Commercial Vineyard Establishment Costs

Alan Dillard, Limestone Creek Viticultural Resources,
1250 State Route 127 South, Jonesboro IL 62952 (618) 833-4683


Layout - One Acre on 8'x10' spacing (540 vines)
15 rows of 36 vines each

Estimated expenses, per acre, Southern Illinois, May 1998

Site preparation (subsoiling, row establishment)$     150.00
End posts, 30 @ 6.50195.00
Line posts, 165 @ 3.00495.00
Anchors, 30 @ 3.0090.00
#9 mild wire, 2 rolls of 170 ft.45.00
12.5 gauge high-tensile wire75.00
Stakes/vine shelters (optional but highly recommended)450.00
Tensioners (Gripples) plus tool100.00
Trellis establishment (posts driven or set, wire installed, etc.) 60 hours @ 6.00360.00
Vines, 600 @ 1.751050.00
Planting vines, by hand, 30 hours @ 6.00180.00
Training vines, 30 hours @ 6.00180.00
Maintenance (mowing, weed control), 24 hours @ 6.00144.00
Chemicals (herbicide, fungicide)120.00
TOTAL$3634.00


This cost is assuming all operations are completed in one season. You could establish rows and trellis system the first year and plant in the second or vice versa. Also, these cost estimates are only for materials and labor for one year. Capital expenses, including equipment such as a tractor, sprayers, mower, post driver or drill, picking lugs, trailer and so on would amount to approximately an additional $12,000. Costs for ongoing vineyard maintenance can be estimated as follows:

Vine/trellis maintenance, materials$     60.00
Vine/trellis maintenance, labor (pruning, tying up, etc.) 80 hours @ 6.00480.00
Machine maintenance and repair250.00
Spraying/mowing operations, labor 48 hours @ 6.00288.00
Chemicals200.00
Picking, labor 48 hours @ 6.00288.00
TOTAL$1566.00


Estimated income from this acre, beginning year 3 (about 50% crop level) and continuing thereafter is as follows:

  Income, year 3; approximately 2 tons @ $600 to $800 per ton = $1200 to $1600
  Income, year 4 and thereafter; approximately 4 tons @ $600 to $800 per ton = $2400 to $3200

If you choose not to use vine shelters, these harvest estimates will be lower and possibly also begin one year later, so you can see how the investment in shelters can pay for itself quickly.

Based on these estimates, one can assume a net during the fourth season of about $800 to $1600, continuing each year thereafter. This will obviously change if crop levels are higher, which is quite possible with some cultivars, or if prices paid are higher.


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