Chateau Michaelena Vineyard

[ibglowin]

Have to admit I have not checked pH. Was going by the article in Feb 2012 Winemaker Mag that said Marquette will top out at 25 Brix with about 10-11 grams acid and a pH ~3.2

PM me if you can provide some additional guidance on the chemistry!

 

[grapeman]

You can do better than that. See the page from U Minn
http://www.grapes.umn.edu/marquette/enology.html

 

[ibglowin]

Verasion continues on the Noiret and Corot Noir!

Things are moving along. Been another warm week in the garden. Had a nice 0.4 inch soft rain late last night. Had a free light show (lightening) thrown in on the side for about 45 min. Not a good evening to take a stroll for sure.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Nice clusters....

 

[robie]

Those are really pretty, Mike. Your hard work and patience is working for you!

 

[ibglowin]

Thanks guys. That 5000 sq ft of Kentucky Blu in the back yard had better start worrying!

 

[ibglowin]

Well, well, look who showed up to the party.......

A full month earlier than last year. These guys are about my only real pest. How do they find the only grape vines within 30 miles. Do they crawl....

These are Grape Leaf Skeletonizer's. Aptly named as they can strip a grape leaf to its skeleton in nothing flat. Must have been 50 on this one vine. Not seeing any on any others but will be on the lookout daily. It was fun "taking care" of the little buggers!

 

[SpoiledRotten]

Beautiful crop, Mike! The worms can definitely be pest, but at least they aren't ugly worms.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

A full month earlier than last year. These guys are about my only real pest. How do they find the only grape vines within 30 miles. Do they crawl....

These are Grape Leaf Skeletonizer's. Aptly named as they can strip a grape leaf to its skeleton in nothing flat. Must have been 50 on this one vine. Not seeing any on any others but will be on the lookout daily. It was fun "taking care" of the little buggers!

Send them to Wade, he can use them for fishing

 

[ibglowin]

They are kinda cool looking aren't they. Guess they come from eggs laid by this guy (whom I have not seen flying around.....)

 

[OilnH2O]

Mike, are those guys native? Or one of those imports from... ???

(I don't want to mention any lack of problems here... but I'm going to knock on wood anyway!

 

[ibglowin]

I think they must be "imports"......

I netted all the vines today. I had a Robin that was intent on eating all my grapes. First time I have wanted to shoot something in a LONG time! Everytime I went out in the back yard that guy flew up from a vine like he was caught red handed. The final straw was when I caught him and he dropped his grape mid meal. Baastard! I am all netted up this evening.

 

[ibglowin]

Got Net?

Had to net the vines yesterday. One Robin (at least I think it is only one they all look the same) was wreaking havoc. I worked most of the day in the back yard so was keeping a pretty close eye on things and caught her with a grape a couple of times. Took brix levels again on the remaining Marquette. Still below 25. Am wondering how much effect the daily watering has on them brix wise. Will it drop big time a few hours after watering them?

 

[grapeman]

If you are watering heavy, the grapes take it up and dilute the total sugars in the grapes. The total solids remains the same, but if the grape weight grows because of water, the soilids (sugar) goes down overall.

The grapes in those pictures aren't even close to being ripe yet- way too many green berries.

 

[ibglowin]

Yea, those are the Corot Noir and Noiret. Not worried about those at the moment. The Marquette seems to be stuck. I checked them again on Friday and none were over 23 and some were still 20. I just have no data points on the effect of a daily watering on the brix levels The Marquette look like they are ready to be picked but brix numbers show otherwise......

 

[ibglowin]

Shut off the drip yesterday and hand watered the tomato plants. Took brix levels. Marquette came up to ~23-24 so looks like I may just need to shut off the drip for a few days to push them up a notch or two more. Either that or pick now and they will probably dehydrate a bit (in the fridge) between now and the time the Corot Noir and Noiret is ready (about 3 weeks maybe) Did test brix on one of the Corot Noir vines that is much further along than the others. It was around 20-21 brix.

I noticed the Marquette grapes have 3 seeds and the Corot Noir only had two on the one I tested/tasted. Could be any easy way to identify any vines that got mixed up along the way. Ripening time also seems to be helping along the way.

The seed color on the Marquette is definitely brown. No green at all. I think they are ready!

 

[ibglowin]

Got the Marquette harvested this weekend. Got the Brix up to 26. Probably could have reached a little higher but was giving them too much water. Got about 2 gallons overall. Will combine this year with the Noiret and Corot Noir. Looks like I may have 6 -7 gallons of grapes when all is said and done. I would say only 50% of the vines had any real production on them this year so hopefully next year will be 2X this year.

 

[grapeman]

Next year I would expect 4x the crop at least Mike. Those young vines made really small loose clusters. Expect them to tighten up a lot an be much fuller.

 

[ibglowin]

That would be great! I had a fair amount of "buckshot" berries this year.

Am thinking/hoping it is just from a young/immature vine and not a nutrient deficiency issue.

 

[ibglowin]

Well the grapes made it to the wedding on Saturday which turned out spectacular! Took Brix levels yesterday and we are at 17-20 depending on vine. We got about a half inch on Friday and I have shut off the drip to see if i can get them to finish out. They look pretty ready to me!