Thesis Program for the Double Mountain Winery
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THESIS PROGRAM FOR THE DOUBLE MOUNTAIN WINERY FOR LUBBOCK, TEXAS Trevor Ford Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas 1?^ /iRCK SOZ-:^ TABLE OF CONTENTS History ro^2| World The Importance to California and History Relationship to the South Plains of Texas II, The Client Goals Wine Production Set-Up Financing III, Vineyards Varieties for the South Plains of Texas Establishing the Vineyards Enemies of the Vines Climate IV, The Site - Criteria for Selection V, Federal and State Regulations and Restrictions Permits Restrictions on the Winery VI, The Wine Production Process Steps in Production Facilities Required Employees Required VII, Appendix Grapes and Wine Area Market Study Texas Liquor Control Board Rules Sample Permit Applications VIII. Interviews ^X, Correspondence X, Bibliography WORLD HISTORY 'The grapevine has furnished man with food and drink from the dawn of civilization, Noah planted a vineyard. Grape and wine production were figured in the mosaics of the earliest Egyptian dynasties," 1 The greeks, Romans, Phoenicians, and many other great civiliza tions have enjoyed grapes and wine through the centuries. The grape growing industry probably started near the southern end of the Caspian Sea, It spread from there to other parts of Asia and from there to Europe, The Phoenicians carried the industry to France around 600 B.C. The Romans started vineyards on the Rhine, During the same period, grape culture was moving around the Mediter ranean into North America, When the Europeans colonized other lands, the grape was among the plants taken to the new areas. "Today it is cultivated on all the continents and islands of the world where climatic conditions are favor able for its production," 2 The major species of grape the world over is vitis vlnifeira. This Is the grape that is mentioned in the Bible, and it is the grape of myths and poets. When the eastern coast of North America was coloniz ed, and the species of grape was exposed to the insect phylloxera, these insects destroyed the vinifera vines. The American colonists turned to the native vivifera vines which had long survived the phylloxera. Hybrids of these native vitis vines and vitis Lambrusca or the Lambrusca vines themselves formed the basis of the new wine industry in the North Eastern United States, These grapes had a much different flavor and morphology than the original vitis vinifera species. This development brought the French to import these American vines, in the interest of science. Along with the vines they import ed the Insect phylloxera and the diseases, downy mildew and black rot, to Europe, Within about 20 years most of the French vineyards had been destroyed. In efforts to rebuild their vineyards, French vitl- culturists got rootstocks that were resistant to these organisms from America, Within several years the vineyards had been rebuilt with American rootstock or hybrids of it and their original vines, THE HIgrORY OF CALIFORNIA Only twenty-six years after Columbus discovered America, Cortez ordered that wine growing become an industry in the New World, He ordered several ordinances that forced the increase of grape production upon Landholders in Mexico and Lower California (Northern Mexico today). In the 1700's the Jesuit Fathers carried Spanish colonization from Mexico into California, Their successors, the Franciscans, moved on up into what is now the state of California, It was their practice to plant vines as one of the first steps in civilizing the savage wilderness. With each new mission a vineyard was also estab lished. These vines, which had had trouble surviving in the arid regions of Northern Mexico, flourished and the wine made from their harvest was better than any known previously in the New World, The Francisco Missionaries established a chain of 21 missions from San Diego to Samona, at the northern end of their El Camino Real, or 'The King's Highway", Vineyards were planted and wine was made at most all of these missions. Descendants of these vines are still growing in these regions. These missionaries produced only enough wine for themselves or for visitors. Commercial wine growers came to California in 1824 and within a generation, wine growing was the principle industry of the Los Angeles district. In the I860*s new varieties of vines were brought to California from France to increase the quality of the California wines. This brought about statewide expansion of the wine growing and eventually brou^t it to its world renowned position today in the Wine Industry, THE IMPORTANCE TO CALIFORNIA California today produces about lOJI of the world's table grapes, about 405C of the world's raisins, but less than 3^ of the world's wines. Still the California Wine Industry is very important to the United States and more especially to CaJ-ifornia it self. In the United States markets (1972) 238 million gallons of wine were produced in California, 52 million gallons were produced in other states, and 47 million gallons were imported. The Federal excise tax revenue from United States produced wine in 1972 was $163,743,000,00, The excise tax revenue from imported wines was $18,558,000.00, At an average price of $1,00 per gallon in bulk sales for 1972, California's revenue was in the vicinity of 238 million dollars, RELATIONSHIP TO THE SOUTH PLAINS OF TEXAS The agriculture business industry here on the South Plains of Texas has been equally or more valuable than the Wine Industry, in Calif- :mi3., Hcvever, -*rLxJd ir.e dezlf-i:n :f urjirr^ciicd va-er ta:l-r= erT^ot.rd ii Irrl^i-isn is rcn-tinird a- 1-*:^ ~rt3T"-: rs.-^; -.he £:r^pe grew: '-5""/ C3J1 po£iiO-y r'r|i—.3..:e rc'-feri'-- cc-:*:.:^ arid niadse irdus-rie^ h-rre THE CLIENT A corporation of businessmen in the Lubbock area are planning the construction of this winery. They wish to produce red and white wines of premium quality, GOALS The client wishes to establish a winery that will be sufficient for the acerage of grapes grown in the area presently; but they want the space of the winery used efficiently. The winery will produce 75)000 - 100,000 gallons annually and will produce only red and white table wines because of the extended processes and additional initial investments involved with other types of wine production. The client prefers to maintain a small scale of production in this facility initially. The facility will be expanded or a larger winery will be built at a different location. If the latter case occurs this original winery will be used for production of only high quality wines and possibly only one type of wine, WINERY PRODUCTION SETUP 100,000 gallons of wine produces by'the winery - 150 gallons of wine / ton of grapes 666 tons of grapes required / year 4,5 tons / acre, average yield 148 acres of vineyards, distributed in different acerages to sev eral wine growers (vineyards will probably vary from 5 acres to 15 acre lots) The winery will buy grapes directly from the wine grower at the winery or under coniracti according to quality of grapes and tonnage recieved. Wholesale Case Volume: 100,000 gallons of wine per year 5 bottles / gallon (fifths) 500,000 botUes 12 bottles / case 41,666 cases as $24,00 / case (or $2,00 / bottle) $999f98'^ (wholesale revenue / year in cases) $10,00 / gallon (approximate wholesale revenue) Wine will be sold at the winery in a retail sales operation in bulk form (wholesale) on local markets and urban maricets within a 400 Bile radius. As the winery makes a good wine and establishes its name firmly in this market, more distant markets will be approached arxl advertising campaigns will be spread to larger markets. Original advertising will be on the local level and within a 44 mile radius, FINANCING The client, a corporation, will sell stocks in the corporation to finance the costs involved with construction and equipping the winery. The vineyards will require from 3 to 5 years for quality wine grape production, and the winery itself will need 2 years to become established. Good return is to be expected on a long term basis because a) there is a hi^ maik up on wine products, b) within 3 or 4 years of its opening, the winery should increase the quality of its wine. c) Increa-.ed local interest in this industry should produce an increa-ed volume of wine production in this area. VINEYARDS VARIETIES FOR THE SOUTH PLAINS OF TEXAS According to Dr, Robert Reed, Professor in the Horticulture Department of Texas Tech University, the soil conditions and environ ment In this area of Texas are capable of growing most importajit wine producing varieties which have not been grown here before because of the legal restrictions (dry counties), and because of the other major money crops which have taken economic precedence, Dr, Roy Mitchell of the Chemistry Department at Texas Tech Univer sity, has stated that 9f000 new plants of the four most promising varieties were ordered and planted by March 15, 197^ by an associa tion of grape growers centered in Lubbock, These four most promising varieties arej SV - 12 - 375 (Villard Blanc) which matures late in August and is used for white wine production, Seibel #10878 (Chelois) which matures in mid-August and is used for Red wine production, Seibel #5279 (Aurora) which matures early in August and it is used for White wine production, Baco #1 (Baco Noir) which matures in mid-August and is used for Red wine production. Each of these four varieties is a hybrid which has been under experimentation by the Chemistry and Horticulture Departments at Texas Tech for some time.