060: Expectations from a Custom Crush with Ryan Horn and Greg Stokes

Custom crush facilities are becoming a popular choice for grape growers who want to make wine without the hefty investment of building a full-scale winery. In this episode, industry experts Ryan Horn from Vintner's Vault and Greg Stokes from Ursa Vineyards and Bending Branch Winery share insights on this topic.

Listen in for an overview of what a custom crush is, who it is for, and how much you can expect to pay per bottle of finished wine.

In this episode, you will hear

• Advantages of custom crush facilities for grape growers

• Significance of custom crush services

• Supply and demand cycles in the grape industry and the role of custom crush facilities

• Traditional custom crush versus alternative proprietorships

• Logistics, legal considerations, and potential financial risks involved in custom crush operations

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click the ‘+ Follow’ button in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second, and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Resources:

Register for Fritz’s FREE virtual live learning event, Breaking Bad Pruning Habits, on January 8th at 5 pm CST

https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/breakingbad.

Download Fritz’s member-only Crop Estimation Tips guide - https://mailchi.mp/virtualviticultureacademy.com/crop-estimation-tips

If you have questions about today’s episode or ideas for future episodes, go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button. 

Today’s Guests:

Ryan Horn is an award-winning winemaker and the founder and owner of The Vintner Vault – a leading winery equipment design and consulting company.

Website: https://www.thevintnervault.com/
Email: [e-mail] 

Greg Stokes is an award-winning winemaker for Ursa Vineyards in the Sierra Foothills of California and Bending Branch Winery in the Texas Hill Country.

Websites: https://www.ursavineyards.com & https://www.bendingbranchwinery.com/ 

Email: [e-mail] 

Episode Sponsor:

Thank you to Sunridge Nurseries for sponsoring today’s episode. Sunridge Nurseries is the exclusive nursery sponsor of the Vineyard Underground podcast. They have been a family-owned company for over 45 years and their dedicated focus on quality and consistency has grown them into the largest supplier of grapevines in both North and South America and the industry leader in nursery standards. Visit t