winery checklist for bottling services
One of our primary objectives is to make your bottling day runs as smoothly as possible. Assurance of an event free bottling requires advance attention and is a partnership between the client and Dundee Mobile Bottlers. We have provided the following information to facilitate this process.
prior to bottling day:
Plan ahead!
Please carefully fill out and submit Bottling Work Order to Dundee Mobile Bottlers at least 3 weeks in advance of bottling.
Check our Specs & Requirements to ensure compatibility of your materials with our equipment.
Bottles:
Order sufficient number of bottles including a reasonable overage
Make sure you’re ordering the correct bottles
Inspect the bottles when they arrive.
Check the inside neck diameter (for cork insertion). This is extremely important for sparkling wines.
Make sure outside neck diameter is correct to accommodate capsule, screw cap, or crown cap
labels:
Order sufficient number of labels for your bottles, to cover mis-labels and box labeling, if needed
We highly recommend the clear plastic backing because it does not tear
Inspect labels for correct information. Confirm labels have no strike-through cuts
Inspect labels for the correct roll direction which is left off #4
CORKS:
Measure cork humidity as soon as you get the corks
Length
Width
Artwork
SCREW CAPS:
Are they the right size?
Artwork
Design
Length
Correct liner?
CAPSULES:
Are they the correct length and diameter?
Do they fit onto your bottle?
supplies:
Order peripheral supplies such as plastic wrap, markers or box labels, date stamper, etc
Order N2 bottling Dewars (if not using Dundee Mobile Bottlers N2 generation services)
Order filters (if not using Dundee Mobile Bottlers filters)
staffing:
Schedule sufficient number of employees to help with bottling
wine adjustments:
Adjustment of CO2 and DO levels at least two days in advance of bottling to avoid issues of foaming which slows down the bottling
Make final anticipated SO2 adds ideally two days prior to bottling
Cross flow filtrations should not be done more than three days in advance of bottling
On Bottling Day
winery preparations:
Product should be as close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit if possible for still beverages
Clear parking space of 80 ft length, 12 ft width, for bottling truck & trailer, with 14 ft clearance height from overhanging tree limbs or lighting fixtures.
Water is clean, transported with clean garden hose to the back of our trailer
Pump and hoses must be sanitized 30 minutes prior to the start of bottling
CO2 or Nitrogen -- winery needs to have about one tank of CO2 per 800 cases or one 300 pound (large) tank of nitrogen per 400 cases
Electricity:
We provide outlet plugs to regular customers for you to install for your convenience. However, if you do not have a special outlet, we will run our cable to your fuse box
We must have clear access to your fuse box, within about 75 feet of the back of our trailer to run our power cable to your fuse box or special outlet
If winery cannot provide to these specs for electricity, then a generator will be leased at cost to the customer
Staffing:
When capsuling - 8 people optimal - 1 bottle unloader, 2 capsule applicators, 2 bottle inspectors/off-packers, 1 box labeling person, 1 case stacker, 1 forklift operator/case stacker to manage pallets of bottles
When running screw caps - 6 people optimal - 1 bottle unloader, 2 bottle inspectors/off-packers, 1 box labeling person, 1 case stacker, 1 forklift operator/case stacker to manage pallets of bottles
Be ready to start on time!
Have a staff person on-site one and a half hours prior to start of bottling, to assist with the set-up process. Typically this will be 7am
All other staff must all be in place and ready to start at the scheduled bottling start time, which is usually 8:00am, unless otherwise specified.
work orders
Trailer #1
Still and sparkling capabilities
Trailer #2
Still only