Vineyard and Winery Loans
Vineyard and Winery financing are Farm Plus Financial’s specialty. Our experienced team has secured vineyard and winery financing for numerous vineyards across the United States. If you are seeking a loan for a purchase, refinancing for a better rate or term, or seeking capital to cover day-to-day operating costs, FarmLoans.com has been your trusted lender for over 15 years.
Farm Plus Financial offers a variety of loans for purchasing new agricultural property, expanding your vineyard, or assisting in operating costs. We are also happy to provide financing for smaller acreage properties in both mature and emerging markets. Our vineyard loans are made for startups, established properties, and mid to large-scale operations. FarmLoans.com is committed to meeting the needs of this vibrant sector of the economy.
Vineyard Appraisals
Given the importance of vineyards and wineries to the economy, it is understandable that farmers, financial institutions, and state agricultural organizations would be deeply concerned with the financial health and well-being of farmland, vineyards, and wineries. Unlike traditional farms, vineyards are inextricably linked to the health of the wine market. As such, appraising and valuing these properties requires evaluating the strength of the nation’s wineries.
Each vineyard is unique, as such, the appraisal process may vary.
Additionally, there is a difference between selling grapes wholesale versus producing for your own winery. Your specific circumstances may warrant alternative appraisal methods.
A major part of evaluating a vineyard depends on understanding its characteristics. Given the variety of wine grapes in California, more than 110, the demand for the wine, and the specific grapes used, is the first step in pricing a property. Grape value is calculated at 100 times the retail value of a bottle of wine. Wine that costs $10 a bottle, for example, typically translates into grapes that are worth $1,000 a ton. The value of the grapes is a high-ranking factor in determining the value of a vineyard.
Climate and region are also critical factors in determining value. To determine the quality and desirability of a region’s climate, most appraisers and vintners use the Winkler scale (also known as the heat summation method). Wine vines generally do not grow in temperatures below 50 degrees. The Winkler system seeks to evaluate how many days the temperature exceeds that minimum. The scale is made up of five categories ranging from Region I (with 2,500 or fewer temperature days) to Region V (with more than 4,000 temperature days). Certain wine grapes only grow in certain regions (Rieslings and Chardonnays, for example, thrive in Region I while table grapes intended for direct consumption tend to do well in Region V). While all five regions can be found throughout the nation’s agricultural areas, the value of a vineyard is evaluated in part by the value of grapes that could be grown.
Soil and water sources are the next major characteristics that determine value. Soil characteristics are important in determining the value and desirability of grapes and the quality of wine that can be produced from them.
Appraising the soil often depends on judging the historical qualities of wine produced there, mineral content, drainage, and fertility. Evaluating the mixtures of various soil types can be difficult, but is also a major part of determining what kinds of wine grape a vineyard can grow and their potential value. The Napa Valley, for example, has a mixture of alluvial soil (a combination of clay, silt, gravel, and sand), loam soil (a crumbly mixture of clay, sand, and silt), and shattered deposits of limestone and sandstone.
Access to water (proximity to streams, reservoirs, etc.), local restrictions on water usage, sprinkler systems, and adequate drainage to avoid erosion all help boost the value of vineyards (particularly in states like California where increasingly hot summers are leading to droughts and draining aquifers).
Appraisers also compare vineyards to one another, looking at sales, costs, and income. They look, for example, at the value of neighboring vineyards (particularly looking at real estate costs there) and examine the value of grapes per ton of vineyards that grow similar crops. They also factor in the cost of the land, the cost of needed improvements (such as irrigation systems), and the cost of operating the vineyard. Finally, they compare these numbers to estimate potential income a grower could make in possession of the vineyard in question.
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What People Are Saying
Farm Plus Financial was a wonderful company to work with. My representative was extremely helpful, timely, professional, and a real pleasure to work with. I would recommend this group to anyone!
We received quick and helpful guidance all the way through our loan process to purchase a home on acreage for a future vineyard. I would definitely recommend Farm Plus Financial based on our experience!
