Alternating Proprietor (AP Vintner) Program
Many small to medium winemakers choose to be licensed as Alternating Proprietors (AP Vintners) at our facility rather than contract for custom crush services to take advantage of marketing opportunities of remote wine tasting rooms and national distribution as well as the “small producer tax credit”. We further understand for many Vintners and their winemakers that control and direct involvement in the wine making process is paramount. Vintners at Terravant Wine Company who are licensed as APs have unprecedented operating control of their wine making processes. Our goal is to provide the wine processing infrastructure that makes you more efficient and provides the ultimate in wine making control. We can do this in a cost effective manner while meeting your capacity requirements as you grow your brand.
The following outlines key provisions of our AP Vintner program, click the [+] symbol to learn more:
Unlimited facility access
AP Vintners will have full access to the production facility. While security is priority at Terravant Wine Company, AP Vintners will be provided an access card which allows unlimited access to the facility during standard working hours. Afterhour’s access can be provided with minimal notice.
Active Involvement
First and foremost, you are the Winemaker. AP Vintners and your in-house winemakers are encouraged to be actively involved in the winemaking process. We hope that you will be onsite from the beginning as grapes are received and real time decisions are made by you about handling of the grapes. Do you want to reject some of the fruit? Do you need to cluster sort? Do you need post destemming sort? At what point do you want to separate free run from press based upon your tasting of the wine? You will be able to taste every barrel as well as approve all topping wine. You are in control of the wine making process and you decide how active you want to be. While we obviously can’t let you drive forklifts or push buttons, our cellar team is there to respond to your needs.
Documented Specifications
The first level of AP Vintner control is to provide a detailed plan of how your wine is to be made. This is done in conjunction with Winemaker, Alan Phillips. The specifications are a blue print for the process so we all know the game plan. However, we of course realize that winemaking is an art form and changes in the plan will ultimately prevail. But you will be going into harvest knowing that we understand your requirements and how you want the wine made.
No Need for Cellar Employees
AP Vintners will no longer need their own cellar employees or contract workers since we will provide all labor related to the wine making process. Our staff is directed by you and your in-house winemaker and you no longer need to be burdened by work force issues.
Optimal winemaking scheduling
We will do all we can to meet your specific scheduling requirements for processing. In fact, we should be able to schedule your processing with more flexibility than you currently have given the capacity and cellar-worker resources of Terravant. If you decide some immediate action is required to optimize your wine, we will do everything we can to make it happen.
Capacity availability provides control.
We provide AP Vintners more control by insuring that they have the processing capacity when they need it. Whether that is access to our multiple of presses, increased tank capacity, or immediate cold stabilization and bottling, you have more control than if you were working with limited processing resources.
Additional Cellar Resources
Our facility has been designed to be highly automated and efficient which really minimizes required cellar staffing. Our staff will be highly trained and professional to match the sophistication of the equipment. This provides the AP Vintner more control because you do not need to be concerned about having enough qualified labor available to process your wine. We can assure that whatever cellar staffing is required will be redundant so you never need to worry about a lack of control do to cellar workers.
Control through online access, 24/7
We have created a customized online monitoring system for you to be able to monitor your winemaking activities in real time, 24/7. You can log on from any internet access point with your unique login user name and password and view your unique cellar configuration. This includes monitoring temperatures of each tank, viewing current analysis and the ability to do trial bends. You will also have access to our camera security system that will allow you remote access to camera’s positioned through-out the facility to view in real time current activities. So not only will we be monitoring your wine, but you will have access from anywhere in the world at any time. How is that for control?
Terravant Supervision assures quality
While AP Vintners maintain total control of the winemaking process and have state of the art monitoring capacities, you can rest assured that your cellar team is monitoring your wine as if it was their own. So if you need to fly to New York to meet with distributers, take your spouse on a vacation, or simply get a full night’s sleep, you can be confident that we are monitoring every aspect of your wine and will notify you if we perceive that action in the form of a change order is appropriate. Our state of the art lab will be providing monthly reports of your current analysis as we closely watch your wines.
Control through Work Orders
As your wine is processed there will of course be deviations from the initial specification. You can specify those changes in a variety of ways. You can do those on site by telling authorized cellar personnel of the change, who then in real time documents those changes in writing for formal approval; or, you can go on-line and specify changes 24/7 from anywhere in the world; finally, you can simply call our facility or any of our authorized cellar personnel and verbally communicate your new specifications which will then be formally documented by us so we all have a record of your direction. So you have immediate and total control 24/7 to initiate work orders to your wine making process.
State of the Art Wine Making Technologies enhance your wine
AP Vintners have more control over their winemaking processes because we have processing technology that helps you make better wine. Whether that is pressing grapes in nitrogen charged pneumatic presses, cross flow filtration, Stars tartrate removal, VA removal or alcohol reduction, or simple better in-house lab analysis to provide better information, our technology is a resource to assist you in providing more control to make better wines.
Contract Structure and Compliance assures accurate reporting
AP Vintners at Terravant can rest assured that they will remain in TTB and ABC compliance with their winemaking activities at Terravant. Our in-house compliance staff will help prepare your filings and our contract with you and related filings will be reviewed and approved by Compli Specialist and its principal Rachael Dumas.
Public wine tasting room at Avant Tapas and Wine provides brand development options
Being licensed as an AP provides Vintners the opportunity to have their own wine tasting facility. AP Vintners at Terravant Wine Company also have the opportunity to have their wines represented publically at Avant Tapas and Wine, overlooking the scenic Santa Ynez River and Santa Rita Hills. Also, we provide AP Vintners with private Wine Tasting facilities for private events or distributor tastings. With the promotion of Avant Tapas and Wine both with consumers and distributors, AP Vintners have more marketing options.