Vinifera Wine Grapes Crop Guide
| Estimated Cost | $15,000 to $20,000 per acre and $3,5000 per acre annual management; harvest in July, August, September depending on location and grape variety |
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| Market Outlets | Texas wineries |
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| Market Potential | Good, but fruit quality must be high; should have a contract with an established winery |
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| Profit Potential | $0 to $3,000 per acre |
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| Adapted Areas | West, Central and North Texas |
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| Labor Requirements | One person per 4 acres the second and third years and eight to ten persons per acre at harvest |
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| Equipment Requirements | Tractor, mower, airblast sprayer, herbicide sprayer |
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| Soil Requirements | Well-drained, minimum 2 ft deep |
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| Water Requirements | Drip irrigation; 20 gallons per vine per week required |
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| Minimum Size | 1/2 acre |
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| Risk Factor | Moderate |
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| Other Limiting Factors | Pierce's disease prevents vinifera production in Gulf Coast; black rot, downy mildew, powdery mildew and other fungal diseases require preventative spray programs. Cotton root rot, winter freeze, spring frost, and hail are risk factors in many areas. Other pests include phylloxera, grape berry moth, green june beetle, leafhoppers, leaf skeletonizer, and nematodes. |
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| Comments | Production of quality vinifera wine in Texas has stimulated development of 160 wineries in Texas. |
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