I've heard and read that it takes 600-800 grapes per bottle! So a mature
vine needs to produce a lot of grapes to make a gallon.

--
DAve

Ryan Case wrote:
> Joe Sallustio wrote:
>> I make beer too and that sounds like a plan. One thing to consider is
>> 'give away' wine (just like beer). I know I don't drink 20 gallons in
>> a year but am sure I give that much away. In other words, think that
>> through now and include it in your plan, at least for the Merlot. It
>> needs a little time to come around and giving wine away is a slippery
>> slope. You could end up on the short end...
>>
>> Joe
>
> I hear you. In fact my little brother-in-law got hitched last weekend
> and I am now out of all but my coffee stout and a few bottles of weizen.
> I didn't plan on taking beer to the party the night before, so I didn't
> brew to have extra on hand when we ran through it.
>
> I always make 10 gallon batches when it comes to beer. It just isn't
> enough extra work to justify only making 5. I have a friend that
> normally splits the batches with me. Unless of course it is one of my
> recipes that people like real well and then I keep it all so as to not
> burn through it with company too quickly.
>
> I do think that one of the things that will help me in the vein of
> running out by giving away, is that my dad and brother are slated to
> give it a go with me on the grape wines this fall. We will each do a 5
> gallon batch. So there will be 15 gallons of each variety in the family.
>
> If the cherry and apricot turn out well, I could definately see doing 10
> gallon batches of those next year. The fruit is free, so why not?
>
> On another related note. A friend has Riesling starter vines that he is
> going to give me in the spring. How long, on average, before a vine will
> produce fruit in a usable quantity? I have been told that a mature vine
> will produce enough fruit for a gallon of wine on average.
>
>
> Ryan