CONSIDERING WINEGRAPE PRODUCTION

CONSIDERING
WINEGRAPE
PRODUCTION

R.A. Allen
Extension Viticulturist
NC State University

OVERVIEW OF THE NC
GRAPE AND WINE
INDUSTRY

1

Acres Modern Revival

• 1972 – Westbend Vineyards founded
• 1975 – Biltmore Estate Vineyards founded
• 1976 – Duplin Wine Cellars opened
• 1985 – Biltmore Winery opens to public
• 1988 – Westbend becomes a bonded winery
• 1999 – 15 wineries in NC, Shelton

Vineyards established

Recent Trend in Acreage

2500
2000
1500
1000

500
0

Year
2001
1996
1991
1986
1981
1976

2

Current Status

• As of Spring ’02, we have over 1100 acres
of grapes in NC

• 66% of acreage is in bunch grapes, of which
91% is Vitis vinifera varieties

• Currently there are 26 wineries, with 15-20
more expected in the next 1-2 years

• 2300 tons of grapes were produced in 2002,
with a value of $2.9 million

Current Status

700 Acres
600
500 Vinifera Hybrid American
400
300
200
100

0
Muscadine

3



What are the requirements?

• Resources
• Time
• Willingness to take a risk
• Dedication and patience
• A well thought-out plan

Steps in Getting Started

• Choosing an appropriate site
• Soil testing/Site preparation
• Deciding what to grow
• Designing the vineyard

5

Choosing a Site

• Elevation
• Slope
• Aspect
• Soils
• Availability of water
• Proximity to woods
• Proximity to neighbors

Importance of Site

• Reduce frost/freeze risk
• Reduce disease/pest pressure
• Enhance fruit quality
• Increase profitability/success
• Affect opportunity for expansion

6

Poor site – low area

Good site – good elevation and slope

7

Site Preparation

• Take soil samples
• Remove trees and brush, vines, perennial

weeds
• Amend soil pH/nutrient levels as needed
• Rip/subsoil
• Cover crop
• INVEST THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT!

What to Grow

• Location
• Use or sell?
• Who will buy?

– Varieties?
– Quantities?

8

Examples of Pierce’s Disease

9

Vineyard Design

• Row orientation
• Trellis type

– Vine type
– Vine vigor

• Row and vine spacing

– Trellis type
– Equipment size

GRAPE VARIETIES FOR
NORTH CAROLINA

10

Vinifera Facts

• 60 species of grape, >8000 varieties
• >90% of world production is vinifera
• Not successful in eastern US until 20th

century
• Rootstocks and new techniques made it

possible

Vinifera Challenges

• Pest susceptibility
• Climatic challenges
• Lack of experience
• Lack of knowledge of variety performance

in NC

11

The Do’s

Chardonnay

• #1 vinifera in NC
• Early budbreak
• Early harvest
• Good demand
• High quality
• High yields
• Frost damage
• Bunch rot, powdery

mildew
• Cold injury

12

Viognier

• Alternative to Chardonnay
• Well-adapted
• Less rot prone
• Early ripening
• Good demand
• Early budbreak (+3)
• Modest yields
• Weak growth

Muscat ottonel

• Distinctive fruity flavor
• Good rot resistance
• Early ripening, before

Chardonnay
• Mid-season budbreak (+6)
• Modest yields
• Low demand
• Weak growth

13

Cabernet Sauvignon

• #2 vinifera in NC
• Later budbreak (+8)
• High demand
• Rot resistant
• Late harvest
• Winter injury, crown

gall
• Excessive vigor

Merlot

• Good demand
• Good yields
• Mid-season harvest
• Early budbreak (+1)
• Bunch rot, powdery

mildew
• Cold sensitive

14

Cabernet Franc

• Similar to Cab. Sauvignon
• Mid-late season harvest
• Rot resistant
• Good yields, good demand
• Better cold hardiness than

Cab sauv
• Early budbreak (+1)
• High vigor

The Maybe’s

15



Petit Verdot

• Good yields
• Some Piedmont

plantings
• Vigorous vine
• Mid-season budbreak

(+6)
• Approx. Cab sauv

harvest season
• High pH and acidity

The Don’ts

17

Rogue’s Gallery

• Pinot noir
• Riesling
• Gewurtztraminer
• Sauvignon blanc
• Pinot gris
• Zinfandel

Hybrid Advantages

• Cold hardiness
• Later bud break
• Fruitful secondary (tertiary) buds
• Disease resistance
• Good to excellent quality

18





Niagara

• V. labruscana variety
• Good cold hardiness
• Vigorous, productive
• Rot resistant
• Mid-season maturity
• Highly susc to BlR, DM
• Susceptible to crown gall
• Low demand

Varieties in test at the Upper Piedmont
Research Station

2001 2002

• Cabernet franc 332 • Aglianico
• Chardonnay 76 • Albarino
• Chardonnay 96 • Barbera
• Merlot • Cabernet sauvignon 337
• Muscat ottonel • Carmenere
• NY 73.0136.17 • Grenache
• Petit verdot • Loureira
• Sangiovese • Mourvedre
• Seyval • Petit Manseng
• Syrah • Treixadura
• Tannat • Verdejo
• Tempranillo
• Traminette
• Viognier

21

CO$T$

Assumptions

• Already own appropriate site
• Already own equipment
• Using irrigation
• Does not include other fixed costs (taxes,

interest on borrowed capital, payroll costs,
utilities, cost of operating machinery,
etc….)
• Everything goes right

22





Fourth Year Costs

Pruning VSP LYRE
Weed/pest control 250 505
Fertilization 450 450
Canopy Management 25 25
Harvest 250 640
Income 785 950
5200 5850
Total
Accum. Total 3440 3280
2102 5699

Fifth Year Costs

Pruning VSP LYRE
Weed/pest control 250 505
Fertilization 450 450
Canopy Management 25 25
Harvest 250 640
Income 785 1276

Total 5200 8840
Accum. Total 3440 5944
1338 245

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