Sussex, UK newbie

[MrFrench]

Greetings everyone, pleased to join this excellent resource and thank-you for having me.

I live in Sussex in the south east of the UK - we are surrounded by vineyards here.
So I thought, I’ll put some vines in the garden!
Hoping to document my grape growing and wine making adventures (mishaps) here.

Best wishes to everyone, and cheers
Frenchie

 

[BigDaveK]

Welcome to WMT, Frenchie!

Have you made anything yet?

 

[MrFrench]

Dave, thanks for the welcome.

Well, I have brewed beers and am fermenting a plum wine presently, but never before grapes. And no vines in the ground yet!

My plot can fit probably 15-20 vines in the area I’m allowed (she may agree to more later haha), it is east facing but a the targeted area gets 7-10hrs direct sun per day. I will plant Solaris and Seyval Blanc, probably double cordon with 2 or 3 rows directed east-west (convenient in my plot).
This would be very much micro scale, if I get 10bottles a year I will be happy.

Learning lots at the moment, signed up to some resources at plumpton and doing soil tests imminently. Probably get rootstock in the ground in November / December. Have looked at cover crops as I have clayey soil. Possibly over complicating it!

Anything to watch out for re: soil health? There’s an evergreen hedge adjacent to my planned rows - should there be a minimum stand-off distance. Is disease a concern?

At least that is the plan, willingly the recipient of advise!

 

[BigDaveK]

I'm the last person to get grape growing advice from. Actually, avoid me completely. My wines are 99% non grape. But there's a number of experienced growers here. I'm sure you'll get a boatload of help.

 

[MrFrench]

Haha, noted

So what are your frequent and favourite wines to make Dave? And where are you based?

 

[winemaker81]

Welcome to WMT!

Post questions in the grape grower's forum -- we have a lot of growers of all levels of experience, although like Dave, I'm not one of them.

 

[BigDaveK]

Haha, noted

So what are your frequent and favourite wines to make Dave? And where are you based?

I'm now based in rural Hocking County, OH. Maybe 25,000 people in the county. Big outdoor tourist mecca - hiking, caves, zip lines, canoeing, cabins, etc.

I've made, I think, 8 different flower wines but anise hyssop and honeysuckle I will make every year. I also did 7-8 pepper wines - absolutely delicious if you're a pepperhead. Black Hungarian has the most complex flavor of them all. And I love berries - black raspberry, raspberry, wild blackberry. Tree fruit? Apples and pears. For roots I've only done sassafras (a favorite!) but this year I have elecampane and marshmallow as possibilities. And this year I fell in love with dried hibiscus and dried elderberries. The hibiscus is wonderful on it's own but in smaller quantities as an addition it adds a little fruitiness and a boatload of color.

This is a wonderful hobby with so many possibilities. Be careful! You may soon be struggling to find room for all the buckets and carboys and bottles!

 

[David Violante]

Welcome to WMT! Looking forward to what you’re going to be doing~ what vines are you thinking?

 

[Rice_Guy]

Welcome to WMT

 

[ChuckD]

we are surrounded by vineyards here.

Welcome. Is your region known for any particular grape varieties?

 

[MrFrench]

I'm now based in rural Hocking County, OH. Maybe 25,000 people in the county. Big outdoor tourist mecca - hiking, caves, zip lines, canoeing, cabins, etc.

I've made, I think, 8 different flower wines but anise hyssop and honeysuckle I will make every year. I also did 7-8 pepper wines - absolutely delicious if you're a pepperhead. Black Hungarian has the most complex flavor of them all. And I love berries - black raspberry, raspberry, wild blackberry. Tree fruit? Apples and pears. For roots I've only done sassafras (a favorite!) but this year I have elecampane and marshmallow as possibilities. And this year I fell in love with dried hibiscus and dried elderberries. The hibiscus is wonderful on it's own but in smaller quantities as an addition it adds a little fruitiness and a boatload of color.

This is a wonderful hobby with so many possibilities. Be careful! You may soon be struggling to find room for all the buckets and carboys and bottles!

Wow it sounds like paradise where you are!
Your wines sound very interesting and creative, and your enthusiasm for it really shines through. looking forward to getting stuck in here, great to meet you

 

[MrFrench]

Welcome to WMT! Looking forward to what you’re going to be doing~ what vines are you thinking?

Thanks for welcoming me! Planning to plant out Seyval Blanc and Solaris. They are not pure viniferas but apparently do well in the UK and are quite disease resistant. this suits me

 

[MrFrench]

Welcome. Is your region known for any particular grape varieties?

Hi there, Chuck and thanks for the welcome. My region typically grows the champagne varietals, bacchus, ortega and pinot blanc. There is a lot of sparkling wine production, but some good still whites. One of my favourite local wines is a chardonnay led blend with ortega and pinot blanc. I plan to make still whites

 

[Jovimaple]

Welcome to WMT!

 

[Rocky]

Welcome to WMT, MrFrench. Glad to have you aboard and learn from your experiences.

I am intrigued by both your name (French), your location (Sussex) in England and some of the varieties you noted (Seyval Blanc, Pinot Blanc). I would imagine that the presence of those varieties has something to do with the Norman Conquest. If you do not mind my asking, is there anything in your family history that links you to the Battle of Hastings? I hope I am not prying, just curious at the coincidence.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome!

 

[MrFrench]

Welcome to WMT, MrFrench. Glad to have you aboard and learn from your experiences.

I am intrigued by both your name (French), your location (Sussex) in England and some of the varieties you noted (Seyval Blanc, Pinot Blanc). I would imagine that the presence of those varieties has something to do with the Norman Conquest. If you do not mind my asking, is there anything in your family history that links you to the Battle of Hastings? I hope I am not prying, just curious at the coincidence.

Hi Rocky, thanks for the welcome!
To be honest I am completely unaware of the history of these varietals in the UK - your deductions sound very logical however!
It is a keen observation you make on my name and location, however in this instance just a coincidence. My handle is related to a nickname, so bears to true resemblance to France, and my heritage as way back as we can find is Scottish!

Are you a history buff?

Pleasure to meet you

 

[Rocky]

Hi Rocky, thanks for the welcome!
To be honest I am completely unaware of the history of these varietals in the UK - your deductions sound very logical however!
It is a keen observation you make on my name and location, however in this instance just a coincidence. My handle is related to a nickname, so bears to true resemblance to France, and my heritage as way back as we can find is Scottish!

Are you a history buff?

Pleasure to meet you

History has always interested me, particularly WWII. I read a lot on that subject and still wonder at how the leaders of countries keep making the same mistakes.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

This quote is usually attributed to Spanish Philosopher George Santayana, but that has been disputed. Whoever said it, was spot on in my opinion.

 

[Omabob]

Welcome

 

[BigDaveK]

History has always interested me, particularly WWII. I read a lot on that subject and still wonder at how the leaders of countries keep making the same mistakes.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

This quote is usually attributed to Spanish Philosopher George Santayana, but that has been disputed. Whoever said it, was spot on in my opinion.

I enjoy history as well partly because accepted history and real history can be very different.

And that quote is often discarded with a popular rationalization - "This time it will be different."