We’re crushin’ it

[Editor’s note: According to Gravity Winehouse, custom crush winemaking is “the idea of making wine in a facility with equipment and resources provided by the facility management team.”]

In the Applegate, winemaking is more than an agricultural pursuit—it’s a shared experience, a cultural expression, and, increasingly, a collaborative business model that brings people and a shared passion together. Here, among rolling hills and sun-drenched vineyards, custom crush winemaking has become the heartbeat of a region where community meets commerce and joy is bottled.

The Applegate has long been known for its independent spirit. Small vineyards, family farms, and artisan producers define the landscape. But as interest in winemaking has grown among entrepreneurs, hobbyists, and vineyard owners, so has the need for professional infrastructure that doesn’t require building a full winery from the ground up. Custom crush services have filled that need, offering access to state-of-the-art equipment and seasoned winemakers while allowing clients to focus on what matters most: crafting wines that express their vision.

In the heart of the Applegate, custom crush is not just a transaction—it’s a relationship. Harvest season feels less like a business cycle and more like a family reunion. On any given day, you might find a first-time producer standing beside a veteran vintner, trading winemaking advice and weather forecasts. Labels that compete in tasting rooms often collaborate in the cellar. The result is an ecosystem where success grows not from rivalry, but from shared effort.

Quady North is the valley’s largest winemaking facility, producing Herb Quady’s expressive southern Oregon wines and offering custom winemaking services through Barrel 42. Herb has helped shape the next generation of winemakers by sharing his expertise with emerging brands. Here, mentorship is as valuable as machinery, and the belief runs deep that elevating others strengthens the entire valley.

This same philosophy is embodied by Schmidt Family Vineyards, a four-generation winemaking family whose roots are intertwined with the history of the Applegate itself. For decades, the Schmidts have balanced family and winemaking tradition with community-based business innovation. Cal, Rene, Tasha, Spencer, and Duncan are a wonderful winemaking family celebrating down-to-earth, neighborly values. The Schmidt Family’s custom crush program reflects this heritage, supporting neighbors with small vineyard lots who dream of bottling their own label, while also accommodating larger commercial arrangements that require consistency, scale, and professionalism. Whether it’s a few tons of fruit from a hillside plot or a full-fledged brand in growth mode, every project receives the same thoughtful care, reinforcing the belief in the valley that success is something to be shared.

At the more intimate end of the spectrum, Rachael Martin, at Red Lily Vineyards, captures the soulful side of winemaking. Her smaller-scale, custom crush work showcases not only technical skill but a deep respect for tradition and trust. In a world often defined by complex contracts and maximizing profit, Rachael focuses on the essence of the Applegate, where partnerships are formed with a handshake and a shared belief in great local wine. This attitude is proof that even as the industry evolves, the Applegate remains a place where relationships matter as much as results.

This culture of collaboration has made the region stronger, both economically and creatively. Custom crush services have lowered the barrier to entry, allowing new voices to join the wine conversation without the weight of massive startup costs. Vineyards that once sold fruit anonymously now tell their own stories through their private label bottlings. Entrepreneurs from outside agriculture—chefs, artists, even former tech professionals—find a welcoming pathway into winemaking that is both accessible and sustainable.

But beyond the numbers and logistics, the true magic of custom crush in the Applegate Valley lies in the joy of shared creation. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a group of people—each with their own background, dreams, and challenges—come together around a common purpose: to make something beautiful, something that will be poured at weddings, opened at family tables, and gifted between friends.

In the end, every bottle from the Applegate tells two stories. One is about terroir: the sun, soil, and seasons that shape the grapes. The other is about people: the growers, the winemakers, the mentors, and the neighbors who made it possible. In this corner of southern Oregon, custom crush winemaking has become more than a service. It’s a meeting place for community and commerce and a reminder that the greatest joy in wine often comes not just from drinking it, but from making it together.

Cathy A Rodgers

cathyrodgers55@gmail.com

Photo 1: Schmidt Family Vineyards Head Winemaker, René Brons, filtering a custom crush in the winery. Photo: Britt Storer. 

Photo 2: Winery tanks at the 30,000-square-foot Bottle 42 Custom Crush Facility, sharing the same facility with Quady North Winery on Highway 238. Photo: SB James construction.