Q.Number of Grapevines Per Acre
How many wine grapevines can be grown in a 3-acre site, and what is the approximate yield in fruit?
Well...it depends on several factors~
Most people overestimate the actual acreage of grapes that a given piece of property can support. A discouraging amount of the land is lost to fencing, roads and avenues, space at the end of the rows to turn a tractor with implements, rocky outcroppings, steep slopes, and such necessities as a barn, a wellhouse, and a farmhouse.
You’ll need to make a few early, but critical, decisions such as which varieties to plant, plant spacing (both the distance between plants in the row and spacing between rows), the trellising style to be used, the direction to run the rows, how to configure the field for access by equipment and irrigation lines, etc., etc.
But on an average, we'll say 4000-6000 grapevines/hectare or 1600-2400 grapevines/acre (1 hectare = 2.5 acres). It has been found that the ideal density of planting vines is at least 4000 grapevines per hectare (1600 grapevines per acre). The greater the planting density, the greater the struggle for sustenance between every grapevine which tends to reduce the yield and weight of grapes considerably.
Approximate yield?
There are several factors which can influence the yield of a winery, comprising of vineyard age since older vineyards tends to yield less fruit, soil type and fertility, viticultural practices and climatic conditions. Each specific vineyard holds a limited quantity of energy that they can provide to its fruits and foliage. The smaller number of grapes on a vine will allow more vigor to go into those grapes.
In short~
Two to 12 tons per acre.
FYI~ It takes 3 lb of fruit to make one bottle of wine.
Hope this helps! And by the way....I LOVE wine ;)
