The new Sugarloaf Crush facility in Kenwood is built with all the modern amenities of an ultra-premium winery, home to prestigious brands, but not built for any one brand, winery, or winemaker.

“We’re a fully specialized custom crush facility,” says General Manager Ronald Du Preez, “We’re not a winery that’s leasing out extra space; there’s no existing brand that puts our clients in the background. We actually want our clients to be the face of Sugarloaf Crush.”

Sugarloaf Crush focuses on the ultra-premium segment of the wine business and attracts artisanal winemakers that are looking for the highest level of quality and service to craft their stellar wines. Du Preez says, “What we are able to provide here is access to all of the most technologically advanced winemaking tools, such as a state-of-the-art processing line used by some of the most prestigious wineries like Opus One, Vineyard 29, and William Selyem. A smaller producer starting in the business would not generally make such a large capital investment.”

However, having all the best equipment including Vaslin Bucher Oscyllis destemmers with vibrating berry sorting tables, an optical sorter, bladder and basket presses, peristaltic pumps, and fully jacketed, TankNet controlled fermenters, is only the first step. The second is a strong commitment to service and quality.

“Great service is knowing what your client needs even before they ask for it,” says Du Preez, “That’s the level of service we strive to provide our clients, and obviously that comes with an extremely well-trained staff.”

Sugarloaf Crush has two experienced winemakers on staff that review client work orders before cellar staff execute them. “It’s an extra level of service and quality control, so if something doesn’t look right, we can contact the client to get it right, and they can be assured that their wines are treated with the utmost care,” says Du Preez.

An innovative feature of the facility that makes the custom crush process more efficient and transparent is Innovint, a cloud-based wine and order tracking system. Du Preez explains, “The clients write their own work orders within this very simple and user-friendly system. The work order is placed in the tracking system, and as our staff completes the work in the cellar, it is logged in realtime, and notifications are pushed through to the client’s app.

“They can see that their grapes are being processed at that time, that they’re in this particular tank, they have real-time access to all their lot and analysis information.”

Another unique opportunity that Sugarloaf Crush will provide its custom crush clients is the use of a commercial kitchen and dining rooms for entertaining wine guests, distributor partners, or hosting a wine club pick up party. In contrast to many other custom crush facilities housed in industrial warehouse space, Sugarloaf occupies a traditional winery setting and overlooks the beautiful Sonoma Valley, providing the right atmosphere and experience for the consumer to match with the high-quality wines produced there.

“The option to host events here is an extension of our desire to provide the best possible service and make our clients feel that Sugarloaf is just as much their winery as it is ours,” says Du Preez.

For more information visit www.sugarloafcrush.com or contact Ronald Du Preez.

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Ideally situated in in Sonoma Valley—just 45 minutes from the heart of Napa Valley and a short drive from the Russian River AVA—Sugarloaf Crush (SLC) provides the latest equipment, cutting-edge technology, and a dedicated, experienced team to deliver ultra-premium winemaking for a wide range of clients in the heart of California wine country.

Founded in 2016, SLC has assembled a winning combination of precision production equipment and tailored processes designed for crafting premium wines from all varieties. In 2019, SLC opened the doors of its spectacular, 7,000-foot Hospitality Center, complete with by-appointment tasting room, thoughtfully designed private tasting suites with indoor and outdoor seating, and a superbly appointed large-event space with class-two commercial kitchen.

“We’re located in a beautiful location between two mountain ranges with vineyards out in front of the property,” explains Ronald Du Preez, Sugarloaf Crush General Manager. “We offer the absolute best in custom winemaking for discerning clients, along with great hospitality and that classic wine country feel.”

Sugarloaf Crush is outfitted with a comprehensive range of quality production equipment and facility enhancements that include:

• A cold room for immediate reception of off-loaded fruit;
• A Carlsen vibrating cluster sorting table that extracts hard raisins and MOG prior to destemming;
• An Oscillys 200 destemmer with variable roller-width settings for the near perfect berry selection
• A post-destemming sorting table from Vaslin-Bucher integrated with a WECO optical sorter

Sugarloaf Cush offers two, four, six, eight and ten-ton fermentation tank options to accommodate a full range of production needs, with the goal to support clients crafting smaller lots of high-end fruit. The facility was designed with flexibility in mind.

For tank transfer, destemmed berries can be moved via stainless-steel bin dumping or peristaltic pump. All tanks are TankNet-controlled with hot and cold glycol capabilities.

Additionally, three separate barrel rooms provide a variety of heating, cooling and humidity settings to keep barrels in perfect condition throughout the lifecycle of individual wines.

InnoVint winery management software ties the operation together and ensures everyone is on the same page, with real-time access and processing updates facilitating clear communication between crew and clients, 24/7.

Because direct sales are an essential part of every fine wine equation, SLC recently opened its onsite Hospitality Center for member clients. Featuring a by-appointment tasting room, separate indoor/outdoor suites for private tastings, and a commercial kitchen with all the gourmet bells and whistles required for next-level entertaining, the Center is a key draw for those looking for a complete custom crush service offering.

For facility tours and more information, go to www.sugarloafcrush.com.

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“Sugarloaf Crush offers a top-of-the-line production environment, but the added hospitality services are the clincher,” says winemaker Ted Weisser, who makes his Satyre brand at Sugarloaf and is now spearheading the new Sonoma Vintners Studio at Sugarloaf Crush.

Set to open June 1, the Sonoma Vintners Studio is a 2,800-square-foot tasting lounge featuring clean, modern lines and a sought-after selection of pours from premium labels crushing at the facility. Guests will be invited to sample featured client wines in a variety of formats. “The focus will be on seated reserve tastings,” says Weisser, “but we will be open for walk-ins as well.”

The Studio is equipped with a state-of-the-art wine preservation system that allows hosts to pour a variety of artisan wines from Sugarloaf Crush’s participating clients at any time. A Sonoma Vintners Studio Wine Club will package a curated selection of wines from participating brands for a truly unique offering for visitors.

In addition to the tasting lounge, the hospitality center comes equipped with private event rooms for entertaining VIP guest, writers, and wine club members, or for meeting with distributors. The facility also includes a commercial-grade kitchen allowing for food- and wine-pairing possibilities.

“The Sonoma Vintners Studio gives the growing, premium brands at Sugarloaf a chance to expand their direct-to-consumer sales channel,” says Weisser. “We contemplated building a tasting room for Satyre, but the costs were prohibitive, so being part of the collective tasting room is a great opportunity.”

Once opened, the Studio will offer guests the full luxury winery experience on the doorstep of Santa Rosa, and will be open for regular tasting-room hours. Its location—set amidst a three-acre vineyard, landscaped lawn and terrace area—is also adjacent to the production facility, making winery tours possible, as well.

Sugarloaf Crush is currently home to 26 artisan wine brands, and those with separate tasting rooms may use the Studio as a second location or for special events or tastings. Sugarloaf Crush will manage all staffing and promotion for the Sonoma Vintners Studio.

“It’s difficult to sell consumers on the kind of premium wines made at Sugarloaf Crush without offering the full winery experience they’ve become accustomed to,” notes Weisser. “The Sonoma Vintners Studio gives our clients the opportunity to make that connection with consumers without having to build, manage, and promote their own destination.”

Sugarloaf Crush recently expanded its capacity, installing additional tanks. The winery currently has limited space to take on additional clients for 2018 crush. To learn more visit www.sugarloafcrush.com or contact General Manager Ronald Du Preez at info@slcrush.com.

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Sugarloaf Wine Co. is thrilled to announce the launch of its Rosé Flight — a vibrant new tasting experience celebrating the elegance and versatility of rosé wines. Priced at just $20, this curated flight features four distinct pours, including both still and sparkling varieties, thoughtfully selected to please every palate.

Whether you're a seasoned wine enthusiast or simply looking to explore something new, the Rosé Flight offers a refreshing and approachable way to enjoy one of wine’s most beloved styles in a relaxed, welcoming setting.

Come sip, savor, and discover your new favorite rosé at Sugarloaf Wine Co.

Centrally situated 45 minutes from both Napa Valley and the Russian River in the heart of Sonoma Valley, Sugarloaf Crush is a state-of-the-art winemaking and hospitality center designed with premier, small-lot producers in mind. Sugarloaf’s superb location and best-in-class equipment make it an ideal locale for producing all varietals, from ultra-premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Napa Cabernet. Established in 2016, the winery and team build on this foundation with the latest technological integrations to offer full-service grape-to-glass operations that have set a new standard in custom crush winemaking.

In addition to a hard-working and passionate crew, Sugarloaf provides a comprehensive range of production equipment and tailored processes designed for the production of acclaimed wines from the arrival of fruit, including a cold-room for immediate reception of off-loaded fruit; a Carlsen vibrating cluster sorting table that extracts hard raisins and MOG prior to destemming; an Oscillys 200 destemmer with three roller-width settings to gently reduce jacks and allow for near-perfect whole-berry destemming; and a post-destemming mechanical sorting table from Vaslin Bucher, providing slotted vibration and integration of a sought-after WECO optical sorter, to ensure that only perfect berries make it into tanks.

For tank transfer, clients have the option to transfer destemmed berries via stainless-steel bin dumping or peristaltic pump, if a little more breakage is needed. All tanks are TankNet-controlled with hot and cold glycol capabilities, and three separate barrel rooms offer a variety of heating, cooling and humidity settings to keep your barrels in perfect condition throughout a wine’s lifecycle. InnoVint winery management software ties the operation together, ensuring real-time updates and communications between crew and clients. 

Completing the berry-to-bottle process and facilitating sales to consumers, Sugarloaf Crush also has a tasting room, hospitality suites, and class-two commercial kitchen at clients’ disposal. Hospitality space comprising 7,000 square feet boasts contemporary furnishings and custom finishes, with several uniquely designed lounges, indoor and outdoor music streaming capabilities, and a welcoming fireplace. From private tastings to upscale events, Sugarloaf’s modern and climate-controlled facility is the perfect location for small and large gatherings alike. 

To arrange for an appointment to preview Sugarloaf’s custom winemaking and hospitality center, contact: 

Ronald du Preez at info@slcrush.com or (707) 244-4883

Sugarloaf Wine Co. is excited to welcome back its Sunday summer concert series, kicking off June 8 and continuing every other Sunday through September. Sugarloaf will host live music, local vendors, and an inviting atmosphere where guests can enjoy wine, food, and good company. Lawn chairs are welcome, and the views and vibes are always free.

Founded in 2016, Sugarloaf Wine Co. is a custom crush tasting room that highlights a selection of wines from a host of local winemakers. The tasting room offers guests a chance to explore small-batch, locally crafted wines in an approachable setting. Conveniently located right off historic Highway 12, Sugarloaf has become a community hub offering breathtaking views, cozy outdoor spaces and a welcoming environment making it a favorite gathering spot for both locals and visitors.

This year, Sugarloaf is also introducing food offerings. Guests can now enjoy a California cheese plate loaded with local artisan cheeses or a Wine Country meat board featuring premium regional meats, perfect pairings for a glass of wine and good times.  

Sugarloaf welcomes all inquiries and encourages guests to reach out with questions or to schedule a tasting. Tyler@sugarloafwineco.com

Sugarloaf Crush in Santa Rosa has expanded its hospitality program with a wine-paired brunch and the Press Democrat has the story.

“[O]ne of the things you don’t think about when you’re in the throes of making wine is what it will take to sell that bottle in three to four years,” Ronald Du Preez said. “That why Joe and I decided we wanted to be the first to build a custom-crush studio that focused not just on equipment and customer service, but also offered a space for winemakers to host wine tastings, pickup parties and private events.”

Taste Rare Small-Production Wines at Sonoma?s Custom Crush Facilities

Guests can see the work in action, meet one-on-one with winemakers and explore rare wines they might never find otherwise.

Since 2016, Sugarloaf Crush has put together a winning combination of stellar production equipment and tailored processes designed to create ultra-premium wines of all varieties. As the winemaking community eagerly anticipates California’s full reopening sometime this summer, Sugarloaf Crush is prepared for client-hosted tastings and event opportunities on property. 

“Our expertise lies in small-lot production and custom winemaking. With fermentation tanks in a range of sizes and specialized technology, we are able to customize our practices to fit clients’ specific needs. Onsite barrel storage and bottling capabilities reduce complications for member wineries, while our state-of-the-art tasting room allows for clients to develop direct relationships with their clientele,” explains Ronald Du Preez, Sugarloaf Crush General Manager. “It’s a huge benefit that we’re able to offer TankNet and InnoVint technologies to ensure stellar temperature control and complete transparency to our clients throughout the entire winemaking process. We’re continuing to provide no-cost upgrades to make sure our equipment, processes and services remain cutting edge.”

Sugarloaf Crush is outfitted with a comprehensive range of production equipment and facility enhancements that include:

• 10’ sorting table
• 50 and 100 HL Vaslin-Bucher Bladders press options
• Basket Presses, Carlsen and Vaslin Bucher
• Fruit delivery all via vibrating hopper, pre-destemmer sorting table and post-destemming mechanical berry sorting table
• Destemming by a Vaslin-Bucher 200 Oscillys destemmer
• We use a WECO Optical Sorter for the ultimate perfect berry in tank
• Transfer to tank via stainless steel dump bins or
• A Vaslin Bucher Perstalic pumps
• Air pumps of various sizes for pump-overs
• Waukesha pumps
• Open top tanks, with increments of 2-,4- and 6-ton sizes
• Larger lot tanks with 8- and 12-ton capabilities
• All tanks are TankNet controlled with hot and cold glycol

Sugarloaf was an early adopter of InnoVint, a winery management software program that tracks workflow from bud break to bottle. Du Preez notes that Sugarloaf Clientele has the option to add an accounting module to the base software Sugarloaf Crush hosts.

“We’re pleased that our clients are able to have this cost tracking functionality module within InnoVint as an added benefit from the software the facility uses,” Du Preez confirms. “Wines are made in the vineyards, and to allow clients to spend more time away from their desks is an added benefit for all.”

Du Preez is enthused to announce that the onsite Sugarloaf Crush Hospitality Center is able to resume operations for member wineries and their preferred clientele.

The Hospitality Center features a public tasting room, separate suites for private tastings and a commercial kitchen to prepare bites during normal tasting hours. Sugarloaf Clientele have the option to host catered lunches or dinners as well as large events entertaining up to 200 guests at the facility.

The tasting room lounges offer indoor/outdoor flexibility as well as multiple music streaming capabilities. The 7000-square-foot Center is designed with contemporary furnishings and custom finishes, as well as a welcoming fireplace and climate-controlled spaces for an ultimate, wine tasting hospitality experience.

Tastings and events are set up through Sugarloaf Crush member clients. For more information, go to www.sugarloafcrush.com.

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Located in the heart of Sonoma County, our beautifully modern crush facility doubles as an upscale event venue. From intimate, private tastings to large-scale events, our hospitality wing allows our custom crush clients to interact directly with consumers and facilitates the development of a retail clientele. As we have seen over the past year, these relationships are vital—wineries have been hurting from a lack of tasting room sales, but are benefiting from the relationships made at previous visits to sell their products online. Sugarloaf clients are able to utilize our hospitality space to build and expand these relationships, developing connections that can support their business over the years.

Our spacious Grand Room offers views of Trione-Annadel State Park and provides your guests with plenty of seating for a casual gathering. Looking for something a bit smaller and more private? Book one of our suites for your next meeting or private tasting. Want to enjoy the great outdoors? Host an indoor/outdoor event and navigate your guests from our lawn into the Grand Room. Our hospitality team is here to work with you and ensure your event meets and exceeds all expectations.

Join us! Capacity available for 2021 Harvest. Contact info@slcrush.com

Sugarloaf Crush was designed from day one with the premier, small-lot producer in mind. From the location in the beautiful Sonoma Valley to the state-of-the-art equipment and technological integration, Sugarloaf has set a new standard in custom crush winemaking. With multiple presses, a broad range of small-lot fermentation tanks, on-site barrel storage and bottling, and a tasting room with event permits, we want our clients to feel as though this is their winery, not someone else’s.

Sugarloaf Crush provides a true grape-to-glass pipeline for our clients: clients will have access to our database system to view their real-time inventory and work orders. With efficiency-integrated and multiple-process capability at the SLC facility, client wines are processed as soon as possible. Every client is a priority, and our ultimate objective is to provide a stress-free winemaking process for you.

For more information, please visit our website sugarloafcrush.com or contact us at info@slcrush.com.