The question put to Justin was simple: what is the single biggest factor behind what a bottle from Freestone costs?
It isn’t the packaging. The answer is the in-house vineyard crew — 12 to 15 employees on the payroll year-round.
That crew comes with retirement, paid holidays, vacation and full benefits, which is far from standard in vineyard labor.
The coastal farming reality: a stretch of Sonoma coast can need up to 35 spray passes in a season, where the Napa Valley floor might need 10.
More passes means more fuel, more hours, more equipment, more crew time — all of it before a single grape is picked.
The takeaway Justin landed on: when you buy that bottle, you’re paying real people a real living.
Worth remembering next time a price tag looks steep — some of that number is a wage, not a markup.
@thebestwinepod
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