Ria’s Wines is a husband-and-wife-owned winery with a vineyard and tasting room in Hector, NY. Since opening a few years ago, they’ve been working with MS Equipment Sales, after a recommendation from a neighboring winery, Damiani Wine Cellars.
Smaller wineries can get by without a forklift for most of the year. Harvest season is different. When September comes around, Ria’s rents a CLARK forklift with a rotating bin-dumping attachment to move grapes from the vineyard into production.
We sat down with co-owner and winemaker Michael Penn to talk about harvest season and why renting makes sense for Ria’s right now.
When is your busy season, and when do you need a forklift most?
“September and October. That’s when we start harvesting the grapes, in September, and then we’re all done harvesting and pressing them usually by the end of October.”
Why rent instead of buying?
“We really need it in the winery for only two months. At some point, we’ll get one year-round, but for now, they make it really easy to rent and deliver for us.”
Would you consider buying a forklift in the future?
“Yes. We have trucks that come in that we load pallets of wine onto, but throughout the year, we just get them to use liftgates. That’s the main reason we would buy one when we grow.”
Have you gotten service done or do you just rent the equipment?
“Last year, there was a hydraulic leak and Kevin [from MS Equipment] talked me through it, and I was able to fix it on my own. But other than that, they arrive maintained, and I try to take care of them and send them back clean and in good shape.”
What would you say the best part about working with MS would be?
“Customer service. Easy to work with. Nice people.”
When asked whether he’d recommend MS to other wineries and agricultural operations, the answer was simple: “Yeah, absolutely.”
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For a growing winery, it doesn’t always make sense to buy a forklift when it may sit idle for ten months. Renting gives Ria’s Wines the equipment they need during harvest, delivered and ready to work.
Planning for next harvest season?
Whether you need a forklift for a few busy months or you’re ready to buy, MS Equipment offers forklift rentals, sales, parts, and service year-round for wineries and agricultural operations across the Finger Lakes and Western New York.
Call today to find the right option for your operation.