What grapes are you growing??

[Mr Joe]

Such a sad story I have. I started planting my vineyard (Chardonel, Traminett, Chambourcin, Concord and Thompson seedless) about 7 years ago. Fought the deer year after year and finally found a defense using a multi-layer electric fence. Then to my dismay the Japanese beetles attacked with a vengeance. At year 4 they defoliated 500+ vines (out of 680). Year 5 they took out the rest. I've given up grapes and replanted with Blackberries. Brewing my first batch of Blackberry wine. Only about 95 vines producing this year. Planted another 250 this spring. I'm getting a little older so it takes a little longer to plant in this Missouri clay and rock.

That is sad, super sorry that you lost all that. Truly hope that the blackberry wine is a success.
I have a great old buddy from Missouri, wave hi to Cecil sometime for me.

 

[CK55]

Is that typical for a vine? Seems like that is what happened to me.

Vines take 3 years to produce at max from planting. Mine will probably produce around 2019-2020.

 

[coboll2921]

That is sad, super sorry that you lost all that. Truly hope that the blackberry wine is a success.
I have a great old buddy from Missouri, wave hi to Cecil sometime for me.

Sorry to hear that, all that work for nothing.

 

[coboll2921]

Marquette and some variety from Hungary brought over in the 1970's??? (that was the story anyways)
Hoping to blend the two when I get enough produce. This is the 3rd year and not many. What I do have the birds are getting them. I'll need to invest in a net next year.

 

[CK55]

Marquette and some variety from Hungary brought over in the 1970's??? (that was the story anyways)
Hoping to blend the two when I get enough produce. This is the 3rd year and not many. What I do have the birds are getting them. I'll need to invest in a net next year.

Yep, and make sure you spray for bugs. I am intrigued by the Hungarian grape.

 

[Mr Joe]

Yep, and make sure you spray for bugs. I am intrigued by the Hungarian grape.

Last year my vines started to get hit by a very colorful worm that skinned the leaves until they were thinner than paper. Any organic, or not, pesticides you’d suggest?

 

[CK55]

Last year my vines started to get hit by a very colorful worm that skinned the leaves until they were thinner than paper. Any organic, or not, pesticides you’d suggest?

Neem Oil, its organic as its made from a compound from a tree indigenous i think to india if i recall. Its naturally effective against pests and will kill nasty bugs but leave bees and ladybugs, unharmed.

 

[Ray Stern Garden]

North Georgia, near Atlanta, climate zone 7b.

(Top photo) I have a little vineyard in the front yard with 24 Cynthiana / Norton and 6 Lenoir / Old Spanish "Favorite" variety. I had a couple rows of Blanc du Bois, a white wine variety developed in Florida but it got hit by black rot so bad that I pulled them out and replanted with more Cynthiana. These are all trained to the high cordon system. The rows were planned to go around two nice dogwood trees that I couldn't bear to cut down but my thinking was that trees and grapes have learned to get along for many, many years, right? And it seems the vines closest to the trees are growing the best. All rows and paths are mulched with wood chips, the paths had cardboard laid down under the chips.

(Bottom photo) Muscadines - Ison (red) and Magnolia (bronze) varieties. I also have some 20-plus year old muscadines closer to the house planted using the Geneva Double Curtain system. Carlos and Triumph (bronze) and Southland (red). I've tried for years but Southland does not make good wine, it always has a 'green grape' taste no matter how careful I am to only use ripe fruit. But it makes great jelly.

It's been a good year for all my grapes. A problem that I need to somehow correct next year is that the hybrids Cynthiana and Old Spanish were way too vigorous! Which was surprising since they are planted in holes that I nearly had to blast down into heavy red clay. I hedged the rows in July and that only caused them to come back with a vengeance, sending out new shoots that even started to bloom again! I did not fertilize at all this year, btw, except a couple foliar sprays with seaweed fertilizer back way back when they were blooming.

Yesterday grapes gathered from both hybrids tested right at 20 Brix. I believe I'll be harvesting next week.

 

[CK55]

S

North Georgia, near Atlanta, climate zone 7b.

(Top photo) I have a little vineyard in the front yard with 24 Cynthiana / Norton and 6 Lenoir / Old Spanish "Favorite" variety. I had a couple rows of Blanc du Bois, a white wine variety developed in Florida but it got hit by black rot so bad that I pulled them out and replanted with more Cynthiana. These are all trained to the high cordon system. The rows were planned to go around two nice dogwood trees that I couldn't bear to cut down but my thinking was that trees and grapes have learned to get along for many, many years, right? And it seems the vines closest to the trees are growing the best. All rows and paths are mulched with wood chips, the paths had cardboard laid down under the chips.

(Bottom photo) Muscadines - Ison (red) and Magnolia (bronze) varieties. I also have some 20-plus year old muscadines closer to the house planted using the Geneva Double Curtain system. Carlos and Triumph (bronze) and Southland (red). I've tried for years but Southland does not make good wine, it always has a 'green grape' taste no matter how careful I am to only use ripe fruit. But it makes great jelly.

It's been a good year for all my grapes. A problem that I need to somehow correct next year is that the hybrids Cynthiana and Old Spanish were way too vigorous! Which was surprising since they are planted in holes that I nearly had to blast down into heavy red clay. I hedged the rows in July and that only caused them to come back with a vengeance, sending out new shoots that even started to bloom again! I did not fertilize at all this year, btw, except a couple foliar sprays with seaweed fertilizer back way back when they were blooming.

Yesterday grapes gathered from both hybrids tested right at 20 Brix. I believe I'll be harvesting next week.

Nice I like how you are keeping it clean and well maintained looks professional.

I've been wanting some Norton if I could get it to grow out here in California because it's the only native grape without the typical taste.

 

[hanfordhollowvineyar]

Just out of curiosity what grapes are you growing, and why. And how many do you have??

I have Barbera, Alicante Bouschet, Merlot,Cabernet Franc and Criolla Mediana 123 total vines not including criolla which I have about 63 vines now. I've been slowly planting more of it.

Can't wait for the vines to mature I will get a bunch or criolla this year from 40 year old vines. I expect it to make a decent light red wine from the little information avaliable. As it's not a very well documented grape with very low plantings in California. I will be the only person making a wine that's 100% Criolla Mediana in the State.

I can't wait for the Merlot and Cab to mature I intend to go ahead and do a blend of around 70% Cab and 30% Merlot when they mature. The Alicante and Barbera will be single varietal wines. Although I might adjust color with some of the Alicante.

Also I figure I'll also ask what other grapes would grow well in Sandy soil, I have a climate nearly identical where I live to the Rhone region. I've been thinking about adding some white wines. I should also add that my property is on hilltop that gets lots of sun and a good breeze.

I'm just starting out in the western foothills of the Catskill mountains in NY State. Normally no one grows wine grapes here, so mine is an experiment. Choosing cold hardy Frontenac Gris and Marquette. I've got about 60 vines on a south facing slope that has a lot of shale and clay. I'm in the second year of 14 of those vines. All the rest just planted this year.

 

[CK55]

I'm just starting out in the western foothills of the Catskill mountains in NY State. Normally no one grows wine grapes here, so mine is an experiment. Choosing cold hardy Frontenac Gris and Marquette. I've got about 60 vines on a south facing slope that has a lot of shale and clay. I'm in the second year of 14 of those vines. All the rest just planted this year.

You might call me crazy but you could possibly plant some vinifera. on rootstock. Riesling and Cabernet franc are very cold tolerant.

 

[hanfordhollowvineyar]

You might call me crazy but you could possibly plant some vinifera. on rootstock. Riesling and Cabernet franc are very cold tolerant.

I won't call you crazy, but everything I've read about growing in my area says vinifera don't work. It gets (or used to get) really cold here in the winter and I'm at almost 2000 ft.

 

[CK55]

I won't call you crazy, but everything I've read about growing in my area says vinifera don't work. It gets (or used to get) really cold here in the winter and I'm at almost 2000 ft.

Ah, well Riesling is grown in Germany where it snows so that's why it would be okay and cab franc is regarded as the most cold tolerant vinifera vine.

 

[balatonwine]

Vines take 3 years to produce at max from planting

Mine normally starts producing after 3 years, but has taken up to 5 years to reach good output. But, due to local regulations, we don't irrigate -- and that does have an affect.

It most cases, it is a widely held opinion that it takes about 10 years for the root rhizomes to develop fully to create a "mature" wine from new plantings.

 

[balatonwine]

Ah, well Riesling is grown in Germany where it snows so that's why it would be okay and cab franc is regarded as the most cold tolerant vinifera vine.

Snows here too. Often a lot, and I grow many different varieties of Vinifera:



Snow or not, or the amount of snow is not really that relevant. Rather temp extremes -- how cold it gets, and frost free growing season length (i.e. degree days) matter more. Whites tend to do better in cooler climates. Exceptions exist, such as Pinot noir (which I do grow).

I honestly do not know the range of Cab Franc, but I live in a cooler region and don't know any grown locally. The best cab franc is grown much to the warmer south of me (In Villány). That is, Cab Franc may grow here, I really don't know, but I honestly don't know if it can produce a high quality wine here. In any case, it is not on the list of allowed varieties in my region.

 

[guarddog]

Just out of curiosity what grapes are you growing, and why. And how many do you have??

I have Barbera, Alicante Bouschet, Merlot,Cabernet Franc and Criolla Mediana 123 total vines not including criolla which I have about 63 vines now. I've been slowly planting more of it.

Can't wait for the vines to mature I will get a bunch or criolla this year from 40 year old vines. I expect it to make a decent light red wine from the little information avaliable. As it's not a very well documented grape with very low plantings in California. I will be the only person making a wine that's 100% Criolla Mediana in the State.

I can't wait for the Merlot and Cab to mature I intend to go ahead and do a blend of around 70% Cab and 30% Merlot when they mature. The Alicante and Barbera will be single varietal wines. Although I might adjust color with some of the Alicante.

Also I figure I'll also ask what other grapes would grow well in Sandy soil, I have a climate nearly identical where I live to the Rhone region. I've been thinking about adding some white wines. I should also add that my property is on hilltop that gets lots of sun and a good breeze.

 

[guarddog]

I grow blue ives grapes.They are planted by my dog pen and grow over the entire pen.Dog pee runs off the concrete floor and makes the grapes grow and produce real good.I have 2 stalks that are 9 years old and the vines are 30 feet long.This year I got 241 pounds of grapes off of the 2 stalks.In the last 5 years I got 1000 pounds off of these 2 stalks.Dog pee does wonders for grapes.Blue ives grapes are a rare type of dark purple grapes.

 

[CK55]

Snows here too. Often a lot, and I grow many different varieties of Vinifera:

View attachment 50665

Snow or not, or the amount of snow is not really that relevant. Rather temp extremes -- how cold it gets, and frost free growing season length (i.e. degree days) matter more. Whites tend to do better in cooler climates. Exceptions exist, such as Pinot noir (which I do grow).

I honestly do not know the range of Cab Franc, but I live in a cooler region and don't know any grown locally. The best cab franc is grown much to the warmer south of me (In Villány). That is, Cab Franc may grow here, I really don't know, but I honestly don't know if it can produce a high quality wine here. In any case, it is not on the list of allowed varieties in my region.

Nice, yeah I don't have any weather threats. I get no snow,no frost, no insane heat usually. I get s fog lsyer that comes in sometimes cools it down. But unlike 90% of California I'm considered cool climate. So I won't get that vibrsnt fruitiness that napa wines get.

As to 10 years for mature wine. It's actually mostly to allow mycorrhizae to develop which can both strenghthen a plant and make it even more resistant to environmental problems.

 

[balatonwine]

As to 10 years for mature wine. It's actually mostly to allow mycorrhizae to develop which can both strenghthen a plant and make it even more resistant to environmental problems.

Lets just say the issues are complex. But the overall opinion of many** is older vines tend to create better wines:

http://www.winewisdom.com/articles/techie/old-vines-do-they-make-the-best-wines/


** Of course, and on the other hand, who cares about the opinions of so called, self proclaimed elites regarding subtle and esoteric issues on the fine grained features of wine quality? Grow and drink what you like.

 

[JimInNJ]

Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Dornfelder, 14 plants total, in their third year in the main vineyard.


Two Cab Franc are on individual Lyre trellises, along with two Barbera and a Sangiovese (not pictured) that were added this year.