Vineyard design

Once a site has been selected the next step in establishing a vineyard is to maximised the potential. Good vineyard design does this by examining the nature attributes and weaknesses of the site and using these to design the vineyard and maximising the potential quality of the grapes that will be produced.

Factors affecting vineyard design
1. Topography of the site
2. Soil composition - especially drainage
3. Availabilty of water
4. Grape varieties to be planted
5. Access and amenity requirements
6. Macro-climatical considerations
7. District rules and regulations
8. Availability of vineyard equipment
9. Size of vineyard
10. Proximity to other vineyards and industry infrastructure
11. Availability of grapevines, trellising and irrigation materials
12. Availability and cost of vineyard staff

All of these factors should be considered before a site is selected, however, in most cases they are not and it then becomes necesssary to taylor the vineyard design around the unique set of factors associated with the site. Remember, if your intention is to grow grapes (and perhaps to make wine) then it is always better to select a site that will maximise the potential of producing quality grapes.