Tasting Room, Crush Pad, Tank Room, Bottling Line, Barrel Room, Patio
Tasting Room
Wetzel Estate Winery’s tasting room is open seven days a week, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The tasting room is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Over 20 different wines are offered in the tasting room, with selections rotating monthly. A flight menu is also available upon request. Private and large group, as well as unscheduled tastings are available. With advance notice, larger groups can be accommodated for wine/food pairing events and tours. The winery is also available for private or corporate events, including dinners, parties, weddings and receptions.
Crush Pad
After months of gentle and fastidious care, the grapes are ready for harvest. The crush pad is the place where juice is extracted, and typically in operation between September and November.
Grape clusters from red wine varietals have the stems removed before the intact grapes are pumped into tanks for the start of the fermentation process. White wine grapes are first pressed for juice extraction, and the juice is then fermented.
Check out harvest-related video on Facebook. Visits and tours are available during harvest for an in-person experience of the process.
Tank Room
At Wetzel Estate Winery, fermentation takes place in the tank room. Fermentation is the process that transforms extracted grape juice into wine. After the grapes are harvested and processed in the fall, yeast is added to the juice. Yeast will convert natural sugar present in the juice to alcohol and carbon dioxide.
To learn more about the process, we offer Wine 101 classes, Facebook videos, and on-site explanations from the tasting room staff.
Bottling Line
The bottling line at Wetzel Estate Winery is in use year-round. Red varietals are bottled after barrel-aging, and white wines are bottled post-fermentation.
The bottling line is first steam-sanitized. Next, sterile bottles are gravity-filled to a final volume of 750 ml. This is followed by cork insertion and capsule placement over the bottle neck. Finally, a label is applied and the wine is subsequently stored by the case on pallets.
The production line can operate at a rate of two cases per minute, and up to 650 cases of wine per day.
Wetzel Estate Winery’s Facebook page contains video of the bottling line in operation.
Barrel Room
The barrel room at Wetzel Estate Winery contains approximately 400 oak barrels. The barrels are primarily comprised of French Oak, but American, Czechoslovakian, and Hungarian Oak barrels are also used in wine production.
Barrels are either new or neutral. Most, however, are neutral to better enhance inherent characteristics and flavors of the wine.
All red wines are barrel-aged in this room. Chardonnay is the only white varietal that has a presence in the barrel room. Chardonnay is comprised of wine aged in 10% new American Oak and the balance in neutral barrels, an aging style that contributes to a crisp, clean and balanced food-friendly wine.
Wetzel Estate Winery provides tours of the barrel room via Wine 101 classes, VIP tours, and tastings that are donated to non-profit organizations. Please contact the winery for more information on arranging a tour.
Patio
At Wetzel Estate Winery, our guests are frequently seen enjoying the patio area. With breathtaking views that change seasonally, the patio is a wonderful, relaxing place to enjoy a glass of wine or picnic with family and friends. There are even games to play, if you’re so inclined.
The patio area is also used for winery events. Check the website or contact the winery directly for information about upcoming events.