Willsboro NY Cold Hardy Grape Variety Trial

[robie]

Rich,
Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate this on-going topic. I know I (and likely many of us) have no idea how much knowledge and effort it takes to grow that little grape in order to produce a quality glass of wine.

Thanks again.

 

[grapeman]

R Zeigler- we have no real idea of the true cold hardiness of it. The spring of 2009 it got to -17F at the vineyard. There was just a bit of bud damage, but not bad. I truly believe it needs a warmish site with long days to mature well since it seems to mature later than the other varieties. We will get a better idea how well it ripens this year since it has been so warm. I will try to get pictures (although I already have some opn the computer somewhere). I will give you an update in a couple weeks. It develops a nice mellow well rounded flavor profile with some cherry and chocolate. The biggest problem is it won't do skin ferments well because of the tannins and excessive color (it really will turn your teeth black-ask my sister!).

 

[grapeman]

Today we continued picking grapes at Willboro and had a good turnout of volunteers. The process is slower than normal picking because all clusters are counted and all grapes are weighed by vine,repetition and row number.
In spite of thinning shoots and clusters to adjust to a target yield of 5 tons per acre, it was such a good growing year that some are coming in almost double that. For instance I just entered all the Marquette grapes in. Overall the yield was ovr 8 tons per acre at a per vine yield of 30 pounds per vine. The first rep had an average yield over 35 pounds per vine. I repeat Al, you can get more grapes than this year as the vines mature and you get a bit more rain.


I have pictures to post, but that will need to wait until I have crushed and pressed the days harvest that I brought home for making project wine for.

 

[ibglowin]

Wow!

You guys up North are having an incredible harvest!

And they say farming is tough and you can't make any $$$$$ .......

 

[Runningwolf]

Along Lake Erie the small vineyards are concerned about being able to sell their grapes with such a heavy surplus of grapes. They said the sugars are great and if you can't make a good wine this year, you just can't make good wine period! They are comparing this year to 2007, which was excellent all the way around.

 

[AlFulchino]

thanks for the postings Rich

Dan, glad to hear they are having a good harvest....tell them guys to bank the wine so they have more to sell when they have a lean yr

 

[grapeman]

Our little research vineyard made it into this week's Veraison to Harvest Newletter in NY. At the risk of causing any heart attacks after seeing me instead of that manly Al Fulchino, here is a link to it.


http://www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/grapesandwine/veraison-to-harvest/upload/Veraison-to-Harvest-2010-4.pdf

 

[AlFulchino]

where is your t shirt man! thats the secret great info!

 

[Wade E]

Good reading. Lots of #'s there to get an idea of what is typical of some varietals.

 

[grapeman]

The numbers continue to go up until harvest. This is a weekly newsletter that goes from Veraison to Harvest - hence the name. It is good to check progress of varieties around our large and varied state.

 

[grapeman]

Today we harvested the remaining 6 varieties of grapes. I don't have the figures right now, but we had some incredible yields in all 25 varieties this year. Most averaged 7.5 tons per acre or more- some around 10 tons per acre. They also had the best harvest numbers we have ever had. I brought home about 250 pounds of Noiret grapes. You can tell I was tired when I ran them through the crusher. I got done and looked in the Brute- full of stems- huh? How could that be? I then realized I hadn't put the destemmining cage back in before crushing! Now I had to hand scoop the grapes back in to seperate the stems out!

Now I can concentrate on my own grape harvest. Yeah- no more 35-40 hours a week on this project- It's all- well mostly- my time!

 

[ibglowin]

Sounds good Rich!

So whats the verdict on hail damage to your crop?

 

[R Ziegler]

Good luck on the home front for all the work you have to continue there.


Not to bother you to much during this crazy time of the year, but any new info/pics of your "Not Ravat".

 

[grapeman]

No further info on that variety. Even in this great year, it only got up to 14 brix. I have harvest info but no time to post now. I will add it sometime soon.

 

[OilnH2O]

Great info in the pdf file on the cold-hardy work. That's a lot of effort -- you've mentioned it over the last several years, but you must feel pretty good about the results! Congrats.

Dave