Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 5 · column 3 of 6 · from the scan, no model involved
Grapes
Continued from page A-1
bring the Virginia grape industry closer to home.
Many growers — especially those in Rappahannock —grow grapes to sell to local wineries.
“There is a demand for Virginia grapes,” said the manager of Flint Hill Vineyards, Jonathan Achilles.
“The soil here is great for grapes,” Mr. Achilles explained, adding that with temperate winters, wet springs and late falls, the grapes thrive in the higher elevations of the county. “There is always a demand for local grapes,” he repeated, adding Virginia is the ■ fourth-largest wine-producing state in the union. Filling the demand is the surge of local growers.
As acreage is cleared, posts placed, trellis strung, vines tied and pruned, Rappahannock vineyards prepare for the burst of spring growth.
“Some call this boutique vineyards,” Mr. Achilles said, explaining a boutique vineyard is one that is “three to five acres, just about what one person can handle.”
Besides the work involved in vineyard care, the cost is skyrocketing. “It was estimated that it takes about $5,000 per acre to begin a vineyard,” Mr. Achilles said, adding that as the years establish the crop, cost decreases. “Your start-up cost is always more.”
Besides the initial cost, grape vines producing wine grapes are not allowed to produce for three years. All bloom is pruned for three years allowing the plant to establish a root
87.8%