Wine lovers may dream of having a winery, but it's one thing to dream about it and quite another to actually make it happen. The reality is that opening a winery involves hard work and knowledge in the manufacturing, marketing and selling of wine. Follow these steps to begin development of a successful winery.
Instructions
1. Get initial start-up capital. Costs are a few thousand dollars, depending on the type and size of winery you want to develop. Expenses include a facility, equipment, machinery, consultants, labor and marketing. You may want to start your winery with investment partners and hired professionals.
2. Apply for proper state and federal licenses. Production, sale and shipping of alcohol are regulated. Apply at least 6 months before the anticipated sales date.
3. Decide on a business strategy. 2 business models used to sell wine are, "People to the Bottle," in which people drive to your location for a winery tour and tasting and, "Bottle to the People," in which the wine is delivered to retailers using a "3-Tier System" from producer, to distributor and finally to retailer.
4. Develop a winery business plan and wine market analysis based on the strategy you choose. This determines the financial decisions you have to make for business.
5. Choose a potential target market for your wine to increase your chances of success. To attract experienced wine drinkers, you need to produce a different type of wine than if you want to attract "new to wine" customers.
6. Establish a contract with a grape vineyard to purchase the grape type you want to use to produce your wine. Hire an expert to assist in this process so you don't waste time, money and effort making costly mistakes.
7. Purchase the proper facility, machinery, equipment and staff to set up your winery business. Contract wine professionals who know start a winery business to assist in the purchase of these items.
8. Visit wineries and meet with the owners to learn about their business experiences. Be prepared to work hard to build a successful winery business. Read winery resource material, join state or national wine association groups and attend winery seminars and events.
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