There are many variables that will impact costs, from vine spacing to the price of steel on any given day. However, the basic materials necessary for building a vineyard are similar no matter where you are. Vineyard economics are built into the the vineyard business plan, which is a dynamic document that acts as a road map for development, but the route can change over time. It is important to decide on a comfortable overall budget for the project and try to stay within its limits. Vineyards are notorious for being more expensive than spreadsheets often reveal. Like building a house, there are often unexpected contigencies that can drastically affect costs. Developing the business plan and budget should be done during the education-discovery phase of planning a vineyard. Informational materials should be supplemented with real-life experience which can be found in fellow grape growers. They have written the checks and know how much it costs. There are a number of excellent publications, guides and calculators that can provide an overview of expenses associated with developing a vineyard:
Wine Grape Production Guide for Eastern North America, Chapter 1, “Costs and Returns of Vineyard Establishment and Operation” (Wolf, Boyd, Dickinson)
Cost of Establishment and Production of Vinifera Grapes in the Finger Lakes Region of New York
Current Cost and Return Studies (Grapes), UCDavis Agricultural and Resource Economics
Northwest Grapes Costs of Production Calculator.