Grape ID Needed

[okree]

Sorry to post twice on this forum.... but I didn't get much action in"Wine From Grapes".
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I Picked about 40 lbs of grapes at my parents place in Cullman, AL. My grandpa planted the oldest of the vinesjust over 50 years ago. Before that, the vineshad been on anotherhome-placein the area for at least 20 to 30 years. The locals call them "pink grapes".


Cullmanwassettled by German immigrants and from the 1870's through 1909, was well know for its vineyards and wine production. I'd really like these grapes to be a relic of Cullman winemaking, maybe some German variety like Gewurztraminer. The color seems about right but the leaves look different. Another thing I should mention is the aroma.... absolutely intoxicating...spicy, wild, and strong.Not necessarily likemuscadine but similar in intensity. Any ideas? I plan to start the crush this week, and I'm curious if I need to bend the recipe toward a real wine grape or towarda native wild grape.

 

[Wade E]

I dont have an answer for you, sorry.

 

[Dean]

your local university agricultural department should be able to provide you with an ID of that plant.

 

[batonrougeguy]

I think it is Weißer Burgunder or Weißburgunder
which means pinot blanc,and dates back a long time compare the pictures.
When I saw it I was like I know that one,now look at the matching picture.
very very close and started in Germany

link

http://www.mypersonalvineyard.com/product-p/pinotblanc.htm

let me know what you think

 

[Brewgrrrl]

I don't have any information to add here, but I wanted to say that this is SO COOL - what a great family connection to the grapes!

 

[okree]

It would be great if they are Weißburgunder vines.... definitely the closest thing I've seen so far. Thanks!

 

[Randoneur]

I think you need to do some testing, if you can, to figure out how to ferment the grapes.


Do you make kit wines and have testing equipment??


Are there some of the old folks around that know how they treated them in the past??? Maybe a little asking around would go a long way.


I sure would like to get some cuttings off of these come next winter. Is that possible?? Are you pruning these back every winter??

 

[batonrougeguy]

no offense to anyone but reading the INFO on the vine to the link I posted says this

"In Alsace, Germany, Luxembourg, Italy and Hungary, the wine produced from this grape is a full-bodied white"

and orkee says"Cullmanwassettled by German immigrants and from the 1870's through 1909" and we all know vines go back ages and that when I move I am taking my plants and they were cheap compared to 1870 to early 1900's.

Saying all of these I am very very sure its Pinot Blanc and have tried contacting other opinions and so far only one says "I am pretty positive that this vine is a early variety of Pinot Blanc in English anyway. That this vine is from that time and is definitely from Germany.

I am only 452 miles away and could possible drive there and get the grapes and do testing there and bring them home to make a chaptalized grape wine of couple gallons of dry wine and ship it to you when its ready.

Is there any other grapes,not picked?How many plants are growing there?

 

[batonrougeguy]

the only other thing I found was catawba

www.missouriwinecountry.com/wines/varietal.php?grapeID=2

thats the only other vine I found even close other then pinot blanc

 

[Randoneur]

Check this site. It shows the leaf form of all of the major German white wine grapes. Does this look like the leaf on your vines?


http://www.weinausoesterreich.at/wein/ww_weissburgunder.html

 

[grapeman]

While I am not sure what type of grape this is, I am reasonable sure it is neither Catawba or Pinot Blanc. Catawba has deeply lobed huge leaves and has no waxy surface. Also the vine is hard to tell what it is being masked with the effects of disease. The first picture shows lots of old powdery mildew as the discoloration on the grapes and the stems. The other picture shows some downey mildew and possibly black rot.

 

[Randoneur]

Appleman, I think you are right on.
To me, the leaf shape and edges look like American,not vinifera - maybe a hybrid?I think there is every disease know to man on that vine. Believe me Black Rot is rampant downhere. Very interesting that it was able to produce good grapes.

 

[okree]

They're not my vines.... but I feel so ashamed!

 

[grapeman]

Aubrey there is nothing to be ashamed of. It can be very tough ID'ing grapes because of the sheer volume of varieties out there. We have one in our grape variety trial we have no idea what it is. There are 12 of them, but we just can't figure out what they are. They were supposed to be Ravat 34 a white hybrid. They are a very dark almost black grape and definitely not Ravat Noir either.


As far as diseases, unless they are sprayed anywhere east of the Rockies, they will get some disease. Count yourself as lucky to get the grapes. Good luck with the wine. If it turns out good, try to see if you can get them sprayed next year and I bet you will get a lot more of them.