for that now. Both batches have spoiled and been introduced to the drain.

 

[JohnT]

no,
but it is too late for that now. Both batches have spoiled and been introduced to the drain.

Mans, that stinks! True heartache for a winemaker!

 

[DoctorCAD]

I do, but it usually turns out to be me bottling while everrone else drinks and gabs!

No biggie, I don't know where their hands have been!

 

[Dugger]

The bottling party is to me one of the most enjoyable parts of making wine. My wife and I have one every time we bottle, although it's usually just one carboy, sometimes two. We generally have three other couples join us since this seems to be a manageable number to assign tasks and sit around afterward and nibble on cheese, crackers and sweets. Since I'm only making 3-4 kits a year now, the parties are not as often at our place but some of the other couples are now into making wine and the parties are being spread around.
I'd certainly recommend these get togethers - they are a great social event.

 

[ffemt128]

My bottling parties consist of me and my 7 y/o daughter. She just loves to help....

 

[vacuumpumpman]

It is typically only me who bottles at our house, yes the wife will help with the labeling process.
The funny thing is - everyone asks me to come over to help bottle their wine - and they make sure that I bring all my equipment as well.

 

[JohnT]

The bottling party is to me one of the most enjoyable parts of making wine. My wife and I have one every time we bottle, although it's usually just one carboy, sometimes two. We generally have three other couples join us since this seems to be a manageable number to assign tasks and sit around afterward and nibble on cheese, crackers and sweets. Since I'm only making 3-4 kits a year now, the parties are not as often at our place but some of the other couples are now into making wine and the parties are being spread around.
I'd certainly recommend these get togethers - they are a great social event.

That's the spirit brother!!! Mine usually end with a meal. Unfortunately, the more bottles we fill, the less time I have for cooking. Last time, we had take out pizza

It is typically only me who bottles at our house, yes the wife will help with the labeling process.
The funny thing is - everyone asks me to come over to help bottle their wine - and they make sure that I bring all my equipment as well.

Wow.. That does not seem right. I hope you at least have a good time while helping them.

 

[sour_grapes]

It is typically only me who bottles at our house, yes the wife will help with the labeling process.
The funny thing is - everyone asks me to come over to help bottle their wine - and they make sure that I bring all my equipment as well.

Well, I have to ask: Do you ask them to come over and help you? If you don't ask, you cannot gripe!

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Well, I have to ask: Do you ask them to come over and help you? If you don't ask, you cannot gripe!

Paul -
I like doing bottling on my own time - With the pressurized sanitizing unit , restaurant dishwashing racks and the Allinone -and the floor corker, it really does not take long at all ! I have to work in a relatively small area - so any more than 2 people - is starts to get crowded.

 

[Dianna]

I don't think that you have anything to be sad about Elmer. Even if you can't put any of that wine away for when your daughter is grown, keep having her help you. She will have wonderful memories of helping dad make wine; and no doubt she will end up a wine maker as well when she is grown. You are making memories and traditions. There is nothing better than that.

 

[the_rayway]

3 of my girlfriends and I do "Wine Co-ops" for a few months each year. We pitch together to buy two kits each month (usually mist-style, it's what they like!) and I make them up at my place. Then we all get together to bottle, drink and nibble, and enjoy each others' company. It's really nice because we wouldn't all get together in the same place otherwise.

For the other wine that I do, I end up bottling with my husband and it's such a soothing, enjoyable time for the two of us Plus the tasting is a great time for us to chat and catch up.

 

[JohnT]

3 of my girlfriends and I do "Wine Co-ops" for a few months each year. We pitch together to buy two kits each month (usually mist-style, it's what they like!) and I make them up at my place. Then we all get together to bottle, drink and nibble, and enjoy each others' company. It's really nice because we wouldn't all get together in the same place otherwise.

For the other wine that I do, I end up bottling with my husband and it's such a soothing, enjoyable time for the two of us Plus the tasting is a great time for us to chat and catch up.

Real Nice.