FabJob Guide to Become a Winery Owner (ePub)

Imagine having a fun and rewarding career that gives you the opportunity to turn your love of fine wines into a profitable business. Imagine having a business that creates new wines with your name on the label.

As the owner of a wine business, you can choose to have a vineyard to grow grapes, a winery to produce wine, or both.

When you start a winery or vineyard, you will become part of a growing industry as rich as a chilled bottle of Chardonnay. Wine sales in the U.S. have more than doubled since the early 1990s. In 2008, sales of wines produced in the U.S. increased over the previous year, despite the downturn in the economy.

Wine is a drink that never goes out of style, but it is particularly trendy today. Popularized in the Academy Award winning movie Sideways and the bestselling book French Women Don't Get Fat, wine's health benefits have been extensively reported in North American news media.

At one time, the only place that wine grapes were grown commercially in the U.S. was in California, mainly in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. While the number of wineries in California continues to grow, today there are wineries in every U.S. state and many provinces. No matter where you live, you might choose to:

* Open a traditional winery, and personally oversee how your wine products are made, stored, and shipped

* Save money getting into the wine business by starting a micro-winery or a virtual winery

* Start an estate winery that becomes a popular tourist destination

* Offer exciting events such as wine tastings and winery tours to increase your profits

If starting a winery sounds like the career of your dreams, the FabJob Guide to Become a Winery Owner is for you! In this e-book you will discover how you can get started and succeed in the winery and vineyard business.

This guide shares insider tips to help you start your own winery or vineyard from successful winery owners and experts. Among the wine industry professionals who share expert advice in this FabJob guide are:

* Gino L. Filippi, wine writer and co-owner of Joseph Filippi Winery and Vineyards which has won many awards for wine-making excellence including the Gold Medal and Best of Class in the 2009 New World International Wine Competition

* Joel Peterson, co-owner of Ravenswood Winery of Sonoma, California, a winery which devotes attention to full-flavored varietal wines that rival the quality of Europe's finest

* Paul Reidl, wine industry attorney and consultant, who worked with E. & J. Gallo Winery and is a member of the International Wine Law Association

The guide covers topics of vital importance to anyone who wants to start a winery business in the United States or Canada, plus helpful advice for opening a winery in any country. It includes:

How to Start a Winery or Vineyard Business

* How to create a business plan for your winery or vineyard

* Deciding what kind of vineyard or winery business to start

* An overview of options for your winery business:

- Buying an established winery or vineyard (including how to find wineries and vineyards for sale)

- Buying a winery franchise

- Opening a new winery or vineyard

* How to choose a location for a winery or vineyard

* Grape varieties to consider (plus information about growing grapes in cold climates)

* Important systems you'll need to set up a vineyard including trellising and irrigation

* Equipment and supplies you need to start a winery business and where to get them

* Costs of opening a winery or vineyard

* Where to get start-up financing for your vineyard or winery business (includes sample start-up budgets)

* Choosing a name for your winery

* Information about important business matters including insurance, incorporation, and regulations for wineries

Managing Your Winery or Vineyard

* How to develop effective systems for running your vineyard or winery on a daily basis

* The wine-making process, including how to prepare your grapes for fermentation

* Deciding whether to bottle your own wine or hire a bottling service

* What to include on your wine labels plus information on trademarking your labels

* How to set your wine prices to maximize your profits

* How to manage your wine inventory

* Advice for transporting your grapes

* Marketing strategies for wineries

* How to find a distributor so you can sell your wine to retail stores

* Setting up a website for direct-to-consumer wine sales

* Regulations you need to be aware of when selling your wine

* Special events to attract customers and increase sales, including:

- Your grand opening

- Winery tours

- Wine tastings

* How to find and hire great vineyard and winery employees

Plus you will find even more resources and advice, including:

* Resources for becoming a wine expert

* Increasing your income by offering other services at your vineyard (such as weddings or "pick your own grapes" for wine hobbyists)

* Information about making wine with other types of fruit

* Valuable samples and checklists for starting your winery or vineyard business, including:

- Sample grape purchase agreement

- Sample winery purchase checklist

- Sample budgets for a winery or vineyard

- Sample daily sales report

- Vineyard supplies checklist

- Winery supplies checklist

- Sample press release

- Sample grand opening plan

* And more!