Help with selection of cold hardy grapes

[3274mike]

I am looking to buy some vines to start a hobby vinyard. I want to go with Marquette and something else a red that will blend well with marquette but also be able to stand alone. The area is in southwest michigan south of battle creek. Soil is somewhat heavy with clay not ideal but what I have other location is probably ideal Sandy loam but not my property it's a friend and like 25 minutes away soil god but not ideal for me. Choosing marquette for cold hardiness and enjoyed the wine from Hid-In-Pines Vinyard. Is it worth trying in the heavy clay or a waste if time and money thanks for any input,


Mike

 

[3274mike]

Help with selection f cold hardy grapes

I am looking to buy some vines to start a hobby vinyard. I want to go with Marquette and something else a red that will blend well with marquette but also be able to stand alone. The area is in southwest michigan south of battle creek. Soil is somewhat heavy with clay not ideal but what I have other location is probably ideal Sandy loam but not my property it's a friend and like 25 minutes away soil god but not ideal for me. Choosing marquette for cold hardiness and enjoyed the wine from Hid-In-Pines Vinyard. Is it worth trying in the heavy clay or a waste if time and money thanks for any input,


Mike

 

[salcoco]

a soil sample test by your county agent should help in determining soil compatibility and possible nutrient additions for growing grapes. I believe University of Minnesota worked on developing a number of cold hardy grapes. perhaps there web site would help. Also I would visit neighboring wineries to see what they have.
I seem to remember Frontenac as a viable cold hardy red grape.

 

[ibglowin]

I would look into Noiret as well as Corot Noir.

 

[GreginND]

In my opinion, some of the most exciting work in cold hardy hybrids is being done by Tom Plocher. He released the Petite Pearl grape in 2010 and a wine recently won the Wisconsin State Fair best of show wine. It blends well with Marquette.

Tom has named two new varieties that are growing really well here in North Dakota: Crimson Pearl (TP 2-1-17) and Verona (TP 1-1-34). I think they will be available next year.

By far these are the best really cold hardy red varieties I have ever tasted.

http://www.petitepearlplus.com

 

[grapeman]

I agree with Greg here about Tom Plocher. He has a number of varieties very close to release as well as the just released ones. Check with Andy Farmer at Northeast Vine Supply as he has nothing but varieties that will do well for you including some of the Plocher varieties. He currently only lists Petite Pearl but will have others in the next couple years. They are coming here later this month to get St Pepin cuttings and I will try to ask what he has in the pipeline.

We took out most of the vines at the Cornell Baker farm in Willsboro NY last year and will be evaluating a new set of very cold hardy grapes including some from Tom Plocher and hopefully Mark Hart.

 

[3274mike]

Thank you everyone for your replies