Harvest
Number of Mexican pickers hired at harvest time: 4
Average each is paid per eight-hour day: $102
Amount of grapes picked on a normal day: 3 tons
Total harvest cost: $3,000
In addition to these costs, in 2005 the Pucketts purchased five tons of grapes for an additional cost of $9,000.
The Winery
Purchase price for the Puckett Family’s farm (in 2002): $380,000
Cost of planting 6,000 vines on five acres: $10,000-15,000 per acre
Tractor: $27,000
Sprayer: $11,000
Gator tractor: $7,500
Weed sprayer: $500
Annual cost of chemicals and pesticides: $2,500-3,000
Cost of building 4,000 square foot
winery: $600,000
Monthly mortgage on winery: $4,000
Four stainless steel fermenting tanks: $400,000
Propane generator to cool the barrel room: $8,600
Thirty-five barrels, some French oak and some American oak, many of which will be replaced in three years: $25,000
Lab equipment: $10,000
Winery insurance: $600 per month
Web design: $2,000
The Bottle
Cost of bottling, including labor: $3,300
Cost of hiring Napa Valley company to design labels, according to Stephanie Puckett: “Several thousands of dollars.”
Production cost per label: $1.25
Cost per glass bottle: $1.10
Cost per cork: 67 cents
Cost per tin capsule: 14 cents
Total annual production: 13,200 bottles
