Schoolhouse Lane Estates

2. Describe the unique characteristics and history of the wine industry in general. What are some of the general environmental factors that affect this industry? Where does the Long Island wine segment fit into this industry mosaic, both domestically and internationally?

In order to grow grapes and produce wine, the vineyards and wineries rely on weather; furthermore, the quality and the quantity may be vary in certain seasons and different locations. Unlike other beverages that can be put into mass production, wine is a time consuming and cynical product. Wine production has a long history that can be traced back to 6000BC. The history of the U.S. producing wine started from 1934, and Long Island started the wine business from 1973. The U.S. used to import wine products from Europe, then some people in take the geographic and weather advantages in California and started to plant grapes and finally made the award winning wine.

The environmental factors can be discussed in two areas, one is nature and another is the market. Weather condition, the insect damage and disease, and water status and soil could affect the quality and quantity of grape production, moreover, it takes four to five years to meet the commercial quantity of grape after replanting new vine. Secondly is the market. Consumers are consuming more and more wine in the U.S., the table of U.S. Wine Consumption from the case study clearly indicates that the market need of wine is growing, which also means that consumers in the U.S. are taking wine as a part of life. Other than public acceptance, the distribution channels play important roles in this market. Both on-premise and off-premise locations not only gain the exposure for local wineries but also help expanding the market volume.

Long Island is a unique place for wine making on east coast. Long Island’s geographic location and the quality of the soil and the weather give it a good characteristic of wine making. Furthermore, the primary target...