# Frontenac's ripening



## Brew and Wine Supply (Jun 19, 2012)

My frontenacs are already starting to ripen, at this rate I'll be harvesting sometime in July


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## grapeman (Jun 19, 2012)

UNREAL!!!!!!!!
My Frontenac is the size of bb's right now and just bloomed about 10 days ago.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jun 20, 2012)

we had 80's and 90' back in March and were pruning in Feb in tee shirts. Normally the ground is frozen then. Bad thing now is lack of rain, its a dust bowl when I mow, don't understand how the weeds can grow and nothing else...lol


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jun 24, 2012)

Brought a small bunch home that looked pretty ripe, still on the sour side. Brix is at 14.5%. Guess I need to get the netting on in the next week or two. There are still a lot of green ones but about 1/4 of them have color.


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## grapeman (Jun 24, 2012)

My guess would be that you have 3 to 4 weeks yet to ripen fully more if it gets cooler.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jun 24, 2012)

not a chance of getting cooler, next 8 days between 90 and 100, no chance for rain untill the first, if they are right on that. after that temps in the upper 80's to mid 90's. these things are susposted to be picked mid September...lol


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## Minnesotamaker (Jun 26, 2012)

Ours seem to be ahead this year too. The foliage doesn't seem to be ahead, but the fruit certainly does.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jun 29, 2012)

Just spent just over an hour watering the young vines to keep them alive, the older ones with ripening grapes....
RAISINS 
not all but about 1/3.


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## toddphilip (Jun 29, 2012)

I'm battling black rot. I'm very sad. I hope I can pull through, but I might've cut away 40% today.


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## Ron22 (Jun 30, 2012)

Brew and Wine Supply said:


> Just spent just over an hour watering the young vines to keep them alive, the older ones with ripening grapes....
> RAISINS
> not all but about 1/3.


 
YOu just need to make a wine out of the Raisins. You neve know


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jun 30, 2012)

They won't go to waste, just when you're looking for the first crop of grapes for wine and end up with raisins...


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 1, 2012)

Just got back from the vineyards, watered as much as I could haul with me. Then watched the birds hitting the grapes that I have left, so up went some bird netting...nothing like working in this 100*+ heat.


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## grapeman (Jul 1, 2012)

It makes you appreciate the wine that much more!


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## Ron22 (Jul 18, 2012)

No update for a while so how bad is it looking now? Still no real rain in MO.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 18, 2012)

Had some family stuff going on this past weekend, will head out there after work tomorow. Should be picking, week and a half ago they were at 18 to 22 brix. need to hit 25+.
Yup, no rain. at .25 for the month so far. we are down 10+ inches for the year along with dry weather last year too.


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## Ron22 (Jul 19, 2012)

Brew and Wine Supply said:


> Had some family stuff going on this past weekend, will head out there after work tomorow. Should be picking, week and a half ago they were at 18 to 22 brix. need to hit 25+.
> Yup, no rain. at .25 for the month so far. we are down 10+ inches for the year along with dry weather last year too.


 
I am in Missouri this week just tell me were they are I will go pick them for you.
I will then let you know how MY wine turns out.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 19, 2012)

Ron22 said:


> I am in Missouri this week just tell me were they are I will go pick them for you.
> I will then let you know how MY wine turns out.


 

Heading out toinght to water the young ones and will most likely picking the rest. The St. Vincent were still green but they should be changing soon.
This is my first picking and the plants are a bit thin on grapes, hoping to get a few gallons. 

What part of Mizzery or Missouri you visiting?


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## Ron22 (Jul 19, 2012)

I do work in St Louis so I am in MO a lot. Usally a week or 2 at a time.
I hope other place have better luck then you. My wife said I need to buy 100lbs of Norton grapes this fall. Know of anyone that sells to home wine makers?


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 19, 2012)

Ron22 said:


> I do work in St Louis so I am in MO a lot. Usally a week or 2 at a time.
> I hope other place have better luck then you. My wife said I need to buy 100lbs of Norton grapes this fall. Know of anyone that sells to home wine makers?




Working on a list right now.

We're just about an hour south of down town.

On another note. Just got back from the vineyard. Watered the young plants, looks like I've lost about 2/3 of the chardonell ( out of 50) and about 10 new frontenac .
Then we picked the 3 year old frontenac....LOL got about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket...Over half of the plants ( of 50) did not produce this year, of what did produce between the birds and the drought Thats what we ended up with... thinking maybe a gallon of wine??? 
Wife did not think it was worth it.


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## Ron22 (Jul 19, 2012)

Brew and Wine Supply said:


> Then we picked the 3 year old frontenac....LOL got about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket...


 
that is not even enough for 1 gallon unless they are rasins and you can add alot of water.



> Wife did not think it was worth it.


Well what do they know


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## Ron22 (Jul 19, 2012)

Brew and Wine Supply said:


> We're just about an hour south of down town.


 
The place I work is in Pevely MO and I stay in Fento so I know the area you are in. (Based on your store address)


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 20, 2012)

LOL not far away at all, 10 min


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## Ron22 (Jul 20, 2012)

See I could have went and picked your Frontenacs and your wife would have been happy.

Then when I got home with the little amount my wife would ask is that Nortons? That cant be enough for 5 gallons!


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 20, 2012)

LOL, just got done desteming between customers... ended up with about a 1/2 gallon of must.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 22, 2012)

Just got around to crushing the grapes, looks pretty sad, a half gallon is almost not worth it..lol. but it's the first harvest. 
Brix came out to 24.6 which converts to 1.104 SG. pH is 3.14. Dont have enough to test for TA. put in a pinch of k-meta.
Will pitch some 71b when I get home tomorrow.
When done, I expect to get maybe a bottle out of it...LOL 

Wife is giveing me that look that I get when I buy more parts for my Mustang.


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## winemaker_3352 (Jul 22, 2012)

Doug - what grapes were they??


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 22, 2012)

Frontenac.


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## winemaker_3352 (Jul 22, 2012)

Brew and Wine Supply said:


> Frontenac.




Duh!!!!!!!!


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Jul 22, 2012)

I just had to do it


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## Ron22 (Jul 22, 2012)

Brew and Wine Supply said:


> When done, I expect to get maybe a bottle out of it...LOL


 
It might be a good bottle


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## winemaker_3352 (Jul 22, 2012)

Brew and Wine Supply said:


> I just had to do it



Aaa - no worries - i deserved that one


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