Starting a winery can seem quite a daunting task. There are many wineries out there and some of them are hugely successful. However, if you know how to set a winery up correctly you give yourself a chance to also be successful.
Below you will find some tips that can help you:
Choose What Type of Winery You’ll Have
One of the first things you need to do is to choose what type of winery you’ll have. Will you grow the grapes, make the wine, or host guests? A lot of wineries choose to do all three, but you do not have to. You could make the wine and host some guests, or just grow the grapes. The choice is yours.
Choose Potential Locations
You’re going to need quite a bit of land if you plan to grow grapes, less land if you don’t. No matter what climate you’re working in, you need to make sure that it’s friendly so you can grow or store grapes and make and store wine.
Please note, any land or structure you buy will impact the insurance for wineries that you opt for. This is why it’s crucial you only ever buy or rent an area that is suitable.
You’ll also need to make sure there’s enough storage space for all your wine.
Put Your Business Plan Together
Now it’s time for you to put your business plan together. Chances are, you will need a loan to help you get your winery up and running. One of the best things that you can do here is to get in touch with other winemakers. Ask them about their experience and if they have any tips. You should also start drawing up your business plan. Work out how much wine you plan to produce and what your expenses and revenue will be.
Work Out How Many Vines You’ll Need
As soon as you’ve sourced the right grapes, work out how many vines you will need. You will need approximately 20 pounds of grapes for each gallon of wine. Don’t forget to choose the variety of grapes. The variety will impact your wine’s taste.
Market Early On
Start marketing your wines very early on. Work out who your prospective buyers are and make your brand stand out. Make sure that you also have the correct paperwork and licenses. When you know you have everything you need, you can start marketing with a bit more confidence.
Plan to Distribute Your Wine
When it comes to distributing your wine, you’ll need to make sure you’re growing enough. Not only do you want to sell to your local area, but you might want to sell to people in other parts of the country. Make sure you work out how to distribute your wine so that it’s transported as carefully as possible.
Use the above tips to help you set up your winery. When you know what you’re doing, you’re much more likely to be successful.
Interesting Related Article: “Starting Your Own Wine Company“