Getting Our Wines Into Bottle!

Bottling Day at Koch Family Vineyards

This week we wrapped up one of our biggest “small” days yet, bottling three wines that represent the heart of our winemaking journey:

• 2023 Pinot Noir – Petaluma Gap (4 barrels)
• 2024 Chardonnay – Petaluma Gap (3 barrels)
• 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir – Sonoma Coast (6 barrels)

If you’re counting, that’s not a huge amount of wine. And that’s the point. These are wines that we’ve watched closely, checked on obsessively, and tasted just to be safe (or that’s what we tell ourselves). Bottling them brought us all a sense of pride and joy. 

The Great Glass Hunt

You’d think the hardest part of winemaking would be… well… making the wine. But no, sometimes the greatest challenge is choosing the glass it goes into. We wanted our glass to reflect the wines inside of them. We aimed for a bottle that felt a little bit elevated while still staying true to us.  

After sifting through many samples and saying “No” far more times than we planned, we finally found our perfect YES’s—two molds that felt just right. Cue the celebration! At this point we might start bottling water just to use them more.

Corks, of Course

Next came the cork choice. (Yes, this is a real decision. Yes, we lost sleep over it.) We ended up choosing a natural cork from a cork farm in Portugal—because if we’re putting this much love into our wine, we want the closure to feel just as thoughtful.

Plus, you can’t beat the satisfying thunk of a real cork being pulled.

The Playlist Debate

Winemaking involves a lot of decisions… and apparently so does bottling. You’d think choosing the glass and cork would be enough, but no—someone had to choose the playlist for six straight hours.

You’d be amazed how quickly a group of otherwise agreeable adults can turn into passionate music critics.
But we found our rhythm (pun unavoidable), and by the end of the day, even the bottling line seemed to move in time with the music.

A Day Filled With Gratitude

As the last bottle came off the line, we had one of those quiet moments where you step back, look around, and realize how far you’ve come. Small-production wines like ours take patience, care, and a whole lot of decision-making, but bottling day is the moment that makes it all feel real.

We can’t wait for you to taste these wines and share this story with us. Because at the end of the day, winemaking is about connection: to the land, to the craft, and to the people who enjoy the final product.

Here’s to new releases, good music, and the many decisions that make wine so special.
Cheers from all of us at Koch Family Vineyards.