Looking for experience/opinions with certain varietals

[joelap]

Hi all, winter is hanging on for dear life here in central Connecticut and its time to start getting serious about spring plantings here. Been doing significant research and have narrowed my grape selections down to these potentials. Looking to see if anyone can share insight and help me pick two reds and two whites from this list of potentials? Generally, I prefer tannic, full-bodied reds and semi-sweet or semi-dry, non-overpowering whites. I have checked and am certain all listed below can handle zone 6A or better.

Reds:
Cab Franc
Oberlin Noir
Frontenac
Marquette
Regent

Whites:
Cayuga White - A local winery makes one of my favorite whites out of predominantly this grape... this I am absolutely planting.
Riesling - I know an individual who owns a winery in Washington and on his first visit to CT said he thought Riesling would do well here.
Albarino
Vermentino

I'd love to plant them all but space is limited... given the desired results I am going for, which would be best? Do any of these yield more pounds of fruit than another, which is important in a limited-space environment?

Thanks for the help,

Joe

 

[jtstar]

with the two that you are interested in I would go with the Frontenac and Marquette

 

[grapeman]

Before I would decide what to grow, I would decide which ones I actually liked. Get slome commercial samples and give them a try first. Frontenac is versatile and cold hardy, but has a "unique" taste to it. If you like it, then good. It has no tannins at all to speak of. if you want them in the wine, you will need to add. It is also a very high acid grape- twice normal wines- so you need to deal with it. Marquette is much tastier in my opinion and has some tannins- but not a lot. Cab Franc will live, but will it ripen where you are. It might and it might not. Oberlin Noir is pretty good if you are in a zone 6. Regent gets mixed reviews in the east.

For whites - Cayuga would do alright there in all liklihood. Riesling might also if it doesn't get too cold. You have a lot more choices available for good whites than reds in Ct.