Using the services of a mobile bottler is appealing to wineries who prefer not to own their own in-house line, a potentially costly investment that comes with a great deal of responsibility.

Maintaining a successful relationship with a mobile bottler requires that you select one whose services and capabilities match your winery's bottling needs. Look for bottlers that have: the flexibility to schedule appointments during your bottling time; the ability to accommodate the number of cases you want bottled in a day; the equipment needed to do the kind of bottling and finishing you desire; can access your winery easily; and fees that are agreeable to you.

why use a mobile Bottler?

Originally, the smaller wineries were the users of the first mobile lines as they lacked the financial resources and on-site space for their own bottling lines. Allocation of space for equipment that is used but a few times per year can be prohibitive.

Today, in addition to the obvious reasons of cost and space savings from not having to buy your own in-house line, there are other key reasons why wineries of all sizes might decide to use mobile bottling services, including: the opportunity to work with new, state-of-the-art equipment and having the benefit of the mobile bottlers' expertise and experience.

Mobile services instill a high level of confidence. For Kent Rasmussen of Rasmussen Winery (5,000 cases) in St. Helena, California, "Every winemaker's worst day is bottling day." Rasmussen had a line 15 years ago but has been using Ryan-McGee Bottling of Napa for the last 11 years. Without the space, no operator and only 5,000 cases per year, Rasmussen has opted for mobile services. "Andrew Ryan is an owner-operator who maintains his equipment beautifully and is able to handle our 15 different wines with ease," said Rasmussen.

Aside from simply filling, corking and labeling, newer mobile lines offer improved sparging, bottle rinsing, screw-capping and the ability to accommodate exotic bottle shapes. This aspect of mobile bottling, for example, offers a benefit to mid-sized and larger wineries who already have older, existing lines but who want to augment their bottling runs with a line that can do more or that can handle short runs easily.

what to look for

When looking to employ a mobile bottling service, the questions you will want to ask are: (1) What is the bottle-per-minute (BPM) speed, how many cases can they process in a day and does this suit your case-per-day requirements? (2) Do they offer the services and equipment necessary to handle your wine's specific packaging needs, such as screw-capping? (3) What is the size of the trailer and will it be able to travel to your winery's location and set up easily? (4) Can they work with your winery's mechanical and electrical capabilities? And (5) What do they charge?

1. Speed/BPM/cases per day. Trailers come in all sizes, with a wide range of production speeds. It is important to schedule a trailer that is fast enough to handle your case-per-day requirements. The vast majority of trailers today have 16-spout fillers, with a single-head vacuum corker. The limiting factor here is the corker. Normally you can expect to see 50-60 BPM speeds, but bottle shape is critical. Tapers tend to slow lines down. By using rotary corkers, however, larger trailers can attain speeds of 80-100 BPM. On the other end of the scale are the new fifth wheel units with 8- to 12-spout fillers that run 20-40 BPM. Typically you might expect to see 1,000 cases per day for an 8- to 12-spout filler, 2,000+ for a 16-spout.

The newer equipment on mobile lines tends to fill faster, and with labelers being more efficient and easier to operate, the result is higher production runs. More bottles in less time translates into savings for the winemaker as well as more time for changeovers, again working to the advantage of a small winery with several varietals scheduled for that day's bottling.

La Petite Bottlers of Calistoga, California, has targeted their BPM to fill a very specific market. La Petite is a 14-foot trailer with hand-sparging, and a semi-automatic filler, labeler and spinner. La Petite contracts with many wineries that participate hands-on during bottling. La Petite's production is limited to 500 cases per day. According to owner Brad Aves, "We cater to the oddball, miscellaneous bottlings. I remember a wine called 'gold' where we physically put gold flakes into each bottle prior to corking." They will also fill up to 27 liter bottles.

2. Onboard equipment. All trailers come with some form of gas sparging prior to filling, and more are beginning to offer both "rinsing" (the inside of the bottle) with sparging. There are several different fillers in the field, and all will incorporate some form of "fill height" adjustment prior to corking. Foil spinning is almost universal.

Labeling equipment, however, can vary considerably, and each trailer may have specific issues, from dimension limitations of the label, to the ease of application on a tapered bottle. Make sure to clarify these issues prior to hiring any bottler. Almost all trailers apply only pressure-sensitive labels; glue labeling is becoming rare.

A winery with an existing bottling line may want to finish some of their bottles with screw caps. A decent, stand-alone screw-capper, that would retrofit into a winery's permanent line, could easily cost $30,000. Several smart mobile operators, however, saw that screw caps were becoming very popular and outfitted their trailers accordingly; many are suddenly in demand for that service alone. The winemaker might now schedule screw-capping on a "trial" basis, which can easily translate into several seasons.

Gary Simmers of Landwirt Mobile Bottling in Harrisonburg, Virginia, just added his second trailer, featuring both vacuum corking and screw-capping. His closure ratio is running about 20 percent screw caps and 80 percent corks, and he sees nothing but growth. His business has grown so much that he now travels the eastern markets from Pennsylvania to Georgia.

Steve Rasmussen of SLO Mobile Bottling (Arroyo Grande, California) bought his first multi-closure monoblock at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium trade show in Sacramento in 2004. "At the time, we didn't have a single customer for screw caps. This year we will have bottled in excess of 40,000 cases and are getting ready to build our second trailer." The equipment will bottle in excess of 80 BPM and will feature a 4-head rotary capper. "The process of screw-capping can be intimidating for most people who are used to their own corker and not the technology of screw-capping. There is a learning curve; and because we do it all the time and are familiar with the equipment, we can accommodate the winery who wants to give it a try."

Since mobile bottling companies have invested a considerable amount of money in state-of-the-art equipment ($500,000 trailers are not rare), the level of sophistication is beyond what the small producer could ever afford. Employing current technology, the mobile line can produce the highest quality results.

3. Access. A big plus is that bottling/labeling machines have become more compact, allowing new trailer designs to be shorter and more maneuverable, enabling access to wineries often overlooked by larger operators. Typically, a trailer is 48 feet long, with a semi rig in front. Now we see 32-foot gooseneck trailers being pulled with Ford 350 pickups.

This niche market-the small, previously inaccessible winery-has mushroomed into a new segment and continues to grow. And as new, smaller wineries sprout up across the U.S., you have an influx of winemakers who rely on mobile bottling companies like Mission Bottling of San Diego and Ultima Bottling of Sonoma, who are using the shorter, fifth wheel or gooseneck units that target this specific audience.

4. Mechanical/electrical capabilities. Most trailers have evolved to the point where they are practically self-contained. Generally wineries will only need to supply: a power source (usually 220V, 1 or 3 phase, 60 amp service); a clean water source; and nitrogen, if sparging (normally one doer for every 2,500 cases). Trailers can transform from 440V and 3-phase power, and more are being built with on-board generators. Because winery cellar equipment can vary considerably, each trailer will typically have its own wine pump, hoses and fittings.

5. Pricing. Pricing varies considerably from operator to operator. Make sure you research this in detail because additional "add-on" charges can dramatically affect your final cost. Aside from the basic per-case charge, there might be costs related to transport time to the winery, overnight lodging, overtime for extended runs, filters, multiple changeover costs (different bottles) and set-up fees.

Typically a trailer that can produce 1,500 to 2,000 cases per day may charge $350 for setup, $100 for each line change (different bottle/label), a $200 charge for 375 ml or magnums (vs. 750 ml bottles) and $400 for a .45 Millpore membrane (sterile) filter. Overtime for technicians can run as high as $300 per hour. Usually, if your total bottling run is below 750 cases, there will be a minimum charge. All trailers base their pricing on case production, so excessive package changes and delays will be charged accordingly. This is one reason it is smart to size your bottling run to the bottle-per-minute (BPM) speeds of the bottler, and to have everything ready (wine, labels, glass, corks) prior to the truck arriving. Barring any special added costs, on average you can expect to pay somewhere around $2 per case.

how to hire a mobile bottler & what to expect

The absolute first step for anyone thinking of using a mobile bottler is to call the company's reference list of customers. For all of the variables involved, it is a good idea to contract with a bottler who best addresses your individual needs. Bottling is the last step in what has been a long, personal venture, and you want everything to go smoothly.

The next step is scheduling, an overriding issue that has (traditionally) been a problem with mobile lines, particularly for new, smaller wineries. Unfortunately everyone likes to bottle at the same time: Prior to the crush and after fermentation of white wines is always busy. Operators like Ryan-McGee tend to have a substantial, loyal following; subsequently repeat business fills a large part of their bottling calendar. These "charter" customers generally schedule by December for the following year's bottling.

As mentioned, it is the winery's responsibility to make certain the supplies (corks, labels, capsules, glass) are on hand well in advance; there is nothing worse than bottling "shiners": a perfectly filled, corked and foiled bottle without a label. Make sure you have plenty of help scheduled: all labor, aside from the mobile trailer operator and his assistant, is always supplied by the winery, including the forklift and driver.

The wine must be ready to bottle: filtered initially to the specification of the winemaker and later sterile-filtered by the bottler if requested. Trailers all travel with Code #7 Millpore filters, a standard for the industry, ranging from .10 bug catchers to .45 sterile. Communicate with the operator before-hand about your filtration needs. You can supply your own filters as long as they conform with the trailer's equipment. The temperature of the wine is required to be at least 60 degrees to discourage condensation on the bottles, therefore allowing pressure-sensitive labels to adhere better.

Typically each operator will request a sample of the bottle, cork and label in advance to insure compatibility with their equipment. And while a few mobile lines still have glue capability, almost all labeling is now pressure-sensitive. For all of the inherent advantages of pressure-sensitive labels over glue, the application issue is paramount. Glue is more difficult and messy, and changeovers are problematic. As pressure-sensitive labels have become the industry norm-especially for the small winery-the trailers have all but abandoned glue application entirely.

Vacuum-belt, pressure-sensitive labelers are most common, though some trailers, like those used by Pacific Rim Bottling of Paso Robles, have rotary labelers for difficult packages. Even with pressure-sensitive labeling, however, there are limitations, and the winery and operator must know in advance the number of label rolls (a single front, a single back or front/back together on one roll) and size of roll. Label spacing can be important as well as actual label dimension. All labelers have limitations, with the size of the label they can apply, particularly if the label is too tall.

the bottom line

An earlier Wine Business Monthly article ("Buying Your First Bottling Line," November 2005) addressed the topic of hiring a mobile bottler vs. purchasing your own line. Even if the economic circumstances of a particular winery favor ownership over using a mobile bottler, the reality is that many wineries simply do not want the added responsibility of an in-house line.

Mobile bottlers are experts at what they do. Operators and their crew bottle a lot of wine, in many different bottles with exotic label combinations. Bottling over 200 days per year is not uncommon. They can produce thousands of cases per day with little down time and minimal problems. They pay attention to detail, respond to issues immediately and have intimate knowledge of their equipment because that is how they make money. For many wineries, the comfort level with a familiar bottler is a friendship that transcends packaging cost, which many absorb willingly.

Building Your Own Bottling Trailer

Some wineries have chosen to build their own trailer for their own use. Two of the original trailers were used by Merryvale Vineyards in St. Helena and Laird Family Estate in Napa, each with a 48-foot trailer parked on their property. For other wineries with multiple locations, an "in-house" trailer allows movement from one location to another without relying on scheduling an outside bottler.

Ehren Jordan at Turley Wine Cellars, in St. Helena, joined forces with Neyers Vineyards and built their own trailer for this very reason. "Scheduling is always difficult, and once you get a date, don't ever step out of line and lose that time slot," said Ehren. "I got in trouble one year due to a shipping strike, and I couldn't get my glass on time." The co-op idea worked well for Neyers Vineyards because they also have a small access bridge the other bottling trailers could not cross. Their 28-foot bobtail was the answer.

Mill Creek Winery in Healdsburg, California, was having problems scheduling mobile trailers to visit the winery. Together with friends at nearby Dry Creek wineries, they built a trailer to handle "in-house" bottling needs, again as a co-op. Mill Creek Bottling is now putting the finishing touches on their third trailer, and the business continues to grow.

In certain areas in California, wineries are looking at building trailers to avoid the problems of "new construction." A bottling line requires a certain amount of space, and for a smaller winery an addition might need to be built. And thus begins the headache.

Some western California counties have turned the building "permit process" into an ordeal, and this with construction costs can make additions prohibitive. No problem. Shop around for a good used trailer, buy the bottling equipment, put it together and park it. You won't need to register the trailer, since it stays on property; and all you do is run a hose out to your own personal bottling room. No plumbers, no contractors, no inspectors, no permits.

Since 1993 4-D Machine Company, Inc., a stainless fabricator in Santa Rosa, California, has built a total of 11 trailers and currently has two more in the works. People can either supply the trailer ready to go from the factory or have 4-D do the entire fabrication. Any number of trailer companies are available: Silverlite of Springfield, Oregon, and Aluminum Trailer Company of Nappanee, Indiana, are but two. They custom-build the framework (to accommodate the weight of bottling machines), seal the floors with diamond plate (since it is a wet environment), and install doors, ramps and windows where appropriate. Thereafter, 4-D will install the fillers, labelers, generators and sterilization units from the respective dealers; then complete wiring, lighting and plumbing. As a custom fabricator, 4-D will also design and build special dump tables, conveyors and pack-off tables. 4-D will be starting SLO Mobile Bottling's new trailer soon, and according to owner Dave Lewis and his partner Don Walden, "There is no end in sight."

Many trailer operators who have designed and built their own units have usually come from within the industry. For a winery to build a trailer, it would be wise to get input from the experts. One true veteran of the industry is Derek Palm of Select Mobile Bottling, Napa, who has put together or consulted on many rigs. As an owner-operator, he speaks from day-to-day experience. He is currently in the design stages of a next generation trailer that will incorporate BPM speeds in excess of 100 BPM and screw cap capability. The winery can be as involved as much or little as they like. Palm can design any size trailer, with bottling speeds that best suit their needs, right down to the stereo system and air conditioning. wbm