Budget - Term Project for Vineyard Mgmt Class

All I need now is a winning lottery ticket to make it happen!

Rosa Pedone
Vit 60 Fall 2010 - Vineyard Development Budget

F&O Vineyard AVA: Russian River Valley
2 Pug Lane Sebastopol CA 95472

Assumptions: This will be an owner-farmed small vine Pinot Noir vineyard, planted in 4 X 4 spacing to a 5-acre flat, bare site with uniform soil. There is a well on the property with pumping capacity of 25 gallons per minute @ 60 psi. Planned vineyard site is on a 7-acre parcel; there is an existing house and transit road(s) on the property.

13,615 vines of Pinot Noir - 2 different clones on low-vigor rootstock 420A - will be planted in two 2-1/2 acre blocks in high density, Burgundian style – less pounds per vine to attain higher quality fruit, but keeping yields up per acre. A vertical trellis system will direct shoot growth in an upright pattern, exposing the fruit to increased sunlight and air circulation.

Soil will be planted in Fall with a soil-building ground cover crop of beans, peas and vetch. Planting will take place the following Spring. Initial irrigation of new vines will start in May and last through September.

Minimal irrigation will be used, with a goal of eventually achieving 100% dry farming. Intent is to use no insecticides and minimally use organic fungicides when necessary. A small, specially-designed Italian tractor will be used in vine rows, which will use less fuel and create less pollution than standard-sized machinery.

Goal is to produce very high-quality Pinot Noir grapes that will be sold locally to small artisan winemakers.

This budget focuses on the initial costs of planning and site preparation, through actual planting and the first season of watering vines.

I couldn't get my spreadsheet to copy as it was onto this blog, but the total cost for my "fantasy" vineyard was $207,854 (vineyard permit $436; soil analysis & nematode testing @ 10,000/acre=$50,000; site preparation phase 1, planting cover crop $1,475; site preparation phase 2, ripping and installation of drip irrigation system and trellising @ $20,000/acre=$100,000; 13,615 vines @ $3.09 ea=$42,070; virus testing of vines @ $1/vine=$13,615; water to irrigate for 1st 5 months $258).

Sources:
Daniel Roberts, Ph.D., Integrated Winegrowing, Sebastopol, CA
LeBallister’s Seed & Fertilizers, Santa Rosa, CA
Luciani Pump Company, Healdsburg, CA
Nova Vines Nursery, Santa Rosa, CA
Sanchietti Farming LLC, Santa Rosa, CA
Small Vines Wines, Sebastopol, CA
Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner, Santa Rosa, CA
Wyatt Irrigation, Santa Rosa, CA