Catawba Grapes

[Lonzo]

ok i am staring a mini vineyard in my back yard....will have 5 rows of 4 vines and i would like 5 different grapes. I have Chadonell and White Niagra right now. Was at Lowes yesterday and the have some pretty healthly 1st year Catawba grapes on sale for $10. Are these grapes any good for wine? (not that White Niagras are the greatest wine grapes)

 

[Rocky]

Lonzo, before you invest money at Lowes, you may want to search this forum. There are people that offer cuttings and plants.

By the way, are you sure you are not already making Catawba wine?

 

[Lonzo]

lol awesome

 

[Lonzo]

only reason i would buy these plants is because they are established and almost a season old already but thx for the tip, i will be looking

 

[jswordy]

I like catawba wine. They have been used a long time for wines. I'd suggest you find a bottle of commercial catawba and try it. Then you'll know if you like the flavor.

 

[Lonzo]

true that....im in Indiana so whatever grapes i get have to be hardy

 

[fivebk]

I think Catawba makes a good semi-sweet wine.

BOB

 

[Rocky]

Lonzo, depending where you are in Indiana, you could be okay. Catawba grows well in New York along the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes where the Winter minimum temperature (0 to -5 degree F) is moderated by the bodies of water. Central and Southern Indiana sees these temps but from Indy northward, you could have a problem.

 

[lawrstin]

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow thought so, Ode to Catawba. I made some last year. It's a red grape but pressed and made like a white grape, it's high in acid and good for sparkling wine.

 

[Runningwolf]

Catawba...just racked and filtered 1250 gallons of it today! Great wine. I love blending it.

 

[Lonzo]

i went to 2 stores here and couldnt find any wine....ill prolly just plant em lol

 

[Julie]

t

ok i am staring a mini vineyard in my back yard....will have 5 rows of 4 vines and i would like 5 different grapes. I have Chadonell and White Niagra right now. Was at Lowes yesterday and the have some pretty healthly 1st year Catawba grapes on sale for $10. Are these grapes any good for wine? (not that White Niagras are the greatest wine grapes)

Lowes sells some pretty healthy plants, they do guarantee them, so I think that is might be good thing to buy from them. I am doing the same thing, I have a row of Fredonia, Niagara, Catawba, and a muscadine. Didn't think the muscadine was going to survive since I am in PA but it did. This is my second year since I planted them and they were two year plants when I got them. Pinch any flowers off of them for the first few years, I will probably wait until they are five year old before I take anything from them. Good luck!

 

[saramc]

i went to 2 stores here and couldnt find any wine....ill prolly just plant em lol

If you are down south, Huber's Orchard and Winery carries a sparkling Catawba. One of my favorites. Traminette is state grape of Indiana, you almost are required to grow it.

 

[BobR]

Lonzo,

There is noting wrong with a Catawba. I planted 10 this spring, along with more Niagara and Concord. Last fall, I bought 10 Concord and 3 Niagara from Lowe's for $3 each. They had everything marked down to get rid of them. Also picked a fig tree and a blueberry bush. They are nice plants, but I wouldn't spend $10 for one. You can get 30 plants - 10 Concord, 10 Niagara and 10 Catawba from Double A Vineyard for $90, but I hate to have outsiders try and talk me out of stuff, so if it feels right to you then go for it.

 

[BobR]

You got me wondering today Lonzo. I was at the local Walmart and next door is a Lowe's, so I could not resist stopping by to see if they had any grape plants marked down. They still had a few Concord, Niagara and Catawba plants, but they were still at $10.98 each.

 

[BobR]

Lonzo,

Was at Lowe's yesterday and they have the grape plants on sale for 50% off. I picked up two Catawba plants. Usually, as it gets closer to October, they will mark down remaining stock even more.