I had just landed at SFO and switched my phone on when the alerts for voicemails and text messages started pinging like a winning slot machine.

It was the custom crush winery that was going to be bottling my client’s wine later that week. There was a mistake with the wine addition; instead of adding 0.5 g/L of tartaric acid as I had requested, they added potassium metabisulfite (KMBS).

I raced back to Napa and pulled a sample of the wine, but unfortunately, it was unsalvageable. The wine had to be destroyed, our screen-printed glass discarded, and that product completely written off as a loss.

I wish I was the only winemaker with a story like this, but sadly, most people I talk to have a horror story like this to share, which is why I’m writing today about a very important part of harvest preparation: organizing your cellar.

Not only will a well-organized cellar help avoid confusion and addition errors, it will also save time and make your harvest go more smoothly.

A few things to consider are:

• Are your chemicals properly stored in a clean, dry environment?

• Are your cleaning chemicals stored in a different location than your additives? This can help limit the possibility of adding the wrong product to your wine.

• Clearly labeling and color-coding buckets, scoops, and Brutes can help differentiate products and equipment to avoid cross-contamination.

• Is there evidence of water or pest damage in your packaging? If so, discard damaged products and consider storing your products in sealed containers.

• Are any of your products expired? If so, discard them and add those products to your harvest orders.

myEnologist carries a variety of color-coded buckets, scoops, Brutes, cleaning equipment, and supplies to help you with your color-coding and storage systems.

Stop by, email sales@myenologist.com, or give us a call for assistance:

Napa: (707) 812-1242
Windsor: (707) 812-1215

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