Loss of Wine Quality from Processing Delays and Oxidation

5–10% of seasonal juice/wine volume is lost to oxidation, downgraded quality, and rework, translating into roughly $250,000–$750,000 per harvest for a mid‑size winery producing $5–$15M of wine annually. • Corrective actions on compromised lots (extra fining, racking, filtration, and downgraded sales channels) easily burn 5–10% of the lot’s value, often amounting to $100,000–$300,000 per harvest for a mid‑size operation when aggregated across affected wines.

The production scheduler informally reprioritizes loads using whiteboards, clipboards, walkie‑talkies, and ad‑hoc Excel sheets while coordinating by phone/WhatsApp with vineyard and cellar crews to decide which lots to chill, which to leave on the pad, and which to push through the line out of sequence. • The QC technician samples tanks manually, logs results in spreadsheets or LIMS-lite tools, and then emails or calls cellar and scheduling staff with ad‑hoc recommendations for additions, racking, blending, or downgrading lots.