Frontenac's ripening

[Brew and Wine Supply]

My frontenacs are already starting to ripen, at this rate I'll be harvesting sometime in July

 

[grapeman]

UNREAL!!!!!!!!
My Frontenac is the size of bb's right now and just bloomed about 10 days ago.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

we had 80's and 90' back in March and were pruning in Feb in tee shirts. Normally the ground is frozen then. Bad thing now is lack of rain, its a dust bowl when I mow, don't understand how the weeds can grow and nothing else...lol

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Brought a small bunch home that looked pretty ripe, still on the sour side. Brix is at 14.5%. Guess I need to get the netting on in the next week or two. There are still a lot of green ones but about 1/4 of them have color.

 

[grapeman]

My guess would be that you have 3 to 4 weeks yet to ripen fully more if it gets cooler.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

not a chance of getting cooler, next 8 days between 90 and 100, no chance for rain untill the first, if they are right on that. after that temps in the upper 80's to mid 90's. these things are susposted to be picked mid September...lol

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Ours seem to be ahead this year too. The foliage doesn't seem to be ahead, but the fruit certainly does.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Just spent just over an hour watering the young vines to keep them alive, the older ones with ripening grapes....
RAISINS
not all but about 1/3.

 

[toddphilip]

I'm battling black rot. I'm very sad. I hope I can pull through, but I might've cut away 40% today.

 

[Ron22]

Just spent just over an hour watering the young vines to keep them alive, the older ones with ripening grapes....
RAISINS
not all but about 1/3.

YOu just need to make a wine out of the Raisins. You neve know

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

They won't go to waste, just when you're looking for the first crop of grapes for wine and end up with raisins...

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Just got back from the vineyards, watered as much as I could haul with me. Then watched the birds hitting the grapes that I have left, so up went some bird netting...nothing like working in this 100*+ heat.

 

[grapeman]

It makes you appreciate the wine that much more!

 

[Ron22]

No update for a while so how bad is it looking now? Still no real rain in MO.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Had some family stuff going on this past weekend, will head out there after work tomorow. Should be picking, week and a half ago they were at 18 to 22 brix. need to hit 25+.
Yup, no rain. at .25 for the month so far. we are down 10+ inches for the year along with dry weather last year too.

 

[Ron22]

Had some family stuff going on this past weekend, will head out there after work tomorow. Should be picking, week and a half ago they were at 18 to 22 brix. need to hit 25+.
Yup, no rain. at .25 for the month so far. we are down 10+ inches for the year along with dry weather last year too.

I am in Missouri this week just tell me were they are I will go pick them for you.
I will then let you know how MY wine turns out.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

I am in Missouri this week just tell me were they are I will go pick them for you.
I will then let you know how MY wine turns out.

Heading out toinght to water the young ones and will most likely picking the rest. The St. Vincent were still green but they should be changing soon.
This is my first picking and the plants are a bit thin on grapes, hoping to get a few gallons.

What part of Mizzery or Missouri you visiting?

 

[Ron22]

I do work in St Louis so I am in MO a lot. Usally a week or 2 at a time.
I hope other place have better luck then you. My wife said I need to buy 100lbs of Norton grapes this fall. Know of anyone that sells to home wine makers?

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

I do work in St Louis so I am in MO a lot. Usally a week or 2 at a time.
I hope other place have better luck then you. My wife said I need to buy 100lbs of Norton grapes this fall. Know of anyone that sells to home wine makers?

Working on a list right now.

We're just about an hour south of down town.

On another note. Just got back from the vineyard. Watered the young plants, looks like I've lost about 2/3 of the chardonell ( out of 50) and about 10 new frontenac .
Then we picked the 3 year old frontenac....LOL got about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket...Over half of the plants ( of 50) did not produce this year, of what did produce between the birds and the drought Thats what we ended up with... thinking maybe a gallon of wine???
Wife did not think it was worth it.

 

[Ron22]

Then we picked the 3 year old frontenac....LOL got about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket...

that is not even enough for 1 gallon unless they are rasins and you can add alot of water.

Wife did not think it was worth it.

Well what do they know