People who love drinking wine may have toyed with the idea of growing their own grapes and starting their own winery. But most stop pursuing the idea when they realise that they would need to have a large field of grapes before they can start making wine.
Although that may be true and starting a winery has its difficulties, if you really want to make your own wine, you shouldn’t let a few hurdles stop you. If you’re serious about becoming a winemaker, here are a few tips.
Start with a location
If you’ve done some research on grapes and winery, you’ll know that grapes grow better in places where summers are warm (not hot), and the winters are short. Frost can ruin your grapes, so make sure that the location you have in mind has short winters to avoid frost.
Also, the soil must be good for growing grapes. Experts say sandy loam is the best kind of soil for growing grapes.
Choose the kind of grapes you want to grow
You have to do more research on this one. The kind of grapes you want should match the kind of soil you have and here is where it gets difficult. Before you go further, you have to decide first which one to prioritise.
If you already found a location with a particular soil, then you should look for grapes that would match your soil. But if you haven’t found a location, you can start choosing the kind of grapes you want to grow first then look for soil that will match your grapes.
It’s not as simple as it sounds because the kind of grapes you have will lead to the kind of wine you’ll be making. The most famous kind of grapes for winemaking is Vitis vinifera. These are often used to make Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Next is Vitis labrusca, which is commonly found in American wines. Vitis rotundifolia, meanwhile, is often used as a dessert wine.
If you have a certain preference for the wine you want to make, then you should look for the right kind of grapes. Also, make sure you have the proper equipment to store your grapes in when it’s time to harvest. Large plastic bins will do if you’re starting out because they’re cheap and abundant.
Come up with a financial plan
After you’ve done your research, found a location and chosen the grapes you want to grow, it’s time to come up with a budget and a way to fund your business before it starts to make a profit. You should know that starting a winery is expensive and you’ll have to wait for three or more years before you start profiting from your winemaking business.
With that in mind, you should find some way to ensure that you’ll have ample funds to support your business in its starting stage. If you don’t have a huge war chest to finance yourself, you might want to look into finding a partner who will be willing to invest in your business.
You can also add some business ventures to your winery so that you’re earning a little while your winemaking business is it’s in beginning stages. Some experts say that opening a wine tour of your winery is a great way not just to have a small business on the side but also to advertise your winery to potential customers.
