Marketing Small Vineyards&

Wineries2-7-09

Michael L. WhiteISU Extension Viticulture SpecialistIndianola, IowaPh: 515-961-6237 or mlwhite@iastate.edu

Midwest Grape & Wine Industry Institutehttp://www.extension.iastate.edu/Wine

“White Christmas” Tree Farm1406 South G St.

Indianola, IA 50125515-961-0485

“White Christmas Tree Farm”

389+ Vineyards 69 Wineries 6/08

1/09 = 72 state licensed wineries= 408 commercial vineyards

Grape Marketing Options

Selling to WineriesStrong Market in the Midwest

1. Quantity Requirements

2. Quality Requirements

3. Prompt Delivery Requirements

4. Pesticide Records required: Pre-Harvest Intervals (PHI’s)

5. Yield Estimates & Vineyard Visits Likely

6. Written contracts common

Southern Hills Cooperative Winery Osceola, IAhttp://www.shwinery.com/

Cold Storage Important

Van Trucks

Pull Trailers

Walk in Cooler

Pre-Frabricated Building

Reefer Trailers

Farmers Markets & Roadside Stands

Table Grapes

1. California grows approximately 97% of U.S. market.

2. U.S. is a net importer of table grapes. Chile (approx. 67%) and Mexico (approx. 30%) source of imports.

3. 80% of U.S. market is seedless.

4. Classified as white, red, blue, black, seedless, seeded, slipskin or non-slipskin.

5. Color, size, firmness, taste and quality very important.

6. Table grapes typically can be stored 6-8 weeks at 32F.

Market to Hobby Winemakers

Huge – Huge – Huge Market

1. Plant many varieties:Reds – Whites – Table –Juice – Wine

2 . Plant early to late maturities

3. Plant other fruits

Commercial Scale

Food Grade Buckets

U-Pick Operation

Water Hydrant

Manual Crusher-Destemer

$$$ Box

Manual Press

Shed on Concrete Pad

Certified Organic Grapes & Juice1. Follow USDA National Organic Standards:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/indexNet.htm

2. Use only Organic Materials Review Institute Products http://www.omri.org/

3. Variety & Site Selection are top 2 considerations.

4. 2.43% of U.S. Grape Acreage (22,755 ac.) certified organic in 2005. (National Ag Statistics Service)

5. Fresh produce fastest growing organic foods sector averaging 20%/yr. growth over last decade.

6. Organic Vineyard and Organic Juice are Separate entities. Both have different certification requirements.

Biodynamic Certification

Sustainable Certification

Misc: All Natural, Pesticide Free, Green, Environmentally Friendly

(No Certification Required)

May or may not require certification (depends on where you are!)Cornell Univ. Sustainable Vineyard Workbook:

http://www.vinebalance.com/

Originated from Rudolf Steiner, 1920’s in AustriaDemeter – Certifying agency: http://www.demeter-usa.org/Biodynamic Farming & Gardening Assn: http://www.biodynamics.com/

St. Julian Winery Paw Paw, MI Sparkling Juice $3.99

NY, MI, PA, OH and WA are our major juice grape producers.

Approximately 9% of U.S. grapes processed into Juice.

Concord(purple), Catawba(pink) and Niagara(white) primary juice grape varieties in the U.S.

Juice Grapes

Iowa Grape VinesPreston, IA$6/bottlehttp://www.iowagrapevines.com

Jams & Jellies

Very Small Market for Local Producers

What About Raisins?

California has 99% of U.S Market

Grape Pie - Common Sight at Roadside Stands in NY Finger Lakes Region

Niche Market

Hanging Grape Baskets

Grape Vine Grilling/Smoking Chips 4 oz./ $3

Domaine Berrien Winery, MI

Niche Market

ie.. Grape Wreath $36 Grape Baskets - $5 - $75

60 – 100 mg capsules $25

120 – 100 mg capusles $41

17 oz. Grape Seed Oil

$5.50

Very Niche Market

Dolma, Dolmades, or Sarma: stuffed grape leaves.

Usually blanched leaves filled with ground meat and rice. Canned leaves are often preserved in a salt brine.

Young early leaves from old white vinifera varieties often used.

Very, Very Niche Market

Vineyard Tasting Rooms

George Spence VineyardGibbon, NE

Wine & Roses of Iowa – Greenfield, IA

Winery Marketing Options

Kevin SchauerMaple River Winery,Cassleton, ND

Rod Ballinger & John MarshallBear Creek WineryFargo, ND

North Dakota is #1 in Honey Production

Partner up with this industry and become the #1 Meadery State

Primary Wine Grapes to Consider for North Dakota

White GrapesBrianna, Edelweiss, Frontenac Gris, Kay Gray, LaCresent, LaCrosse, Louise Swenson, Prairie Star, St. Pepin & Swenson White

Red/Blue GrapesBlue Bell, Frontenac, GR-7, King of the North, Marechal Foch, Marquette, St. Croix, Sabrevois, Valiant & wild grape (Vitis Riparia)

Black – entire state Red – south ½ of state

21 Cultivars to Choose From

“Mike,Tell the Iowa wineries to include the

varietal grapes that are included in their blended wines on their labels. It is much easier to for us to sell THEIR wine to OUR customers when we know what is in it.”----Gary Jensen, Certified Wine Specialist & Manager of Carroll, Iowa HyVee Wine and Spirits Store. One of HyVee’s top selling Wine and Spirits stores in Iowa

http://www.ndwinerytrail.com/

Wine Trails

The typical wine trail person or group will drive approximately 100 miles per day. Best to place your winery within 50 miles of a urban center to attract this group.

The Red Hat Society

Cabin Creek Winery Big Cabin, OK

http://www.cabincreekwine.com

Eagle City Winery Iowa Falls, IA

http://www.eaglecitywinery.com/

Entertainment

Summerset WineryIndianola, IAhttp://www.summersetwine.com

Eagle City WineryIowa Falls, IA http://www.eaglecitywinery.com

Music

Timber Ridge Winery, Castana, IA http://www.timberridgeiowa.com

Sugar Clay Winery Thurman, IA

http://www.sugarclaywinery.com

Whispering Hills Winery, Carson, IA http://www.whisperinghillsvineyards.com

B & B’s

Eagles Landing Winery B&B

Marquette,IA

Gift Shops

Danish Countryside Winery

Exira, IA

Weddings

Eagle City Winery, Iowa Falls, IA

Wine & Roses Tasting Room

Greenfield, IA

Mike White

ISU Extension Viticulture Specialist

515-961-6237 or mlwhite@iastate.edu

Wine-Grower-News

Weekly in-season viticulture/enology

newsletter.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ag/newslet.html

Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institutehttp://www.extension.iastate.edu/Wine

THANK YOU