|
|
Whether it's a current hobby or a romantic fantasy – opening a winery or planting a vineyard in Maryland can be an exciting – and profitable – business opportunity. In 2004, Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich convened an exploratory task force to investigate ways of helping the state's wine/grape industry. This group produced a 52-recommendation report [616kb pdf] outlining how the state, the wine/grape industry associations and the university can help grow Maryland's industry. That task force is now a permanent body that will meet quarterly to discuss issues facing the industry and work to ensure Maryland becomes a leader in winegrowing. REMEMBER: Wineries and vineyards are agriculture, pure and simple. Your hands will get dirty in this business, and it's only through hard work and dedication that your winery/vineyard project will succeed. Both can be very costly to start, and even more costly to "fix" if you employ poor planning. ADVICE: Talk with the industry groups, the University and current growers and winemakers to learn about the industry, its current challenges and needs. If you're planting a vineyard – find out what grapes the wineries need most, BUT REMEMBER that your site will not sustain all varieties. If you're starting a winery, conduct an initial market study to learn which wines are most widely marketable, and then which grapes are most readily available. There are three sections of this site devoted to helping you get started. Part 1: Starting a Commercial Vineyard deals with vineyard-only operations, while Part 2: Starting a Winery focuses on the business and regulatory considerations of opennig a winery in the state. In Part 3: Resources, you will find business plans for wineries and vineyards, as well as a recommended reading list of magazines to subscribe to, as well as books to read before diving into the planning process. You'll also find a list of industry VIPs – get to know these folks immediatly. E-mail or call them with questions. When you're confident of your plans, join the industry groups to get "hooked-in" to the industry. Cheers, Kevin Atticks PART 1: Starting
a Commercial Vineyard |