Process & Prices

Bravo Bottling Fees, Charges, Policies, Terms & Conditions as of January 1, 2011

Price: Bravo’s price for bottling is the aggregate of the Bottling Service Charge, the Set-Up Fee, Line Change Fees (if applicable), Overtime Charges (if applicable), Filter Charges, and Specialty Bottling Charges (if applicable), which are as follows:

1.  Bottling Service Charge:

Full service  — rinse, sparge, fill, close (cork and foil, or screw cap) and label — $2.00 per case.

or

Limited service – bottling shiners and/or labeling/foiling shiners — $1.75 per case.

The minimum Bottling Service Charge for one day is $2,000.00.  Alternatively, if a bottling line speed of 175 cases an hour cannot be maintained due to conditions not in Bravo’s control (such as foaming wine, or unusual bottle shapes), Bravo shall be entitled to a minimum Bottling Service Charge of $200.00 per bottling hour (not including set-up time).  A normal bottling day should result in approximately 1,600 cases bottled. Cases are billed as 12 bottles per case for 750ML and 375ML and 6 bottles per case for 1.5L.

2.  Set-Up Fee:  $350.00  applicable to the first day of bottling at each new location.

3.  Line Change Fees:  There is no charge for the first line change (i.e. changing wines and/or bottles).   For each line change beyond the first, there is a line change fee of $225.00 each.  (Changing wine and bottles at the same time is only one line change.)

4.  Overtime Charges:  There is an overtime charge of $200.00 per hour for bottling services beyond eight hours per day (not including Bravo’s set-up time).   Overtime charges are imposed at the discretion of Bravo’s on-site bottling manager and may be waived in appropriate circumstances.

5.  Filter Charges:  Filters used in bottling the Client’s wine are charged to the Client.

6.  Specialty Bottling Charges:  There may be additional charges for bottling unusual bottle shapes or sizes, or for other non-normal bottling that requires additional time, slower bottling line speed or special conditions.   Client should consult with Bravo in advance if non-normal bottling services will be required.

7.  Additional Client Obligations:  Client must provide Bottling Truck Labor as described under Bravo Bottling Terms & Conditions.

Full Service Bottling includes bottle rinsing with compressed air, nitrogen gas, water, or a combination of 2 of those options, as well as vacuum gravity filling, vacuum corking or screw cap application, automatic capsule application, foil spinning, and pressure sensitive labeling.  Automatic case sealing is also provided.

Screw cap application is available in two options, standard application, or a nitrogen drip, which involves dispensing a single drop of liquid nitrogen into each bottle before the cap is placed onto the bottle.  The nitrogen immediately expands as it evaporates, causing most or all residual oxygen to be forced out.

Limited Service Bottling includes either (a) bottling but not labeling, or (b) labeling previously bottled wines.

Bottling Truck Labor: Client shall provide at least 7 workers (8 if using tapered bottles) employed by Client to assist in the bottling process, including one forklift operator with forklift.

Bravo requires 7 winery-supplied personnel (8 if using tapered bottles), including one forklift operator.

If a line speed of 175 cases per hour is not able to be sustained due to matters within Client’s responsibility, hourly rates will prevail.

Cases are billed as 12 bottles per case for 750ML and 375ML and 6 bottles per case for 1.5L.

Electrical:

Bravo requires a dedicated circuit of either a 100 amp 3 phase 240 volt service or a 60 amp 3 phase 480 volt service.

Bravo’s truck carries 100 feet of wire and must be located within 100 feet of power source.

Access:

Bravo utilizes a 48-foot long trailer.  The winery must provide enough room to maneuver the tractor trailer and have a level area approximately 80 feet long and 12 feet wide in which Bravo can set up and bottle.  Bravo must be allowed access should a site survey be required prior to bottling.

Water:

Bravo requires clean potable water supplied with a minimum of 40 PSI and 9 GPM.

Supplies:

Client is expected to have all supplies on site approximately 10 days prior to scheduled bottling.  This includes glass, corks, screw caps, capsules, labels, etc.

NO Re-sterilized Glass Allowed.  These bottles have too great of a size fluctuation and may result in an unsafe working environment, causing damaged equipment and or excessive glass breakage.

Samples of packaging components must be submitted to Bravo four weeks before scheduled bottling.  Bravo is not responsible for any packaging materials that are substandard, unclean or otherwise out of specification.

Client agrees to schedule the delivery of one nitrogen dewer for every 1500 cases when using corks or screw caps.  If using screw caps with the liquid nitrogen drip option, winery agrees to schedule delivery of one additional liquid nitrogen dewer for every 2000 cases.

All labels should be ordered as “outside/right edge leading commonly referred to as “#3 right lead.”   Roll diameter can be 13”, with a core size of 3”.  Maximum Label height is 7.25 inches.

Client should provide label sample to Bravo 30 days prior to the scheduled bottling date.  Client must submit an example for proper label placement.  Heavy glass and large labels sometimes have irregularities due to imperfections in glass and or labels.

When using tapered bottles, it is recommended that Client put front and back labels on separate rolls.

Wines:

All wines must be bottle ready before Bravo’s arrival.  No in-line pad filtration is allowed in series to the bottling truck.  The filtration available in-line with the bottling truck is meant as a last step safety before the wine is bottled and should not to be relied on as a source for primary filtration.

Wines must be at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit before entering the bottling line.  This reduces fill level fluctuation due to expansion and reduces condensation on bottles which interferes with label application.

Filters:

All filters supplied by Bravo are purchased from an unaffiliated filter distributor.  Client acknowledges that Bravo makes no guarantee as to the effectiveness of any filters supplied to Client by Bravo, and Client agrees to waive any and all claims against Bravo with respect to any and all problems arising from the use of any such filters.

Bravo stocks a number of filter cartridges.  However, Bravo does not carry all of them all of the time.  Client is responsible for ordering filters at the time the winery makes its reservation with Bravo.

The Process and Quality Control:

Client is responsible for supplying bottling support personnel.  (7 for normal bottling, 8 for tapered bottles.) That includes one forklift driver.

Client should have the means to hook regulated nitrogen (4PSI) to the wine hose to push wine to the bottling truck at the end of each varietals.

Bravo will revert to an hourly rate for downtimes due to winery related problems.  This includes packaging materials not being provided in a timely fashion, poor wine filtration, shortage of labor, or any other winery operation as it affects the speed of the bottling line.  Hourly rates will also apply should the bottling speed fall below 175 cases per hour due to winery related issues.