From Tank to Bottle: The Art of Bottling at Carhartt Family Wines

At Carhartt Family Wines, every step from our ground to glass process is infused with our commitment to quality and a hands-on approach to winemaking. Take a glimpse behind the scenes to witness the amazing process of bottling our exceptional wines right here at Rancho Santa Ynez.

Our motto “Ground-To-Glass” isn’t just a slogan – it’s a way of life. It signifies our unwavering dedication to overseeing every aspect of the winemaking journey, from the vineyard to your glass. This constant interaction and involvement at every stage in the process ensures that each bottle that bears our name meets the highest standards, and is a piece of what sets us apart as a direct to consumer only company.

As the day begins, a remote bottling line is brought onto Rancho Santa Ynez, setting the stage for this incredible process. Unlike in other countries where wines may be bottled as shiners (unlabeled bottles) for importation, we take pride in bottling directly from our tanks and barrels into domestically labeled bottles, for local American consumption.

Before the bottling process goes into full steam, our winemaker Chase conducts a quality control taste test, sampling the first bottle of each lot to ensure that the wines are exactly as they should be. He also checks the mold of the bottles, the fill line, the cork integrity and closure levels, to make sure they are all up to standard. When this initial quality check is complete, he physically signs the inaugural bottle, ensuring standard of quality for each bottle that will come through.

Once Chase gives his seal of approval, the spotlight shifts to Brooke Carhartt, owner and winemaker, who acts as the queen of quality control. With a keen eye for detail, Brooke inspects each bottle, ensuring that cork depth, label placement, and fill height meet our exacting standards. Additionally, she monitors the vacuum gauge, ensuring that not a single molecule of air will compromise the wine’s quality of oxygen levels.

From the first bottle to the last, Brooke remains on the line, which as she would tell you, is not a glamorous task (8+ hours on her feet a day). As the bottles are filled, Chase and our dedicated team spring into action, boxing and palletizing the wines by hand. With each case carefully stacked, our wines are then transported on a long voyage to our temperature-controlled warehouse 50 FEET AWAY, where they will safely age for 6-24 months before their journey directly to your cellar.

From tank to bottle, our commitment to in-house quality control ensures that each bottle of Carhartt Family Wines is a testament to our dedication to making wine with minimal outside intervention. With every sip, we invite you to taste our labor of love crafted with care by our family for yours!

Explore all wines HERE

Read more about our commitment to direct to consumer practices, and in house control HERE.