Winehaus Nursery Thread

[Winehaus]

It has begun. This will be where I update the progress from burying the cuttings to planting them in the vineyard in a year. This is a new process for me and those who I'm working for so details are a bit fuzzy and will change over time.

So to get started we have taken about 1000 LaCrescent, 500 Crimson Cabernet, and 500 Chambourcin cuttings so far. 1000 Brianna, 500 Marquette, and a few Cabernet Franc, Chardonel, Traminette and 3309 rootstock will be added.

First we dug out a large pit just over 2 feet deep and lined the edges with wood planks with rebar to hold the dirt back. A ton of sand was brought in to bury the cuttings and each cultivar are separated by plywood to keep it organized.









This last picture is just of the LaCrescent. Will be cutting the last of the Chambourcin tomorrow so I will have an updated picture then.

Any questions/suggestions/experiences are welcome!

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Have you made any wine from the Crimson Cab yet, and what are your thought on that hybred?

 

[Winehaus]

Personally no but I have drank some wine made by commercial wineries in the area and I would liken it to young cab franc. Does have very nice color/tannins and some dark fruit characteristics but was high on acid(makes sense since its from cab franc/Norton parentage). I know deacidification was used but it was from 4 year old vines.

Now since I'm mostly focused on the growing aspect, I'll give that review. It grows really well and is cold hardy to northern Kansas no problem. It does not handle drought well at all though.

As for training, it is one of the easiest I have dealt with but after speaking with the breeder, he suggested that the best fruiting shoots are ones from 1 year old spurs off of older spurs which makes for a messy plant. We did have success off of normal spur pruning though. This year we have been trying to prune to his specifications for this next year but its been difficult since they weren't irrigated in last years drought. So its mostly normal spur pruning again.

Even though I seemed hard on it, I did take care of a vineyard on the side last summer and they grew like large bushes because the owners irrigated constantly. I think it is a very positive cultivar for those with colder winters.

Sorry for the long explanation, I've been working with it a lot in the last year.

 

[grapeman]

Good luck with it all. Sounds like you have a solid plan.

 

[Winehaus]

Well we just got the chambourcin in luckily before our big snow storm is supposed to hit. Ill believe that when I see it. The tombstone looking things are the markers so I don't have to try and remember or not lose the map. I really hope I don't have to use them as tombstones.

 

[BobR]

Austin,

Looks like you got hammered out there with this last snow storm! Any damage/set backs to your growing progam? Hope you don't have to start over.

 

[Winehaus]

Nope all the cuttings were already underground so they are fine. It is really setting back the schedule since we are getting hit again tomorrow. Should be fine though since we will have access to some greenhouse space to get them started.