Hello From Upstate New York

[vinividivici]

Actually, it's Central New York but those from New York City consider anything north of the Bronx "upstate"!

I've done home-brewing of beer in the past with fairly good results and would like to start making wine.

Our house is on five acres with full sun exposure, so would also like to grow hybrid grapes for dry Reds. We live about 90 miles from the Finger Lakes which has a load of wineries and a similar climate to ours.

Anyway, glad I found this site and am sure will learn a lot here!

Cheers!

Bob

 

[grapeman]

Welcome Bob. What city are you located near? Maybe towards Oneonta?

Ask your questions and we might be able to aid your learning curve.

 

[Runningwolf]

Welcome aboard!

 

[mxsteve625]

Welcome Bob,

This is a great forum with lots of knowledgeable and friendly people.
I too started off making beer but now I find myself making 5 times more wine.

Steve

 

[countrygirl]

welcome bob!
i am planting vidal blanc this coming spring and i've ordered them from a new york company...will try to get u that info.

edit: grafted grapevine nursery llc. good website. i have had good communication with this co.

good luck!
rica

 

[vinividivici]

Welcome Bob. What city are you located near? Maybe towards Oneonta?

Ask your questions and we might be able to aid your learning curve.

Hi Grapeman,

We live in Camden, NE of Syracuse and W of Rome.

My wife and I prefer dry reds. I know the region grew predominately white grapes but the Finger Lakes region is growing a lot of reds now. We were at Seneca Lake last weekend and tried some really outstanding hybrid reds, including Cabernet Franc. That's my growing interest right now.

 

[Goodfella]

Welcome aboard Bob...

Good luck with the new hobby

 

[Larryh86GT]

Welcome to the forum Bob.

Larry

 

[St Allie]

hello and welcome to the forum Bob,

I planted muscat varieties last spring for dessert wines. ( hopefully!)

Allie

 

[Julie]

Hi Bob,

Welcome to winemakingtalk

 

[grapeman]

You may be in for areal challenge growing Cab Franc there. It is a vinifera grape, not a hybrid and is really a warm zone six to cool zone 7 minimum. You need an outstanding site even in the Finger Lakes for it to ripen, and I'm pretty sure you will be a lot cooler in the Syracuse Rome area - not as bad as Watertown, but bad enough. I would concentrate on the hybrids. You can probably grow Noiret and Maybe Corot Noir. Leon Millot or Foch will do great but they have small clusters so are a bear to pick. I like St. Croix and it is good and hardy.

 

[Wade E]

Welcome to our side of the Net Bob and glad to have you aboard. Grapeman and a few others here are or are almost commercial growers and have great wines and a great knowledge of growing grapes.

 

[vinividivici]

Thanks Grapeman for the recommendations. We live in Camden and are on the cusp of the USDA 4 and 5 zones. I'll look into the varieties you mentioned.

Also thanks to all for the warm welcome! As this is an intro board, I'll take my questions to the appropriate board from here.

Cheers!

Bob