whats best for Blanco Texas

[batonrougeguy]

I was wondering if anyone had any input for vines for the Blanco Texas area.
I don't know much about the area but possible moving onto 25 farm,and there is already plans for 2 acres of grapes,hopefully complete organic.
I know a bit about grafted kinds and what could possible kill them.
Just trying to get further ideas.I know soil test are really needed first.
Would it be better to go with wine grapes or table grapes?Most of grapes would be sold at famers markets in Austin and San Antonio.

Thanks Brian

 

[ibglowin]

Texas is trying hard to grow many different types of grapes that will make a palatable wine. They are currently digging up most of the vines they planted 5 years ago and replanting with both Spanish and Italian varieties that thrive better in HOT and HUMID growing conditions.

I would make a call or write to the local county agricultural extension office and pick their brain or see if they know of someone with real world experience right there in Blanco county.

Keep us posted!

Blanco is a beautiful area for 6 months of the year at least! (Native Texan who escaped......)

 

[Bartman]

There are probably a relative few varietals that will grow well in central Texas, and nailing those down is the $1M question. Cabernet, Pinot Noir, and some of your other well-known varietals are almost certainly out, but there are a handful of reds and whites that have shown great promise in the last 10-15 years. Tempranillo, Syrah, Viognier have done reasonably well, but if you are not a farmer by your background, then you are way down on the learning curve. My family's history is a farming one, but not for a couple generations, and I have discovered that grape growing does not lend itself to "weekend warrior" approach, unlike many corporate commodity farming operations are set up now. Ripe field corn is ripe field corn, and there is not much you can do to make it better or worse, but the subtlety of grapes and the quality of the wine they produce is much more sophisticated, or at least it should be approached that way.

 

[Scott B]

Info about Texas Grape Bus.
Try these links:
http://www.txwines.org/default.asp


http://winegrapes.tamu.edu/


http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/texaswine/


http://soils.usda.gov/survey/online_surveys/texas/


http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/texaswine/industry_facts.php


http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/fruit/piercegrapes/pdr.html


http://www.garden.org/zipzone/index.php


http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/muscadinegrape.html


http://www.gotexanwine.org/pdfs/TexasGrapeRegistry_7-30-07.pdf


http://www.fairhavenvineyards.com/

 

[batonrougeguy]

Thanks Ib I will look into ag extension office and into both Spanish and Italian kinds.

Bart I would consider myself very hands on and grew up around farming,and I have made almost 200 gallons of wine in the last 2 years,The number best was from about 75-100 pounds of sour loquats(Japanese plum) and the other number one was a dry blackberry wine with 49 pounds of blackberries in 6 gallon batch,bulk aged with a touch of dark french toasted oak.

I've made several kits and they have came out really really great and a lot of other fruit wines and muscadine wines.

My next batch or two will be Sake with kome koji w/polished rice.
One batch will be with sake yeast and the other with wine yeast and maybe one with a lager yeast.

Thanks for all the ideas.

Scott I have fully read 3 links already but will look others in the next 2 days.

I am going to Blanco Dec.15/16ish and visting for 1 or 2 whole days.


Again Thanks everyone and can't wait to start buying.


This is very promising for the area

http://www.texaswinetrail.com/map.html