Ancestry and grapes

[Torch404]

I was just reading a thread about someone who's granddad brought a vine back from Europe in his shoe. Reading the thread brought back a talk I had with my Grandpa when I was a kid.

Our ancestors were Germans that went to Russia...most likely the Volga valley in western Russia. He said they were grape farmers and called the grapes they grew Sheep Teat in so much as they were long grapes that looked like a sheep teat. I always had the picture in my head that they were a green grape but I do not know if that was the case.

He was a pretty avid wine maker on his own. Since I'm starting to learn about wine making; I'm curious about the grapes my ancestors might have grown. He's not around to ask any more so I'm hoping someone else might have a guess.

Any ideas what they might have been? Any resources that shows pictures of the different verities? Thank you!

 

[DesertDance]

Maybe you can find something here: http://www.vines.org/servlet/VinesStart
Good luck!

 

[AlFulchino]

http://www.thezaurus.com/gallery/26

oldest vine known....400 years old....

 

[Torch404]

Thanks for all the info, I'll be checking it out. The little bit I've been reading I now thing my ancestors were closer to the Black Sea and not the volga valley. Same time frame different group of people.

 

[DesertDance]

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to research the UC Davis website, and get cuttings from your homeland! UC Davis is here: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=12254

I put my order in for Greek, Spanish, and Aussie grapes, and I got 5 cuttings each. Except for the one Greek that I really wanted. I got one cutting of that. I'm thinking about splittling that cutting in two.

Research it, and get your order in before June. The deadline is December, but First Come, first Served. Capece?

 

[AlFulchino]

hey i capisce!..thanks for pointing this out...so what were the varieties that you got?

i wonder if they have any zone 4/5 varieties from italy

 

[DesertDance]

hey i capisce!..thanks for pointing this out...so what were the varieties that you got?

i wonder if they have any zone 4/5 varieties from italy

I got Cinsaut, Alicante Bouschet, Assirtico, Charbono, Daphnata, Lagorthi, Liatico, Mandilaria, Syarah, Touriga, Zinfandel, Kotzifali, and Primitivo de gioia #473.

I copied their entire list into excel, then sorted by country to find the ones I ordered. They don't say what zone the varieties are from, but you could probably figure that out with a little research. I just wanted to match my climate the best I could which is why I ordered what I did.

Now comes the hard work! They are all in black plastic trying to get callused before I plant them in these nice containers which are on order: http://www.monarchmfg.com/Starterpacks.htm

They also sent me cuttings of pomegranates, olives, and figs.

Have fun shopping!

 

[AlFulchino]

well, thats fantastic..i hope they all take for you...did you get the dormant cuttings, the summer cuttings or the budstock?

 

[DesertDance]

well, thats fantastic..i hope they all take for you...did you get the dormant cuttings, the summer cuttings or the budstock?

I got the dormant cuttings. They came wrapped in plastic in a fed ex box with wet paper towels here and there. I was blown away at the quality of the cuttings. Most are thicker than pencil thin, 14 to 15 inches long with buds about to burst. Some already are callused, with tiny roots forming.

It's a huge responsibility I have accepted. These are living cuttings, and it's up to me to kill them not!! Whew!! The grapevines were so important, but I was thrilled to get the olives, figs, and pomegranates too! The olives had tons of leaves, but didn't the Goddess Athena start Greece with one little olive branch? Olives don't go dormant, so leaves are good, and I will strip all but one before I stick those babies into their containers.

After they arrived, and I ordered the containers, I remembered the cuttings I took from my current vines (Tempranillo, Cabernet 08, Malbeck, Mourvedre, Touriga Nacional, and Perlette). I had stored them in the BBQ fridge outside wrapped in a damp towel and plastic, so I got them out to add to the rest, and had to place a call and order one more container tray!! Even my cuttings have swollen buds and signs of roots, but the ones from UC Davis are bigger and better!!

A little secret about the olives. Jim and I golf a lot, and on one of the courses, olive trees abound. A couple years ago, Octoberish, I made him help me pick olives while we waited to tee off. Those are the best olives anybody ever had, and it was fun curing them and saving them covered with good red wine vinegar, and lots of lemon, herbs, peppers, and garlic (topped with olive oil of course).

The Sevillano Olive is huge, and so were the ones we picked, so I'm crossing my fingers that my olive cuttings will survive this whole ordeal. I did snake a few suckers off those trees last year, and two lived and are growing. I have no clue what they are, but I extended the life of those trees, so this brings me joy.

I am humbled that for the price of shipping, UC Davis sent me so much joy!