Startup Winery Starting Point New World Winery Equipment, LLC The source for all things winery in the East.

How do I start a vineyard?

There are many resources available to you when looking to start a vineyard. The number of questions relevent to site selection, soil conditioning, aspect, varietal compatability, rootstock or nursery stock selection, spacing, trellising, canopy management, disease prevention or treatment, etc. is seemingly limitless. The best thing you can do is consult acedemia prior to buying anything. Your state or regional resources for agriculture are probably more helpful than you imagine. Here is a link to a page full of interesting articles and contacts for viticulture. Growing wine grapes is truly a partnership with Mother Nature. It is best to start off on her good side. I hope this helps. http://winegrape.cas.psu.edu/growing_grapes/crop_management.html

How do I start a winery?

First- Click this "Assns." button over here on the left to bookmark your local association.

Second- Bookmark this site. This could come in handy for your e-commerce or to look up other suppliers besides us (Click the image below to visit and bookmark).

Third-

Please do not go any further until you have reviewed and bookmarked this web page (and ours) http://www.ohiowines.org/winery_starter_kit.shtml

Please pay particular attention to:

The Dollars and Sense of Starting a Small Winery By Chris Stamp

Mr. Stamp is Winemaker at Lakewood Vineyards in the Finger Lakes and I consider him a friend. He has a regional reputation for being able to answer impossible questions.

Somewhere along the way, as a startup winery owner, you must have drunk wine and thought about how to start a winery. I am doing this, too. We have not gotten past the "Where..?" part yet. But someday we will.

Turning the light of the sun into the shimmer in the glass is a very romantic pursuit. I live this experience vicariously, thanks to our customers. It has become apparent to this supplier that this pursuit will simultaneously satisfy the core of your being and torture your mortal soul. Well, sort of.

There are many different stages and stations in life which lead to winery ownership. And somewhere along the way, you will notice that there are many suppliers out there who offer what you want and only a few who know what you need. I like to think that the people below are a pretty good first calls to make on a few things I mention.

Other suppliers are out there, and at the risk of offending my supplier friends, I write this knowing that there are alternatives and I want to say that the names below are those of companies that most of my startup customers are using. So, at 3AM on a weeknight (after half a bottle of Virginia Merlot) here goes:

Small- Winery Friendly Suppliers:

The Incomplete and Completely Myopic List of "Who's Who" in the Winery Supplier Niche That I do Not Already Represent.

By Joe Lutomske

Please proceed under the assumption that you will either make your own wine, hire a winemaker, or hire a consultant or, "D: All of the above".

You can ask us about barrels, oak alternatives, barrel racks, corks, destemmers, presses, pumps, , hoses, and . We can also help you with tanks, capsules, ozone, barrel washing, , etc. But the folks listed below will come in handy, too. We think that starting a winery is easier with help from people who will listen long enough to understand your goals. Here are some we have met.

The Architect:

We know three architects in the business. Please ask for a referral if interested.

Bottles:

Waterloo Container 315-539-3922

-OR-

Diablo Valley- Roberta 315-719-2634

Tip: Use average, affordable bottles to keep from buying duplicate botttling line parts and be able to use "stock capsules" to start your winery.

Label Design:

High quality, unique design concepts from someone who is part of the wine industry, not just working in it.

Fred Wickham -Canasta Design 607-535-5413 bjcanasta@aol.com

Labels:

Alot of my existing customers use Wright. They are a comprehensive printing company with an impressive portfolio. Please go and visit their site and click contact us to get in touch with the appropriate sales person. Don't tell them I said so, but ask for samples. They do great work! www.wrightlabels.com

Labeler Machines:

It's really hard to beat a Race Labeler for a small startup winery. If you are still putting labels on by hand, this is your labeler. Please tell Mark that Joe Lutomske sent you!

Bottling Equipment:

Examine the economics of mobile bottling before you jump this hurdle. Avoid a bottling line until you absolutely need it. Be sure to weigh your options and if you are in doubt, ask me for the names of customers who own bottling lines from different suppliers to get their feedback.

Chiller:

Your first call should be Justin at G&D. Other options exist. Shop carefully.

Winery Tasting Room Sales Staff Training :

Joe Lutomske 607-426-0434. Negotiable fees. 20 years sales training, management and recruiting experience. Wine sales experience. And I sell some equipment from time to time, too!

Grape Vines and Nursery Stock:

My Personal Friend: Mike Thomas (559) 217-9778

At this time, this concludes my list of Small- Winery Friendly Suppliers: The Incomplete and Completely Myopic List of "Who's Who" in the Winery Supplier Niche That I do Not Already Represent. By Joe Lutomske