Contract grape growing for wineries

[rachele27]

I am interested in finding out information on growing grapes on contract for wineries. Is there any information available on this topic -- where/whom I can get in contact for this information?

Thanks in advance for any assistance with obtaining this information!

[Jerry D Mead]

A lot will have to do, of course, with what grape varieties you're growing and where your vinyards are; whether they have a special reputation (or the appellation where they are grown does) or whether they are really only "commodity" grapes.

I cannot answer your specific questions, but will attempt to get a few vintner friends to sign on and help you out...check back over the next few days.

[Dick Peterson]

This is not a frivolous answer. There are as many contracts as there are winery/grower combinations. Often many are similar but usually a winery writes a slightly different contract for each grower because each grower has his/her own desires & dislikes, etc. Similarly, one grower with contracts with, say, four different wineries will most likely have four different contracts.

If you are a writerr and want "sample contracts" you might not get wineries or growers to give them to you because of the natural confidentiality that each wants. But if you are planting grapes, ask a winery rep to come out and see your property and discuss it with you. I guarantee they will all tell you in general terms what kinds of terms they usually want. And they will give you "proposed contracts."

[Jerry D Mead]

You just received a reply from one of America's greatest wine authorities, Dr. Richard Peterson...currently an owner of Folie a Deux Winery in Napa, but a co-founder of Atlas Peak Vineyards & Winery, the first winemaker/president of The Monterey Vineyard, winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard is association with the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff, who graduated from UC Davis and worked in the lab at E&J Gallo in his salad days.