Wanted To Post About My Mystery Grape!

[marquettematt]

I think the test will show it to be tempranllo. Tannat is also possible. The berry size catches me. I might lean towards sangiovese or mourvedre, maybe even dolcetto. My official, single answer is sangiovese.

 

[CK55]

I think the test will show it to be tempranllo. Tannat is also possible. The berry size catches me. I might lean towards sangiovese or mourvedre, maybe even dolcetto. My official, single answer is sangiovese.

We shall see, im leaning towards a french grape, but it could be sangiovese, but the problem is i planted some sangiovese vines today and the leaves do not look like the ones on the old vine.

The berry is like a medium berry its right in the middle not huge but not small.

 

[CK55]

The thing that stumps me and a lot of people ive talked to is that this vine produces clusters so early, it had them in February. They have just gotten slightly bigger since then, and with that in mind these grapes will probably be ready in august or september. Quite a bit earlier than the others ive seen.

which kinda does fit Dolcetto. As its labelled as being fast to grow.

 

[marquettematt]

The thing that makes IDing hard is the age of the vine. Varietals have come in and out of use and some are near extinct, only seen by academics. How far away is the nursery where you got those sangiovese? I only ask because if it's far and the vine turns out to be sangiovese, It would be a good example of how vines exhibit varied, phenotypical response according to the soil and climate they're planted in. Where are you located? It might be a good clue as to what vine it is

 

[CK55]

We know that the vine was planted prior to 1909 that these vines came from as these we're cuttings of that vine. I did some digging around ancestry wise. So it was probsbly brought here between 1843 when we know the family got here and 1860. For a fact. So it could be something that's gone out of favor or is even extinct like carmenere was thought to be before they found it in South America.

 

[CK55]

We know that when some of the family got married and got their own land they took the grapes and replanted them. So they could be any number of things. I have no idea what the result will show. But it's super stressful waiting. I want the DNA results now. This mystery has me hooked.

 

[Venatorscribe]

We know that when some of the family got married and got their own land they took the grapes and replanted them. So they could be any number of things. I have no idea what the result will show. But it's super stressful waiting. I want the DNA results now. This mystery has me hooked.

Haha..we understand your stress. Stay strong. Your followers in this thread are also ultra keen to know and are similarly hoping that it is something extraordinary.

 

[CK55]

Haha..we understand your stress. Stay strong. Your followers in this thread are also ultra keen to know and are similarly hoping that it is something extraordinary.

I would love it to be some crazy cross or something cool just for the sake of having something unique. Im going to make wine out of it regardless the clusters are getting bigger every day it seems. Im going to get a good yield this year, easily enough to make a good sized batch of wine so im really looking forward to trying it and seeing what we come up with.

 

[CK55]

Okay results just in, its Rose Of Peru a Cross between Mission and Muscat Of Alexandria. It is pretty rare.

 

[Venatorscribe]

Very interesting. Congrats. Will this be a high Brix / sweet wine grape ?

 

[CK55]

Well that is very interesting. Congrats. Will this be a high Brix / sweet wine grape ?

According to what I read about Muscat Of Alexandria which is a ancient white wine grape, that grape is sweet and mission is typically used to make sweet red wines. And Fortified wines so it should probably be a sweeter red wine.

 

[CK55]

Im going to make a pure wine from it, and not blend anything this august and see how it turns out. it will be rare and unique as nobody else uses it. At least not enough to be pure.

 

[CK55]

Also for anyone who wants to try a bottle when I get the wine made let me know via PM, ill be making probably around 10 gallons of wine. So you guys can get a taste of it.

 

[Slappy]

https://www.winespectator.com/webfe...er-Identity-of-Historic-California-Grape_3412

Little bit of info I found. Looks like you have a good bit of history there. Glad the mystery is solved.

 

[salcoco]

Well I was half way correct. If I recall Mission grapes was used to make a wine called Angelica. I believe it was really juice of the grape and alcohol spirits to bring it to about 14% abv. could Google it to see if it would fit your thoughts for some small batches.

any way congrats and good luck. also Muscat grape makes a very aromatic wine. maybe it will come thru in your cross.

 

[CK55]

Well I was half way correct. If I recall Mission grapes was used to make a wine called Angelica. I believe it was really juice of the grape and alcohol spirits to bring it to about 14% abv. could Google it to see if it would fit your thoughts for some small batches.

any way congrats and good luck. also Muscat grape makes a very aromatic wine. maybe it will come thru in your cross.

Muscat is known to be sweet as hell, very aromatic and very grape forward flavor. It should possibly be a sweet high alcohol wine. Nobody knows as th cross is rare enough that I was told nobody has enough to make a batch of wine from my grape.

 

[Ajmassa]

Muscat is known to be sweet as hell, very aromatic and very grape forward flavor. It should possibly be a sweet high alcohol wine. Nobody knows as th cross is rare enough that I was told nobody has enough to make a batch of wine from my grape.

Ahhh. Closure. Good for you! So Rosè of Peru? Mission/Muscat of Alexandria...with family history....Hmmm. So rare your the only grower?? I smell $$$. Free bottles 1st vintage. Talk up the varietal. Draw up some interest. By the third vintage you’ll be charging $800 a case! Or $3k for the ~150lbs at harvest.

 

[CK55]

Ahhh. Closure. Good for you! So Rosè of Peru? Mission/Muscat of Alexandria...with family history....Hmmm. So rare your the only grower?? I smell $$$. Free bottles 1st vintage. Talk up the varietal. Draw up some interest. By the third vintage you’ll be charging $800 a case! Or $3k for the ~150lbs at harvest.

Theirs 8 or so variants of it but they are all different mutations if that makes sense, South America has a white and red variant but the flavors are radically different. I was told by Mike at Carlisle winery that they occasionally find my specific varietal in old vineyards that are abandoned but never in enough quatity to make wine. I don't want money out of it. I'm not even going to get licensing to sell I'm just going to send out bottles to anyone who wants them. You just have to pay shipping costs if you aren't in the us.

 

[CK55]

Theirs variants such as criolla,criolla chica, criolla grande, criolla mediana which is mine. But each is different while they all have same parent vines several are white and a couple are red so they inherited different traits from the parent vines.

 

[Ajmassa]

Theirs 8 or so variants of it but they are all different mutations if that makes sense, South America has a white and red variant but the flavors are radically different. I was told by Mike at Carlisle winery that they occasionally find my specific varietal in old vineyards that are abandoned but never in enough quatity to make wine. I don't want money out of it. I'm not even going to get licensing to sell I'm just going to send out bottles to anyone who wants them. You just have to pay shipping costs if you aren't in the us.

Awesome! I was half kidding by the way. It’s pretty cool to have such a rare grape- and enough to get 10gal of it too.
And I totally agree with your plan. Make it straight- as is - and will give you a good handle on how to make and/or blend in the future. Sounds like a fun little project.
And if someone happened to offer big bucks for the grapes at harvest to make and sell?? Well that’d be pretty cool too I think.