The price of a ton of grapes will depend upon the grape variety, the location of the vineyard and upon supply and demand. Representative prices for several varieties of wine grapes grown in southern California are shown below. Wine grapes are bought and sold by the ton. When home winemakers purchase fruit in 100 pound quantities, they often must pay a premium price. Grapes purchased by the pound often cost three or four times the per ton price.
Wine oxidizes quite easily, and wine is susceptible to attack by a variety of microorganisms.
If wine is going to be stored for any significant time, it must be sealed in air tight containers and stored in a cool, dark environment. Glass Glass bottles are packed in standard cardboard cartons, and the glass is clean and sterile when it leaves the factory. Glass bottles are heavy, so shipping costs are high. Consequently, glass is normally shipped in truckload lots, and the quantities are quite large. Smaller commercial wineries often pool resources and buy a truckload of bottles to reduce their glass costs.