Managing a vineyard in India – Things You Should Know
Our country is one of a culture that depends on farming in great amounts. Rice, wheat, spices, fruits, vegetables, what have you? We have our hand in global food production since time immemorial. But have you any idea about how India also has a growing wine industry? India does boast some of the best vineyards and wineries in the world. Grape farmers in India grow these with passion, and skill to go along with it. Now that is what this blog is about. How you, provided that you are passionate about making your vineyard a success. This is something that would definitely interest you if are a farmer, an entrepreneur, or even just a wine lover. So, read on dear connoisseur!
What is a vineyard and how does it work?
Planning on cultivating grapes? First, understand how vineyards work – because the lack of said understanding means you might as well not do it. What kind of vineyard do you intend to cultivate? The first query can be answered by describing the type of wine you’re trying to manufacture. Do some research, learn about these when you’re planning to get into it. Become a “viticulturist”, or a grape farmer. Knowing how to plant, prune, water, fertilise, and protect your grapes from pests and diseases will help you see profits from viticulture.
Speaking of water, make sure they have enough and more, grapes are thirsty plants. Provided that you know how to maintain your vineyard, you can extend the life of your vineyard with ease.
Choosing the Right Location to Grow
Now you know how a vineyard works. What next? Yes, knowing where it works best. Let’s see here, finding a place that has the perfect climate, receives sunlight properly, and has a good drainage system would be ideal. Next up is the soil type, as growing your type of grapes means you have to grow them in the right soil. Preparing the soil can be done through cultivators mounted on your VST Tractor.
What makes the soil right for your grapes? For starters, it would be the pH level of the soil, the nutrient content, organic matter that’s present in the soil etc. On top of that, you should also be avoiding the soils that have a high salt content, or soil that’s too acidic or alkaline. Deep loamy soil means your roots get enough space and nourishment to grow ideally.
Any area that might cause crop damage, such as frost, hail or heavy winds, avoid these areas at all costs.
Planting, Pruning and Harvest
We know how a vineyard works. We also know where it works perfectly well. Now, we shall move on to the way we must grow the grapes. Grapes grow best in early spring season, in warm and moist soil. Every grape vine must be set 8 feet apart from each other for it to . Before the buds form, you must prune your grapevines each year. In order to give your vines more sunshine and air, you must remove any dead or unhealthy wood and shape them. Your grapes must be harvested when they are ready to be made into wine. You must taste them and use a tool to measure their sugar content. To cut the clusters from the vines without harming your grapes, you must use sharp equipment. You can also used specialised farm implements mounted on your Eicher Tractor.
How to process and store grapes and wine in your vineyard?
The next step after harvesting your grapes is to process and store them to make wine. It starts with crushing, then moves on to subsequent pressing, fermenting, clarifying, aging, and bottling. And that is how grapes travel from the farm to your winery. These are the fundamentals. Red wine must be fermented with the skin on, whilst you ferment white wine with skins separated. Temperature, air, and yeast heavily influence the fermentation process. You must keep your wine and grapes in a cold, dry, and dark location to preserve them. Grapes can be kept for up to six weeks in cardboard cartons. Wine can be kept for several months or years in barrels, tanks, or bottles.
How can you promote and sell your wine both domestically and abroad?
Marketing and selling your wine to customers is the last phase. A strong brand identity is one of the first things that you should spare a thought about. Then of course, a well-defined target market. The icing on the cake, but definitely not the last, formulate an effective business plan. Of course, keep in mind every law and regulation governing the wine industry both domestically and internationally. Register your vineyard and winery with the government to get a permit for the manufacture and sales of wine. Pay taxes and customs, and adhere to the requirements for labelling and packaging. Additionally, you must advertise your wine using a variety of platforms, including social media, websites, trade shows, festivals, and events.
Conclusion
We’ve discovered some of the information you need to be aware of if you want to run a vineyard in India in this blog post. We have talked about things like what a vineyard is and how it functions, how to pick the best soil and location for your vineyard, how to plant, prune, and harvest grapes for wine, how to process and store grapes and wine in your vineyard, and how to market and sell your wine in India and abroad.
