Champlain Valley - Grapemans' vineyard - Planting to small winery

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OilnH2O said:
EASY for YOU to say, Waldo! You've probably cut your grass already!
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We woke up to zero this morning -- and it's now up to ... 9 !!!


Haven't cut the grass yet Oil but it won't be long. Everything is turning green and starting to bud out.
 
OilnH2O said:
EASY for YOU to say, Waldo! You've probably cut your grass already!
smiley36.gif

We woke up to zero this morning -- and it's now up to ... 9 !!!

You mean people have stopped mowing grass? We mow all year around, it just gets reduced to once every 2 weeks in the cooler months.
 
Rich,

Here is the Tasting Room Design main bullet points.

1) Tell a story

2) Link Tasting Room Decor to marketing objectives and events

3) Rework fixtures / found obiects, Mobile units and paint / storage

4) Paint - cheap & easy to change

5) Invest in Lighting

6) Merchandise frequently /Try new lines - Explore lmpulse items at the POS

7) Train / Dress / Script your staff, get them to own the room

8) Develop a phased Masterplan / Budget that can adapt to trends

9) Track what works

10) Hide the dishwasher / Sink

11) Hire professional design help and skilled trades when you can.

12) Have Adequate HVAC and Electrical

13) Display with a purpose, tell a story with cross selling methods

14) Restock daily Wine / Merchandise

15) Tidy and refold every hour (or every time you get a minute) and dust weekly


One thing not on the list that was mentioned during the Q/A session was the fact that you should absolutely refrain from having anything in the tasting room with a smell of any kind. Don't sell scented candles, soaps or anything of any nature with a scent. Don't burn scented candles. Don't wear strong perfumes, or colognes or lotions that can be smelled or transferred. Any strong scent will make it difficult/impossible to properly smell/taste the wines.

Other possibilities, think about having something like a coat hook on the bar for women to hang up their purses w/o them taking up the entire bar top with them. Also think about installing a bar (foot) rail for the men.
 
Rich, it's gonna be really interesting to watch you add these marketing skills to your growing skills!

I know you already are pleased that now you don't have to ask, "Honey, should we stock these vanilla scented or the burberry candles?" (But I wish I could see that picture!)
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I had to give my presentation today and the Finger Lakes Grape Conference. There were about 200 in attendence. It seemed to be well received by the applause after. I was amazed at the number of people that came up to me, even from some pretty big vineyards and consultants, that commented they really liked my talk.


Afterwards we had a semi-private tasting of my wine and others from the Cornell breeding program and research station on Long Island. We then went to the much larger tasting with about 100 wines from the Finger Lakes. I did a lot of mingling with newly met people and old aquaintances. It was fun.


Tomorrow we have a lot more presentation on economics and in the PM we are covering IPM stuff (integrated pest management). Then I cut out and go visit my ailing brother a few miles awy and spend the night.
 
Rich, I'm "amazed" -- but not that so many people came up to you -- but that you didn't get a standing ovation! The things you contribute here in snippets are golden - so I'm sure a full presentation would be very informative and... fruitful
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BTW, I just put my college-junior daughter on the plane to Rochester this morning (she's on a school service trip) and told her to look for any wines from the "finger lakes region."
 
Sounds like a great event! Just remember us little people a few years down the line when you start winning the big international competitions and open your 10th vineyard ;)
 
Hey, I'm standing and clapping. Does that count??????

Good job Rich

BOB
 
Rich,
That's great!!
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Do they publish the proceedings for this event? I guess I'm a wine geek, because I alway enjoy reading those links you post.
 
They are sending all attendees a cd with all the presentations and supporting material. Maybe they could make it available to others that request them. I will check with the guys and see what they have to say.










The drive back was a trip to and from he$$.............. I have never seen so many overturned cars in my life! Other than the 7 hour drive through snow and ice and then rain, fog and more snow fog and ablizzard, the last four days have been great.
 
Rich, without going back through the archives, how many buds were you trying to leave on the St Pepin? I know you said you had a better crop that was more manageable with 4 Arm. On TWC I ended up with about 1.75 gallons per plant from about 40 buds.
 
40 buds or so is about the max I would leave. I find by spreading those buds between the top cordon(3 buds)and the lower ones (2 buds) that the clusters get bigger. The St Pepin is one of the varieties in my new training system trial with 4 training systems so I can give you a better idea in a couple years. I have been getting around 2 - 2.5 gallons from the St Pepin with around 40 buds so it might make a bit of a difference but not huge.
 
What ph and Brix do you shoot for? I had some really ripe grapes about 4 years ago and they were real strong flavored. Everyone says they can be Reisling like but I don't see it unless I harvest them like my Cayuga, around 18. Last year with the cool summer I had some of the nicest wine I have had from them.
 
I like to harvest them around pH 3.1 and brix about 21.5-22. I wouldn't say they are really like Riesling. They have their own distinct flavors
 
Here are a few more pictures as the tasting room changes a bit. Still a long ways to go before I feel it is "done", if ever. I had a few folks over yesterday for an impromptu wine tasting. Eventually I will make another counter behind the bar instead of the simple table.

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Now if I can ever get rid of the snow........
2-4 more inches today and I can hardly see outside right now!
 

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