Central Texas Wine Guild

2009 Wine Crush Teams
Assumptions for this document:
• This document will be reviewed and modified by members of the Central Texas Wine Guild.
• The final document will be in place on or before the September 2009 meeting.
• After that date, improvements and changes will be “held” for next year’s crush.
• The Crush will take place at Ilcor, as a GUEST of Kathleen Wimbish.
• Last year a lot of the heavy work was done by a limited number of people. Other’s would have been glad to help, they just needed to know what, when, and where to help.
• The number of slots for each team is a sheer estimate, and not limiting by any means.

Assumptions for participation and The Crush:
• This is a club activity. All members are welcome to attend. It is not necessary to have purchased grapes or juice to attend.
• All attending will participate in the work of sorting, crushing, cleaning stems, organizing and cleaning up the food and drink, and leaving the warehouse in the same condition as when we found it. No free rides, even if you are not getting fresh grapes or juice.
o If it is necessary for you to “take and leave”, you are still expected to contribute to the process, either with a financial contribution or 1 hour of work at a minimum.
o All attending are expected to participate with workgroup.
• Each work group will have a lead organizer.
o Lead organizers are responsible for
 ensuring that all members of the team have a chance to participate
 that the task is performed as smoothly as possible, and
 that the remains of the task are cleaned up and the area is tidy.
o Experience is not required to be a lead organizer.
• Each work group will determine how to divide the tasks and people within the group. Options may include having:
o set time periods (such as 30 or 45 minutes per shift)
o people “call out” for replacement, or alternately having people “step in” on an as-needed/as-desired basis
o the task divided by function, such as sorting a pallet or racking a barrel
• People are STRONGLY encouraged to do different tasks different years.
• People may sign up for more than one work group.
• Like last year, we will crush all of one type of grape before we move to the next type. The crush will proceed by grape varietal, NOT by individual orders.
• Individuals are responsible for moving their grapes or juice container(s) from the sorting area to the crusher/de-stemmer or juice racking areas.
o Individuals with multiple varietals may opt to move their entire grape order to a single area. The sorting team sorts by varietal, not individuals.
o The grapes should be lined up and in place by the crusher/de-stemmer prior to actually being crushed; in the “on-deck” space.
o Juice containers should be lined up prior to racking, not unlike the fresh grape process.
• Individuals are responsible for bringing their own containers for juice and/or grapes.
• Participants will drop a dollar or two to cover the cost of group supplies and using the space and equipment supplied by others.

Food and Drink Zone
This team sets up and maintains the food and drink for the Crush. All members are encouraged to bring food and drink. It is NOT the responsibility of this team to provide food. Rather this team will make sure that the space is ready. We will have a separate sign-up sheet for ice, plates, napkins and utensils. This team also ensures that the space is clean and the supplies are put away when we are through. Again, it is NOT the responsibility of this team to clean up the food, but to ensure that it happens. All members are responsible for cleaning up.

1. Sheryl Musick (Team leader)
2. Collette Munoz
3. __________________________
4. __________________________

Early set-up
This team gets to the warehouse in mid-afternoon on the day of the Crush to help get the space and equipment set up. This likely requires 2 or 3 people at best. However, due to the unpredictability of the delivery, and individual schedules, more slots are designated. The lead organizer will make sure that someone is available.
1. __________________________ (Team leader)
2. Jon L.
3. Warren Pattison
4. __________________________
5. __________________________
6. __________________________
7.

Sorting grapes
The grapes come in large pallets, which have been piled high with either single or mixed types of grapes. This team will sort the grapes into stacks for individual users. A sign or piece of paper will be attached for each stack with the winemaker’s name, the type of grape and number of lugs. If the winemaker has multiple types of grapes, it will not be necessary to stack all of that person’s grapes together. The winemaker may or may not opt to do that. This group must have a listing of participants and quantities.
1. Al LeBlanc (Team leader)
2. Joanne B.
3. __________________________
4. __________________________
[p.s. It is not necessary to be especially tall or strong to do this. Once someone got the tallest grapes down for me, I did it last year.- kcd]

Manning the crusher/de-stemmer
This team takes the lugs of grapes and pours them into the crusher/de-stemmer. It also rakes, shovels or otherwise cleans up the resulting piles of stems. THIS IS HEAVY LIFTING. None of us are 20 years old, and many people should be available to help so people will be able to go to work the next day and raise their arms over their heads. This team is also responsible for maintaining the functioning of the crusher/de-stemmer.
1. Randy (Team leader)
2. Mike B.
3. __________________________
4. __________________________
5. __________________________
6. __________________________

Lug break-down
This team will take the empty lugs away from the work area and break them down into “flats”. These flatten lugs will be stacked in a convenient location.
1. Pat L. (Team leader)
2. Ana L.
3. __________________________
4. __________________________

Juice team
This team coordinates the racking of the juice into containers for winemakers. It is responsible for ensuring that a sufficient number of siphons are available. Winemakers will bring their own buckets for the juice.
1. __________________________ (Team leader)
2. __________________________
3. __________________________
4. __________________________

Expediters/Accountant
This team will coordinate with the crusher/de-stemmer team and the lug sorting team to make sure that the flow is as smooth as possible. This team will notify people of their location in line for that varietal, and will let people know when they are next in line. This team also ensures that the grapes have been paid for prior to being crushed: The Accountant.
1. Kathleen W. (Team leader)
2. Cliff H.
3. __________________________
4. __________________________