I live in Calistoga and have a neighbor that has 5 acres of Cab fruit
on the valley floor. I've tasted a barrel he did from last year and it
was pretty awesome already. I'm talking to him about picking up 1/2
ton to do a barrel for myself. Is there a market for the hobbyist?
How would he go about it and what could he charge for the fruit? He
just bought his property last year and doesn't have a contract yet.

Any input from the team here would be appreciated.

Regards,

Rick

As for grape price - there is great variance here in California; depends on
region, age of vines, varietal, quality of grape, and reputation of
vineyard. I buy grapes at prices ranging from $.40 / pound to $.75 / pound;
but prices go much higher for premium grapes from high reputation
vineyards - usually not readily available in small lots to hobbyists. One
other variable is 'who picks'. You might ask around at at the Napa Growers
Assocation to find out what the market price range is.
http://www.napagrowers.org/

I source grapes through my growing association (your neighbor might want to
join the Napa growers association), and through local contacts. A possible
place for your neighbor to start is Napa Fermentation Supplies in Napa.
http://www.napafermentation.com/ They can likely steer him in the right
direction for marketing his grapes to the hobbyist market.

I'm a couple hours away - but interested in a source of quality Cabernet
Sauvignon from your neighborhood - let me know if your neighbor is
interested in selling some more this year, and at what price.



"EnoNut" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I live in Calistoga and have a neighbor that has 5 acres of Cab fruit
> on the valley floor. I've tasted a barrel he did from last year and it
> was pretty awesome already. I'm talking to him about picking up 1/2
> ton to do a barrel for myself. Is there a market for the hobbyist?
> How would he go about it and what could he charge for the fruit? He
> just bought his property last year and doesn't have a contract yet.
>
> Any input from the team here would be appreciated.
>
> Regards,
>
> Rick
>

I don't know if Peter Brehm is looking for suppliers but that is an
option. He might buy all of the fruit.

Joe


Ric wrote:
> As for grape price - there is great variance here in California; depends on
> region, age of vines, varietal, quality of grape, and reputation of
> vineyard. I buy grapes at prices ranging from $.40 / pound to $.75 / pound;
> but prices go much higher for premium grapes from high reputation
> vineyards - usually not readily available in small lots to hobbyists. One
> other variable is 'who picks'. You might ask around at at the Napa Growers
> Assocation to find out what the market price range is.
> http://www.napagrowers.org/
>
> I source grapes through my growing association (your neighbor might want to
> join the Napa growers association), and through local contacts. A possible
> place for your neighbor to start is Napa Fermentation Supplies in Napa.
> http://www.napafermentation.com/ They can likely steer him in the right
> direction for marketing his grapes to the hobbyist market.
>
> I'm a couple hours away - but interested in a source of quality Cabernet
> Sauvignon from your neighborhood - let me know if your neighbor is
> interested in selling some more this year, and at what price.
>
>
>
> "EnoNut" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> >I live in Calistoga and have a neighbor that has 5 acres of Cab fruit
> > on the valley floor. I've tasted a barrel he did from last year and it
> > was pretty awesome already. I'm talking to him about picking up 1/2
> > ton to do a barrel for myself. Is there a market for the hobbyist?
> > How would he go about it and what could he charge for the fruit? He
> > just bought his property last year and doesn't have a contract yet.
> >
> > Any input from the team here would be appreciated.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Rick
> >

I have done pick-your-own on the east coast and they run from $0.90 to
$1.25. I have ordered grapes from California and pay from $1.00 to $1.25 /
lb. I would think that he could sell them to home wine makers. Once he
gets a client base it should be easy. But in the mean time he may need to
do some advertising through local wine clubs or something.

Ray

"EnoNut" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I live in Calistoga and have a neighbor that has 5 acres of Cab fruit
> on the valley floor. I've tasted a barrel he did from last year and it
> was pretty awesome already. I'm talking to him about picking up 1/2
> ton to do a barrel for myself. Is there a market for the hobbyist?
> How would he go about it and what could he charge for the fruit? He
> just bought his property last year and doesn't have a contract yet.
>
> Any input from the team here would be appreciated.
>
> Regards,
>
> Rick
>
>

Wow - a buck a pound? I live here in the Sierra foothills; besides my own
vineyard, I buy grapes from a handful of commercial vineyards, and prices
are typically $.50 to $.65 - with the occassional exception higher (for
premium) and lower (for 'friends' grapes!). I can understand the CA grapes
costing you that much because of the shipping - but local grapes costing
that much? Ouch. that's $2,000 a ton.

Sounds like you'd better start planting that back acreage - there's gold in
them thar hills!



>I have done pick-your-own on the east coast and they run from $0.90 to
>$1.25. I have ordered grapes from California and pay from $1.00 to $1.25 /
>lb. I would think that he could sell them to home wine makers. Once he
>gets a client base it should be easy. But in the mean time he may need to
>do some advertising through local wine clubs or something.
>
> Ray
>
> "EnoNut" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>>I live in Calistoga and have a neighbor that has 5 acres of Cab fruit
>> on the valley floor. I've tasted a barrel he did from last year and it
>> was pretty awesome already. I'm talking to him about picking up 1/2
>> ton to do a barrel for myself. Is there a market for the hobbyist?
>> How would he go about it and what could he charge for the fruit? He
>> just bought his property last year and doesn't have a contract yet.
>>
>> Any input from the team here would be appreciated.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Rick
>>
>>
>
>

As I was told by a wise old man "it takes a big fortune to make a small
fortune in the wine making business".

I thought he was pretty smart. haha

--
DAve

EnoNut wrote:
> Ric wrote: Ouch. that's $2,000 a ton.
>
> Ric.. the going commercial rate for premium Napa Valley floor fruit,
> mature Cab vines is actually $ 4,000 a ton. I know a winemaker that is
> paying $10,000 a ton for Pinot fruit in Russian River, but she leases
> the vineyard and has full control. Drops fruit to 2 tons per acre and
> controls all aspects from canopy to picking and pays $ 20,000 per acre
> for that privelage. Drives a nice car, must be doing ok with it.
>
> Rick
>

Yea, but that's premium fruit to commercial wineries, not readily avalaible
to us hobbyists. As I said in my earlier post, there are plenty of higher
prices for the super premium fruit from the top vineyards. But that isn;t
really the market for grapes that most hobbyists buy. Last year, I purchased
500 lbs of outstanding Syrah from 30 year old vines from a vineyard that
otherwise supplies a commercial winery. $.50 a pound. This year, purchasing
500 lbs of Cabernet Franc from a 15 year old vineyard that supplies to
hobbyists (500 lb and up quantities). $.50 a pound. Both are 'pick your own'
under the supervision of the vineyard owners / managers.

I can get Zin from pretty old (30 year plus) vines in Amador County for $.75
a pound. You can get links to these growers on the sites of any of the grape
growing or winemaker associations (SGGA, Amador winemakers, Sacramento
winemakers, Napa growers, etc).

The point is - this guy with the Calistoga vineyard does indeed have a
market in the 'hobbyist' winemaking community. there are lots of us out
here. Prices are determined by the variables I mentioned. If these are older
vines, in a premium location, well managed - then he can get some higher
prices. Otherwise, I think my price range is about accurate.



>
> Ric wrote: Ouch. that's $2,000 a ton.
>
> Ric.. the going commercial rate for premium Napa Valley floor fruit,
> mature Cab vines is actually $ 4,000 a ton. I know a winemaker that is
> paying $10,000 a ton for Pinot fruit in Russian River, but she leases
> the vineyard and has full control. Drops fruit to 2 tons per acre and
> controls all aspects from canopy to picking and pays $ 20,000 per acre
> for that privelage. Drives a nice car, must be doing ok with it.
>
> Rick
>