Building a Local Wine Industry in Oklahoma
"The Greatest Fine Art of the future will be the making of a
comfortable living from a small piece of land." - Abraham Lincoln
Compared with most agricultural alternatives, vineyards are a widely preferred land use.
Home vineyard planting can lead to increased property values for Oklahoma residents. Even modestly priced grape land is worth several times more than land used for cattle grazing and vineyards can add much more to the local economy.
Wine grape production typically leads to more jobs in the area and better amenities for local residents as restaurants, recreational and retail businesses are established for the tasting room tourists. Some states such as Ohio and Missouri are even offering cash incentives and tax breaks for vineyard establishment.
Many of the most desirable rural areas in the world are built around vineyards and wineries. Property values in Napa and Sonoma Counties in California and premier wine-growing areas in France will confirm the fact that many people will pay a major premium to live in areas with reputations as wine-growing areas. In France, many vineyards as small as an acre or two, are passed down through generations or, in the event of a rare sale, may sell for more than $1 million per acre.
The wine industry contributes an estimated $10.9 billion in economic activity to California each year.
Arbor Week in Oklahoma is the last week in March. Will you be
planting something for the future?
The 5 Critical Elements for Oklahoma Vineyards
1. Growing Season - A growing season of sufficient length
is critical for your success. The growing season is set by the number of days between the last 28°F
day in spring and the first fall
occurrence. The season at a particular site must be long enough to allow both the fruit and the vegetative parts of the vine to mature.
Climate Zone Map
2. Sunshine - There must be adequate sunlight hours to ensure a sufficient supply of carbohydrates are produced by photosynthesis to mature the fruit and vine and to maintain future productive potential.
You will need a trellis system to manage vine growth and to make
your vineyard operations more efficient. It permits positioning of foliage and fruit for air movement, spray penetration, limited exposure of grape bunches to sun, prevention of sunburn of bunches and
future mechanization of operations.
3. Soil - The supply and the availability of essential mineral elements in the rooting zone must not be inadequate nor excessive. Mineral elements which are not essential may also be problematic if they are toxic to grapevines or
your customers! (See also: Soils for Fine Wines )
Vines require a well structured soil 350 to 600 mm deep. The soil must be well drained, but it also needs adequate water-holding capacity to support root growth and development throughout the growing season. Very deep or fertile soils are not ideal as they may promote too much
vigor. Shallow soils are not desirable as vines do not thrive.
Your soil acidity and fertility should be tested and adjusted during land preparation and before the vines are planted.
4. Water - There must be a steady and sufficient supply of water to allow the vine to function properly. However, soil water must not be in excess or
your grapevine roots will suffer. Look for gently sloping land with sandy soil to ensure good drainage...grapes hate wet feet.
5. Choice of Grapes - Choose a diverse array of grape
varieties, so that you can harvest throughout the season. Grafted wine grape vines
are not recommended for use in Oklahoma. Two of the most popular wine
grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, but many folks prefer the vigor of
a hybrid wine grape like Chambourcin.
The Five Factors Influencing Vineyard Profitability
1. Crop yield - Your crop
yield will be measured as the number of tons of grapes grown per acre.
Wine grape crop yields vary according to many factors. Pruning and
trellising are two of the largest factors impacting
wine grape yields. Canopy
Management practices are a topic of much research and study
for the finest vineyard managers.
67 page PDF document outlining how
to create a trellis system for grape vines. Includes details
on various grape trellising systems, what materials are need
and how to get started.
This is a link to the pruning section of a larger grape
growing PDF document.
The main page for the above mentioned document.
This PDF document one has some great illustrations.
2. Grape price - influenced by grape quality, variety and your local market.
There are now 19 Oklahoma wineries with more on the way! Prices
over $1000 per ton a being reported for premium vinifera grapes
grown in Oklahoma!
3. Expenses - the variable costs of growing the crop and the fixed costs of vineyard ownership. Typically, labor
will account for at least 30% of your vineyard's expenses. Harvest time usually poses the most critical labor demand as
your fruit must be removed within a relatively short period.
4. Capital costs - Your
capital costs will primarily be the acquisition cost of land, irrigation and equipment.
5. Gearing - Your gearing
is the level of debt used to finance assets and working capital. Be
careful not to overextend yourself or under-invest.
Expected Wine Grape Yields
A vine yields its first crop after three years, and is fully productive after five. You can expect to harvest grapes for 25-40 years after they have been established. Wines
produced from even older growth grape vines are becoming
increasingly popular in California.
Grapes can be grown quite successfully Oklahoma, outdoorsmen will have noticed the large amount of grapevines that grow wild in our state. Properly managed grapevines also add
a valuable landscape feature to home plantings. To learn from
some other Oklahoma vineyard owners, join the Lincoln
County Grape Growers Association!