Hi from Kentucky

[Motomike]

Just signed on as a new member today. Long time drinker and lover of wines and currently bulk aging my first batch of WE pinot noir. I will be planting 40 vines (Marquette) next spring on my southern facing hillside. Just finished sub-soiling my hillside and will be putting in trellises over the winter. Looking forward to your help and input as I begin my wine making and growing experiences.

 

[masta]

Welcome Motomike glad to have you aboard!

 

[grapeman]

Welcome to the forum MotoMike! Share your experience as you go and feel free to ask all kinds of questions. Somebody will get back to you soon with answers or advise. Where are you getting your Marquette vines? They are still in short supply. I ordered some in June 2006 and am just able to get them in 2008! I was able to get enough Marquette grapes this year from elsewhere to get a 9 gallons of it going. It seems to be doing well and is finishing up malolactic fermentation. It tastes pretty good already.

 

[Motomike]

Winterhaven nursery in MN. www.winterhavengrapevines.com They seemed to have decent supplies. I just got a couple of bottles of Marquette wine from Amherst winery in upstate NY and it seems a bit "thin" to me. Fairly decent tannins but is just lacking something. Keep me posted on how yours progresses as I am quite anxious to hear more successes with that grape. We are really getting a great wine growing culture here in Northern KY and I am attending my first meeting of our local grape growing and vitaculture assn. tomorrow night. Our region was once considered the Rhine Valley of the U.S. due to its extensive grape growing an wine production prior to prohibition.

 

[grapeman]

I figured that was where you were getting them. I had checked this last winter when Double A was behind in supply and they seemed to be the only one I could find with any. Since I had a few hundred others coming this last spring I just opted to wait until this coming spring. If you haven't checked it out yet we have a section for small vineyards on this site. There are a few of us getting our own little vineyards going in a variety of climates.


Sounds like you have a good area to be growing in with quite a few options available to you for grape varieties.Share with us what you learn at your meetings.

 

[Bert]

Welcome motomike to great hobby....sounds like you are off to a great start....I wish I had the time and place to do a vineyard...GOOD LUCK

 

[Wade E]

Welcome motomike and glad you joined here!

 

[PolishWineP]

Welcome motomike to great hobby....sounds like you are off to a great start....I wish I had the time and place to do a vineyard...GOOD LUCK

Well, how about you just win that lottery and you can retire and we can move out to the country and you can grow your grapes? Wouldn't that be a lovely little life?

Motomike, we're glad to have you here and some of us are slightly jealous about the grapes. But, that won't keep us from enjoying what you have to tell us about them.Edited by: PolishWineP

 

[Waldo]

Welcome motomike. glad to have you onboard

 

[chevyguy65]

Welcome motomike.you have found the best forum there is for wine making!!

 

[Motomike]

Actually I have been thinking about:
Blowing up my TV, throwin' away my paper, movin' to the country and buildin' me a home. Plant a little vineyard, drinkin' a lot of good wine and tryin' to find Jesus on my own.


Paraphrased from John Prines: Spanish Pipedream

 

[moto-girl]

Welcome, Motomike. This is a great forum with so much info and comradarie. I have had the pleasure of trying a few wines from Kentucky and they were wonderful. I look forward to hearing about your vineyard.

 

[smurfe]

Welcome aboard. Look forward to hearing about your process. There are a few experienced growers here. Good luck and share your experiences with us. I don't know what part of KY you hail. I always thought south east KY was God's Country. Love it there.

 

[Motomike]

If you get the chance try the Elk Creek Wines. They are the largest vineyard/winery in the state and producing some great stuff. My friend runs the adjacent hunt club and they have an awesome operation.