custom crushing; custom crush facility

A term used in the United States for the process whereby winemakers without the capital-intensive equipment required for a full-fledged winery can have their grapes vinified at a facility with the necessary equipment in place. Such a location might be a winery producing its own wines that has extra capacity, or a winery operation (known as a custom crush facility) set up specifically to service a number of different winemakers. In either case, each winemaker's wine is processed and marketed separately.