Replacement for cabernet sauvignon

[Mizfitjon]

As stated in my backyard woes thread I lost my three year old cab. Sauvignon vines this year over a very mild winter show how. I’m in Kansas ag. Zone 6A. I’m looking to replace them with a different variety next year. Is there anything similar that’s better suited for my location? My Chardonnay ill replace with chardonel most likely though it’s still growing well minus after record rains this May and June has some fruits with black rot.

 

[salcoco]

Chambourcin or Norton. Norton is almost disease free except for black rot. try some of the local wineries and you should be able to taste either.

 

[Mizfitjon]

The local grown Norton I’ve tried I was not a fan of. Tasted more like drinking grape juice then wine....

 

[salcoco]

did you try more than one winery? maybe the winemaker.

 

[Sage]

I'm in 6a borderline zone in a colder part and have had no problem with my Cabs.

When I ordered, I specified the area. Possibly you don't have a vine that was designed to live in this zone.

 

[treesaver]

I ask that very question back about 14 years ago and was told norton. I have made some respectable wines from norton, but it's a high acid grape, as is most of the hybrids. I planted verona three years ago, and was hoping for enough to try, but the farmers around here had other ideas! Ended up with about half the vines I started with due to drift, so will still be waiting to try the verona. They may be the answer, but time will tell!

 

[Mizfitjon]

There’s several vineyards located around me. Most grow norton among many other variety’s. Also we take a yearly trip to Hermann, MO and they also have several Norton’s. Yet to find one I’ve liked.

Sage where did you order your vines? I forget the name of the place I ordered from but they are located in NW Georgia. What do you spray through out the year on them? My Chardonnay is doing great up until I’ve discovered black rot on the fruit. So no fruit this year. Cab. Franc is a better cold climate variety I’ve been considering.

 

[ibglowin]

Your in the Walla Walla area? Surrounded by how many acres of Vinifera of every type?

I'm in 6a borderline zone in a colder part and have had no problem with my Cabs.

When I ordered, I specified the area. Possibly you don't have a vine that was designed to live in this zone.

 

[Sage]

Plants came from "Inland Desert" inlanddesert.com.

Not quite in Walla Walla. Actually 30 miles East in the Blue Mountains. It's quite a bit cooler than Walla Walla, shorter season too.

 

[BigH]

My wife and I toured the wineries of Arkansas and South Missouri last summer. Every one of them grows norton/cynthiana. I only had one that I really like. That grape has a distinct bite to it. Love it or hate it, cab sav it isn't. We had a chambourcin in Missouri that we really liked.

One grape that I wanted to grow, but decided against, was Corot Noir. No idea if it is well suited to your area, but it just wasn't quite cold hardy enough for central Iowa.

H

 

[srcorndog]

I purchase my plants from Double A vineyard upstate New York very helpful people

 

[Masbustelo]

Baco Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chancellor, Chelois, DeChaunac, Dornfelder, Dunkelfelder, Portugieser,Trollinger, Heroldrebe, and Domina are all possibilities to look at. Take a little time and research some lesser known varieties. I'm not addressing this at you, but there is a lot of snobbery in the wine world, which causes us to overlook excellent cultivars and wines right under our noses. Also maybe look into Czek or Hungarian varieties. They might have similar growing conditions. Also Georgia. I am a little jealous because you have so many excellent possibilities.