Champlain Valley - Grapemans' vineyard - Planting to small winery

[GreginND]

I hope to have such beautiful vines some day.

 

[grapeman]

Here are a couple more.
The first is St. Pepin on Scott Henry. I love the way it grows on that system. Look how nice and open and full of grapes it is.
The second is Petite Amie on Scott Henry there will be a boatload of grapes on those. Last year's Petite Amie is astounding. I am almost ready to bottle it and will bottle half as totaly dry- very florally, great mouthfeel and citrus fruits bursting at the seams. The other half I will do as a semi-sweet dessert wine.

 

[Wade E]

Praying for a really god year for you Rich!

 

[grapeman]

Praying for a really god year for you Rich!

Yeah, some times my wife shouts out to me when she says "Oh my God!"

 

[ibglowin]

I need more wine like I need another hole in my head but Rich's Marquette and St Pepin are that good I will be ordering a bunch more of his as soon as it cools down just a bit.

No Bull here. He makes some awesome wine folks!

 

[GreginND]

Can you ship to north Dakota? My wine tasting group is doing a tasting of American wines not from the usual places.

 

[grapeman]

I will check into it.

 

[Wade E]

Yeah, some times my wife shouts out to me when she says "Oh my God!"

Uh oh, the spelling police are out again!

 

[Runningwolf]

Rich, those vines are looking great. Looks like things are going to be ok for the wine grapes despite those few weeks of bad frosts we had, huh?

 

[grapeman]

We lucked out here Dan. We had no damaging frosts here like arouund the rest of the state. It got as cold, but we were behind them in growth so there was nothing to freeze. Lots of other hurdles to get by though just the same.

 

[Runningwolf]

I think the Concord, Niagara and Fredonia took the biggest hits here. They are the earliest to come out.

 

[OilnH2O]

Our early frosts knocked some of the new shoots back, and even yesterday some of those old, curled and dead leaves that were about an inch long when the frost hit them, were dried up, but still on the canes. But, other buds came along and with the growth you'd never know there was an early frost. And, I've noticed along some of those old, curled and dead areas, new leaves are beginning to emerge. In fact, I've lost more new canes to the wind (at the base) from thunderstorms then I ever lost to the early frost. It's all good... "touch wood" as the Aussies say!

 

[GreginND]

Could you tell me what the advantages/disadvantages of Scott Henry vs 4AK would be? Thanks.

 

[grapeman]

Greg,
I am not sure how much they differ, but with 4 arm kniffen you have two canes or 2 cordons high and two low. The canes all droop down so the upper ones can shade the lower ones.

Scott Henry has 4 arms total, two high and two low, but the wires are only 10-12 inches apart. The upper ones are trained upward VSP style and the two lower ones are trained downward. As you can see in the pictures, the Scott Henry seperates the fruit and cuts down on shading. This is all part of my ongoing training system trial. Like I said before these are very preliminary results as there has been very little research done yet with the cold climate grapes on these systems.

 

[grapeman]

Last year I noted the beginning of veraison on July 31 in the Mn1200. While out spraying tonight, I noted the Mn1200 has begun veraison - almost a week ahead of last year. This is in line with the whole country being early this year. The grapes are even heavier with crop this year in spite of shoot thinning. Now if we can miss another tropical sto4rm this year.........................................

 

[grapeman]

It is time to show some pictures of the grapes. These are mostly from the training systems trial. The first one is of Marquette beginning veraison. Mike these are the same age vines as the ones I gave you that you are hoping make it to the wedding. You should just move the wedding over here!

 

[grapeman]

And here are the St Pepin grapes- a white. There are TWC, ModGDC and ScottHenry and I didn't get any VSP I don't think. My camera is giving me fits. Time for a new one.


The last couple are Chardonel.

 

[BobF]

Very nice, Mr grapeman!

 

[Runningwolf]

Rich, the grapes and vines are really looking great. Thanks for sharing. I always love to see these pictures and hear how things are going.

 

[grapeman]

If you look at the first set-picture number 7, you will see some weeds under the vines. I left some to help suck out some vigor. I can only imagine what it would be like if we had more rain. June was only 2 inches total and July a bit over one and a half.

Mike, I think I mad a mistake. I planted the trial and then sent you vines the next spring from the leftovers before I mowed them down. Look what you have to look forward to!