# To Dream Big



## grapeman (May 22, 2007)

I've always had a favorite spot I dream about to start a vineyard and Winery. In spite of it being in a cold climate(relatively) this spot has everyting going for it. Right on a large lake(sixth largest in the US), secluded yet ideally situated. Southwest slope 5-8 percent with convectional winds most days of the year. Located on a point in the lake by a huge bay. Soils are well drained yet very fertile. Population of largest city with 1 hour travel- 1.8 million. This is a tourist town.


Oh to dream, but land never comes up for sale there. Today I was out there and noticed there is a good size piece of land for sale- 60 plus acres. Asking price is only $800K. Anybody want to go into the wine business with me?







All I have is a grainy picture for now, but oh what a view. Imagine 50 acres of vineyard with a beautiful Post and Beam Chalet for sales........


















Who wants to dream big with me?


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## JWMINNESOTA (May 22, 2007)

Appleman, I checked my bank account, looks like I have $2.50 free this month, Count me In !


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## JimCook (May 22, 2007)

*slaps on a green visor and tends to his adding machine, spending some time with a look of consternation, button mashing, and streams of tape before handing JW his certificate for 0.000002 shares (rounded up for his benefit)*
- Jim


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## chevyguy65 (May 22, 2007)

Lets see...800,000-51% (so you can keep the majority of the business)=$392,000


divided by (748 forum members)= $524.06 each


12 payments @ $43.67 each= wine for life?


Im in!!!!


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## Wade E (May 22, 2007)

Chalet for sales? Your gonna sell it, I thought you were just going to drink it all!


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## jobe05 (May 22, 2007)

Well............ Were do I send the check? Make it out to????????


And hey, if it bounces, let me know and I'll apologize and get another one just like it in the mail to ya.






Seriously though..... If there was ever an opportunity for investing in a chalet and vineyard operation, You would be our Best bet Appleman. I think that your ability to understand the in's and out's of the business of vineyard management is without question.


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## grapeman (May 22, 2007)

Oh come on guys, don't think of it as an expense. It could be so much more. There is one of the largest fresh water sand beaches about a mile away, without big crowds. We could even make a few guest rooms for the investors to come for summer vacation on the lake. Montreal an hour away and Burlington across the lake. The there is the winter for skiing, snowmobiling, icefishing.etc. I could go on and on- not even mentioning wine for life!


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## GrapeApe (May 22, 2007)

Mega Millionslottery is @ $25million and the drawing is tonight. I think I can swing $800K for a wine making buddy. Chances of winning the jackpot are 1 in 175,711,536, but I have a dollar and a dream.


What a beautiful piece of land.


GrapeApe.


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## PeterZ (May 22, 2007)

Powerball is at $63 mill, so if SWMBO wins, count us in. I'll handle the design and building for the chalet and guest cottages, you handle the rest.


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## Wade E (May 22, 2007)

Ill do all the cabinets and stairs and framing, youll have to teach me the vine thing though!


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## MikeC (May 22, 2007)

People. What kind of conversation is this. Why start from scratch when you can purchase an entire village in the heart of Italian winemaking country? Complete with its own winery, olive grove, masters villaand Italian girls who will stomp the grapes!


I assume the Italian girls stay in the "huge henhouse".


http://orvietocastle.com/


Avere un giorno bello! 


Oh, I am so in trouble if my wife sees the "henhouse" comment!*Edited by: MikeC *


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## jobe05 (May 22, 2007)

Mike, thats about $6,445,000 us dollars. I'll bet if I gave Appleman $6 million even, he could get the job done, and done well............... however he blew it whith this statement:
"Then there is the winter for skiing, snowmobiling, icefishing.etc." ........................


Nope no winters for me........................... sigh........


However..............................


If I win the $63 million powerball, take the lump sum which would be about $35 mill, then tax of about $12 mill leaves me with about $23 million........... I'd kick in a few million for my summertime use and a few bottles of wine a year.


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## PolishWineP (May 22, 2007)

I've $5. I will be glad to be the resident princess. Every winery needs one, don't then?


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## Trigham (May 22, 2007)

PolishWineP said:


> I've $5. I will be glad to be the resident princess. Every winery needs one, don't then?


 \




Yes I agree we need lots and lots of princesses


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## Wade E (May 22, 2007)

I think we need a bigger Chalet! the crowd is really growing .


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## grapeman (May 23, 2007)

jobe05 said:


> however he blew it whith this statement:
> "Then there is the winter for skiing, snowmobiling, icefishing.etc." ........................
> 
> 
> Nope no winters for me........................... sigh........




Jobe, that statement was for the folks who like the snow and cold(I know I don't like it as well as I used to). This spot stays bright, sunny and warm all year






We do need a resident Princess and perhaps she would even someday be promoted to Queen!


Wade the Chalet does indeed need to be a little larger. Perhaps one for sales and one for a visitor center where we could have a Northern Winestock each year.


I guess this all hinges on if anyone can win a lottery!Wouldn't that be a nice surprise!


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## NorthernWinos (May 23, 2007)

Well...we had a dought last year and with the expense of planting another crop this spring we have empty pockets right now....but I could give you an I.O.U....
I have to buy a lottery ticket for tonight...so we'll talk tomorrow.


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## grapeman (May 23, 2007)

I overheard someone asking NW the other day what she would do if she won the $80,000,000 lottery jackpot. She told them, "Well we would pay off a few small bills and would be able to afford to keep farming for a couple more years." You don't get rich from farming, but the life is good-especially "on de tundra".


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## PeterZ (May 23, 2007)

We don't need to enlarge the Chalet (except the dining room and kitchen), just build LOTS of guest cottages!


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## grapeman (May 23, 2007)

Ok, How about instead of timeshares we come up with some type of "wine shares" You buy in with a certain dollar value and you get a guest cottage reserved for an appropriate amount of time with wine from the cellars. Book some time at harvest and you could help harvest, destem and crush. Come late fall or early winter and do some early pruning. You could be an active member and have some fun, drink some wine and "unwined". I could think of a lot of things to do. All we need is that one big winning lottery ticket!


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## Waldo (May 23, 2007)

So lets all start a pool, pick some numbers and "start the dream"


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## jobe05 (May 23, 2007)

appleman said:


> Book some time at harvest and you could help harvest, destem and crush. Come late fall or early winter and do some early pruning. You could be an active member and have some fun, drink some wine and "unwined". I could think of a lot of things to do. All we need is that one big winning lottery ticket!




Kinda like a "wine school" or "Vineyard Management School"..................


Sounds like a lot of federal or governments grants would be available for such a fine educational facility like that.


I'd be willing to pay my annual tuition fees to learn how to prune or harvest grapes and I couldn't wait to graduate to wine tasting..........


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## Wade E (May 23, 2007)

Sounds good, but who gets to place the first orded with George when we win?


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## grapeman (May 23, 2007)

I'm working on the initial research for proper varieties for around here for such a place as this one. Some of them look very promising. I can't wait to try some wine from a few varieties this year-hopefully 10 or so varieties next year. Boy do I need to thin off a lot of grapes clusters from the young vines this year



. I feel like NW, hating to thin.The LaCosse vines have 25-50 clusters per vine so far. Being this young I don't dare leave but a few clusters per vine to keep the vigor in check.


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## Wade E (May 23, 2007)

Maybe you could wait till theyre ready to be picked to thin out!


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## JWMINNESOTA (May 24, 2007)

Waldo said:


> So lets all start a pool, pick some numbers and "start the dream"




I'm all for that, its always clowns like us....er...nice people like us you here about winning



Get her goin' appleman, you got us all dreamin' now!


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