Zinfandel Grapes For Sale

These Zinfandel wine grapes, from California's Lodi appellation, are grown eighty miles east of the San Francisco Bay in a vineyard bordering the Mokelumne River. The climate is sunny and warm during the day, with cool night temperatures that dip into the fifties. The soil, rich Columbia loam, is deep and well draining.

Photo taken July 1, 2000 by Robert Hoffman

The four and a half acre vineayrd was planted in 1997. The vines are currently bearing approximately 2 tons per acre, for a total of eight to ten tons. The crop should mature during the second half of September to be suitable for a White Zin wine. If left to fully ripen, they may be picked several weeks later for a full bodied red Zinfandel wine. The grapes will be hand picked and shipped in accordance with the buyers instructions.

Sugar levels as of...	Brix
August 8	14.4
August 14	16.6
August 22	17.4

Photos taken August 7, 2000 by Robert Hoffman

The vines are head pruned to a unique system known as Tom's Tall Vine Trellising. This approach allows the fruit to hang freely in the open with air circulation unhindered by over developed canopies. As the vines reach their full-bearing age, the crop will be thinned to limit its size to five or six tons to insure a timely maturation date.

Photo taken August 7, 2000 by Robert Hoffman

These grapes were grown in an environmentally friendly fashion, using only a "soft pesticide" approach. To date, only Omite, for mote control has been applied. The only other chemicals used during the 2000 growing season have been for mildew and rot control. Pesticide Use Reports are available upon request.

Pricing: Wholesale price to wineries $450 per ton for early harvest (17 to 20 degrees brix) for White Zin. $625 per ton for mature harvest (22.5 to 24.5 degrees brix) for Red Zin. $850 per ton for late harvest (above 24.5 degrees brix). (Not available until 2001.) Small lot price to home winemakers $0.35 per pound for mature harvest. Picking is not included.

The growers are presently looking for a short term or long term contract with a well established, reputable winery in the United States or Canada. In the absence of any wholesale contracts, small lot winemakers are encouraged. A high sugar content second crop harvest is also available.

Any buyer interested in should contact Tom Hoffman by telephone at (209) 369-8578, or email him at thoffman@lodinet.com.

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