What’s your 5 yr winemaking plan??

[mainshipfred]

I do volunteer work at some wineries. Depending on what is going on it's hard work sometimes. Fun picking the winemakers brain plus it's been my in for buying local grapes.

 

[Scooter68]

So we have a few acres that we had horses on..kids get older, # of horses and pastures dwindle. I told my wife we need to do something with the land besides just mowing it..She vetoed cattle, sweet corn and other ideas...so my son said what about grapes & wine?...so here we are. Planted Marquette and Cayuga last year, Noiret and Chambourcin to plant this year. A brewer friend wants me to plant hops. So while I'm waiting for them to mature, I built a winemaking area and 240 bottle wine rack. Took a class and have done 4 kits so far and I just ordered some Chilean Juice.....having fun so far, we'll see how far it takes us!

I see one SERIOUS problem with your plan so far. ONLY 240 bottle rack? Man that's small - I have about 90 bottles on my rack and I am really small timing it. My batches are never larger than 3 gallons. Think you need to triple that rack space.

Seriously you are off to a good start but you really do need a larger rack. AND space for storing aging wine and empty bottles - if you don't have that already. m I'll be looking forward to reports the first season your vines kick into production.

 

[Johny99]

Ah something on my mind as I just hit 60. The half acre of vines I have is all I can do with my day job, but as raised above, what about when I retire in a few years? Plant more and go legal as I’ll have more time and as said above, won’t need the money but am not keeping up with drinking and giving away what I make now. Or as others, @krafty, muse, cut back and volunteer again with others....to much to ponder so I think I’ll just finish pruning and taste some more

And Kevin, you had me going with your post. I was afraid I was going to see all your vines ripped out when we visit

 

[AkTom]

My 5 year plan... sell my house (the market is pretty soft right now). Move down to WA, set up my hobby brewery/winery and help Johny drink his wine...

 

[balatonwine]

Winemaking has been in my family blood for over 10 generations and seeing it carried down to the next generation would be a life goal realized.

My father was the first in his family to not become a farmer. And the first to complete HS, and go to college. He even when to graduate school. I also went to graduate school. And now.... I am back farming. Some times these things are not lost. They may just skip a generation or two.

 

[balatonwine]

And Kevin, you had me going with your post. I was afraid I was going to see all your vines ripped out when we visit

I declare temporary insanity, because when I first saw the thread on April 1st I could not resist.

Besides, with my current insanity, and escalation of commitment, I would never ripe out my vineyards.

 

[baron4406]

This year I plan on planting 10 vines each of 3 hybrids, probably Marquette, Noriet, and not sure about the third. Then I'm gonna steal another member's plan and propagate the vines over the next few years. I have room in my yard for around 80 to 100 vines but I'd better 1. Get more friends who drink wine and 2. retire to take care of that many vines if i plant that many.

 

[Scooter68]

This year I plan on planting 10 vines each of 3 hybrids, probably Marquette, Noriet, and not sure about the third. Then I'm gonna steal another member's plan and propagate the vines over the next few years. I have room in my yard for around 80 to 100 vines but I'd better 1. Get more friends who drink wine and 2. retire to take care of that many vines if i plant that many.

Yup! You don't want to be doing this solo:

 

[JohnT]

Sorry,

I got this stuck in my head right now....

Tear drops on the city, Bad @Scooter68 searching for his groove
Seem like the whole world walking pretty and you can't find the room to move
Well, everybody better move over, that's all
'Cause I'm running on the bad side and I got my back to the wall

 

[balatonwine]

Yup! You don't want to be doing this solo:

When working solo, you just need some really cool gadgets proper tools for the job :

 

[Mcjeff]

I see one SERIOUS problem with your plan so far. ONLY 240 bottle rack? Man that's small - I have about 90 bottles on my rack and I am really small timing it. My batches are never larger than 3 gallons. Think you need to triple that rack space.

Seriously you are off to a good start but you really do need a larger rack. AND space for storing aging wine and empty bottles - if you don't have that already. m I'll be looking forward to reports the first season your vines kick into production.

Thanks for the encouragement. I did build a jig for the wine rack. It’s ready to go to make more when I need it. Next plan for the winemaking area is shelves/racking area for the carboys

 

[mainshipfred]

I see one SERIOUS problem with your plan so far. ONLY 240 bottle rack? Man that's small - I have about 90 bottles on my rack and I am really small timing it. My batches are never larger than 3 gallons. Think you need to triple that rack space.

I built my rack to hold 320 bottles. Just over a year into it and once last spring and fall are ready to bottle I'm full. I'm not ever sure I have enough space right now for my spring carboys.

 

[Scooter68]

Thanks for the encouragement. I did build a jig for the wine rack. It’s ready to go to make more when I need it. Next plan for the winemaking area is shelves/racking area for the carboys

Yeah that rack for the carboys is important. If you invest in an AIO no problem but for some of us getting the carboys moved can be an issue. BUT on the scale you are looking at, a pump or AIO is your best bet. Get the rack height right for working on them.

 

[Johny99]

When working solo, you just need some really cool gadgets proper tools for the job :

Do you think the vine knows it’s not being individually cared for by a human? I do.

 

[Scooter68]

Do you think the vine knows it’s not being individually cared for by a human? I do.

In a vineyard this large are any humans touching the vines, the grapes etc at anytime? I know that doesn't mean it isn't good wine but, somehow there's something about 'hands on' somewhere along the way. Otherwise it's sorta like white bread, it's just there with no particular personality.

 

[wrongway]

I am very new to wine making and about 6 years from retiring but yet would like to work or better run a winery with very good country wines.
I know I am new to this hobby but I just cant see myself ever getting bored with wine making. Would be awesome if there was a local winery that I could work or volunteer at! Cheers Everyone.
.

 

[JamesGrape]

With three carboys in the wine room looking pretty my wife is ready to go commercial, lol. I am blessed in so many ways. If the stars align I may do that in late 2019. Or perhaps in 2021. I am probably different in that for me business planning is a multi-year round trip. I start with dirt and build a suitable and attractive multi-use commercial building. At the end of the cycle I sell the business and lease or sell the building. There is typically more money made in the sale of the building than the sale of the business. If I don’t find the right dirt it’s a no-go. But I have a location and an urban winery in a small but affluent community could be a very “social“ businesss that we might enjoy for quite some time. It’s nothing I have to do, but it’s quite possible and even likely. My wife is ready - and that’s beyond huge.

 

[tjgaul]

I'm just a few years out from retirement myself, but I'm ramping up. So far I'm into this about 2 years and 20+ batches, mostly kits, plus some fruit wines. The ticket below is what started it all for me. A 25 winery tour around Seneca Lake (Finger Lakes in NYS) that opened my eyes to the joy of wine. I've been keeping the carboys full, but I'm also allowing the wine to bulk age sufficiently (reds more so than whites). Last spring I planted an assortment of 26 vines, mostly hybrids. So my 5 year plan is to continue making kits for at least 2 more seasons and then transition to making wine from grapes. I have begun to focus primarily on the big kits and expect that I will continue them even after I have my own grapes to make the varieties that aren't accessible in my region. I fully anticipate growing my participation in this hobby until I am too old and weak to lift a full 6 gal carboy . . . . and then I'll switch to 3 gal carboys!

 

[mainshipfred]

I'm just a few years out from retirement myself, but I'm ramping up. So far I'm into this about 2 years and 20+ batches, mostly kits, plus some fruit wines. The ticket below is what started it all for me. A 25 winery tour around Seneca Lake (Finger Lakes in NYS) that opened my eyes to the joy of wine. I've been keeping the carboys full, but I'm also allowing the wine to bulk age sufficiently (reds more so than whites). Last spring I planted an assortment of 26 vines, mostly hybrids. So my 5 year plan is to continue making kits for at least 2 more seasons and then transition to making wine from grapes. I have begun to focus primarily on the big kits and expect that I will continue them even after I have my own grapes to make the varieties that aren't accessible in my region. I fully anticipate growing my participation in this hobby until I am too old and weak to lift a full 6 gal carboy . . . . and then I'll switch to 3 gal carboys!

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Then go to ones, you don't ever have to stop!

 

[VillaVino]

Yup! You don't want to be doing this solo:
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How do those electric clippers work? How long does the charge last?