Vineyard Planting and Yield
Winegrape vines can produce 1 to 12+ tons per acre when mature, with the optimal range between 3 to 5 tons per acre. Table grapes may produce at higher rates of 8 to 10 tons per acre. Vineyards typically generate between 2 and 10 tons per acre. "You can average 700 to 800 vines per acre," he said. If you have vines 4 feet apart and rows 10 feet apart you will have 1,089 vines per acre.
Costs and Profitability
"It will take about 250 hours of labor to plant 1,000 vines and deer fence could cost $7,000 for a 1-acre perimeter." Napa and Sonoma vineyards cost $250,000-$200,000 per acre, while open plantable land costs $100,000-$75,000 per acre. If yields are 2 tons per acre, a vineyard produces 120 cases (1,440 bottles). 10 tons per acre produce 600 cases (7,200 bottles). Profits vary but 35 acres at $2,500 per acre is $88,000 profit.
The global wine market was $302 billion in 2017 and is expected to be $423 billion by 2023, growing at 5.8% per year. Small vineyards can be profitable with good marketing and wine sales. Row orientation is ideally north-south to maximize sunlight. Grapes are woody vines needing 4 feet of root space. Water use is 12.5 gallons per minute per acre. Raisin and wine grapes need 2-3 acre feet of water. Table grapes need 4 acre feet. You need 6-7 kg of grapes per gallon to make wine at home.
Market Prices and Wine Output
The average price per ton increased by 6.9% from $800 to $855. White grapes price increased 8% to $635 per ton. Red grapes increased 5.5% to $1,019 per ton. A ton of grapes produces enough wine to fill more than two barrels. You can roast or freeze extra grapes.