LOWER TOWNSHIP – The signs of spring have arrived at Hawk Haven with new life growing in the vineyard and bottling of the latest vintages.
The week, Flying Press Red along with Dry Pinot Grigio, Dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier and more will go through the mobile bottling unit and get one step closer to being enjoyed.
The process starts with wine pumped from stainless steel tanks or French oak barrels into the trailer though sterile hoses.
Inside the trailer, empty bottles begin the journey by being sterilized. They are blasted with nitrogen to dry out and remove any oxygen from inside. This step prevents oxidation, which could negatively affect the flavors of the wine.
Then, bottles are filled with wine and receive another blast of nitrogen before being corked and topped with foil capsules. The bottles move down the assembly line to the labeler, which applies alternate front and back labels.
Finally, some bottles of wine are laid down in the winery’s cellar for a period of bottle aging, while others are ready to be released.
Flying Press Red is one of those vintages ready to spread its wings and return to the tasting room shelves beginning this month. This year’s release has been eagerly awaited since the popular wine quickly sold out in its inaugural year.
The story of the Flying Press begins when the vineyard was still growing and Hawk Haven owners Todd and Kenna Wuerker needed to borrow a wine press from a local vintner in order to help make their dream of a winery a reality.
While making the trip, a bump in the road literally caused the press to take flight. The press became unhitched, took off on its own along the highway and eventually shot out of its trailer and flew through the air. Then, it came crashing down and shattered into pieces along the roadway. Each part was picked up and pieced back together. After many hours, the press was almost as good as new.
The Flying Press still crushes grapes and brings a reminder that life, just like the best bottle of wine, is always full of surprises.