You live in beautiful Napa Valley surrounded by wineries and vineyards. Some of your friends and neighbors have a few grapevines or a small vineyard and make a little bit of wine each year with a label that declares it's their wine from their vineyard.
You're smitten. You have a little room in the backyard and think it would be a perfect location for a few dozen or maybe a few hundred grapevines.
When my wife and I bought our home in 1998, it was surrounded by an acre or so of weeds. Nothing of interest had grown there since a prune orchard had been ripped out years before. We were just a few years removed from living in Chicago so grape growing was not something we knew anything about, but we loved wine and had delusions of viticultural grandeur.
Our journey began at a fundraiser auction to which someone had donated everything needed to plant a 200-vine vineyard. We bid but didn't win. Shortly afterward, I told a new friend, a vineyard manager, about the auction lot we didn't win. Don't worry, he said. I can plant a vineyard for you.
Our new friend visited our property to get a feel for what we could plant. Visions of growing grapes and being a home winemaker danced in my head. To make a barrel of wine, we would need about 250 vines. No problem; we had plenty of room. In fact, we had enough room to plant 1,000 vines and sell excess grapes to other home winemakers.
What about planting our septic field? No problem. Now we could plant 1,400 vines. We decided to move full speed ahead.
What was wrong with this decision? Lots. First, we had no idea how much it would cost to plant 1,400 grapevines. A little research indicated it might be $20 to $25 per vine. A little pricey but probably no more expensive than landscaping.
Second, I knew nothing about growing grapes so we would need someone to take care of the vineyard initially. Again, we had no idea of the labor cost or the maintenance time involved. Third, home winemakers are cheap. They do not pay as much for grapes as wineries do, if they pay anything at all. Plus, we didn't even know any home winemakers.
Last but not least, I had no idea how to make wine nor did I own winemaking equipment or know how much it would cost.
Our vineyard was planted in 2002. By 2005, we had enough of a harvest to make two barrels of wine. The wine was quite good. In fact, we still have a few cases left and it continues to be enjoyable. So far, this is the only wine we had made from our grapes.
In 2006, we were able to recruit friends who had winemaking equipment or knowledge. Truly, it takes a village. Although we enjoyed the winemaking experience, we determined that it was not something we wanted to do regularly. We found it was easier to give a winemaker a half-ton of grapes and get a few cases of wine in return.
Planting a vineyard was a great learning experience, to say the least. A few of the lessons: It cost much more than anticipated. (I could have been driving a Porsche for the last 14 years.) Grenache won't ripen in Carneros. Our well can't pump enough water to adequately irrigate the vineyard so we now use city water for irrigation.
Like other plants, grapevines die for no apparent reason and must be replaced. Birds like ripe grapes, requiring netting every year. Mother Nature is inconsistent. Some years we harvest in early October, but most years it's early November when that phenomenon called rain has started and we have to worry about moldy grapes. Vineyard end posts will topple in an earthquake.
The moral of the story is: know what you're doing before you do it. Know how much it costs to plant grapevines. Join a winemaking group before you plant to make sure you really want to be a home winemaker. Plant varietals that grow well in your area. Ask questions. The Master Gardeners have a resource group called the Integrated Grape Team that can help you with your decision making.
I have no regrets about planting a vineyard, but if there is a next time, I hope I take off the rose-colored glasses first.
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will present a workshop on “Home Vineyards: Part Two” on Saturday, August 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 11: 30 a.m. followed by a field trip from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Location is 1107 State Lane in Yountville. Learn what to do and what to look for and how to plan for harvest and crush in the vineyard, testing the must, managing the vines after crush, and preparing for winter and the next growing season. A special team of home vineyard Master Gardeners will present this workshop and answer your individual questions.On-line registration (credit card only) Mail-in/Walk-in registration (cash or check only)
Tree Walk: Join U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County for a free guided tree walk through Fuller Park in Napa on Monday, September 12, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Registration is recommended as space is limited. Meet at Fuller Park, corner of Jefferson and Oak Streets. Online registration or call 707-253-4221. Trees to Know in Napa Valley will be available for $15. Cash or check payable to UC Regents. Sorry, we are unable to process credit cards.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.