Don't Underestimate Winemaking

The most important early considerations before starting to make wine

Many of us enter winemaking with a naïve—almost romantic—vision of what it will be like. Below, I outline some fundamental considerations for anyone thinking about starting to make wine, so they have a clearer understanding of what they are committing to. This list may also offer useful perspective to existing producers who are looking to take their work to the next level or simply improve what they already do.

Key topics:

• Start from the end

• Space

• Accept mistakes

• Winemaking skills and plans

• Be unique or compete on price

• Are you planning to make a profit? Perhaps not in your lifetime

Start from the end

It is impossible to plan everything on paper when circumstances and objectives are constantly evolving. However, it ispossible to plan for flexibility. Begin by asking yourself some essential questions—about the market, your winemaking approach, winery setup, and more personal considerations such as: What kind of lifestyle do I want?

Starting from the end helps you visualise where you want to go and how to build a realistic plan suited to your personal and professional profile. Making wine is a lifelong project. If you do not truly love it, sooner or later you will walk away. Love itself can be a journey—it may grow stronger over time or quietly fade. I have never met a professional wine producer or winemaker who does not dedicate their entire life to it. Forget eight-hour workdays, regular weekends, or choosing a sports car over a better tractor.

Space

Do it properly and early, or you will pay for it later.

One of the most persistent challenges winemakers face is a lack of space. This leads to wasted time, unnecessary costs, and uncomfortable working hours spent constantly moving equipment and wine. Simple tasks can turn into complex operations simply to allow for setup, cleaning, and tidying.

From the outset, consider adequate space for storing wine and equipment under appropriate conditions to minimise double or triple handling; sufficient room and suitable ground to operate a forklift safely and efficiently; doors and ceiling heights that can accommodate tanks and machinery; and proper spacing between vessels to allow easy cleaning and maintenance.

This is only the tip of the iceberg when designing an efficient winery. Efficiency quickly translates into financial and environmental sustainability, improved aesthetics, higher quality, happier workers, and better health and safety standards.

Accept mistakes

Mistakes are an inevitable part of life, and asking the right questions—or seeking advice—can dramatically reduce their impact.

Mistakes come at a cost, and the most expensive ones are often made at the beginning. These typically involve fundamental decisions that can lead to long-term capital losses, inefficiencies, or the frustration of watching things fail to unfold as planned.

Miscalculations will happen. The best we can do is minimise their consequences by learning from both our own experience and that of others.

Winemaking skills and plans

Grapes grown in a specific terroir dictate what can be made from them—not the other way around. We are merely humble interpreters of what they offer. As simple as this may sound, it requires dedication, successes, failures, and a lifetime of refinement, with continuous adjustments in a changing environment.

A winery functions like a living organism, in which every component plays a crucial role and must be synchronised to operate effectively.

Producing wine professionally and making independent decisions requires far more than reading a few books, studying for three years, or working five harvests. That may be a solid beginning—but it is only a beginning.

To make wine professionally is to remain perpetually curious: a student with an appetite for continuous improvement.

Be unique or compete on price

Winemaking is one of the most rewarding professions in the world, and in our relatively small industry, it can be especially fulfilling.

That said, there are many good wines available. If we do not want to compete solely on price—or flood the market with variations of the same wine—we must be able to express, guide, and defend a distinctive style rooted in terroir and philosophy. Price will always matter, and it is tightly linked to how efficiently every aspect of production is managed.

Are you planning to make a profit? Maybe not in your lifetime

Depending on your aspirations, making wine requires significant investment, serious hard work, and—realistically—no profit in most cases for many years. I cannot stress enough how essential it is to do your homework and plan ahead; this reality tends to validate itself more than once.

Speak with a team of professionals before starting. I am not a financial planner, and a financial planner is not a winemaker. To properly put things into perspective, a multidisciplinary team is invaluable for drafting the bigger picture before diving into technical details.