Which Grape Varietal to Plant?

[HaydenBradbury]

Hello, I am new to the forum and new to wine making. I am planning on planting 30-40 vines on a hillside slope in my backyard using 10x6 spacing. I have great drainage, good soil composition, and the slope runs east to west.

The only issue with this is that I currently live in middle Tennessee so I am limited to mostly French-american hybrid grapes. (I believe)

I am currently looking at Chambourcin and Chancellor grapes, but I am not sold on this being the best option for me, or if the wine would even be palatable to me.

I am open to suggestions on grapes that would work in the southeastern united states, or just general pointers.

I plan to make wine from frozen grape must in the near future, to gain experience over the next couple of years before the vines would produce fruit.

Thanks!

 

[Masbustelo]

At some point people will chime in here with suggestions. Most can't really say because they don't live in or aren't acquainted with your part of the country.

 

[salcoco]

check with Double A nursery they will have recommendation for your part of country. Are there other wineries in vicinity that you can visit and find what they grow?

 

[KevinL]

I second the notion of visiting local wineries if they exist. The benefit of visiting other Wineries nearby is that you'll get the opportunity to taste some of these varieties that you're planning on planting. Not that your wines will exactly mirror what they have, but it'll be a good place to start to find out which varieties you like the best that are already growing in your area.

 

[HaydenBradbury]

check with Double A nursery they will have recommendation for your part of country. Are there other wineries in vicinity that you can visit and find what they grow?

I second the notion of visiting local wineries if they exist. The benefit of visiting other Wineries nearby is that you'll get the opportunity to taste some of these varieties that you're planning on planting. Not that your wines will exactly mirror what they have, but it'll be a good place to start to find out which varieties you like the best that are already growing in your area.

I have visited most of the wineries around this area. Sadly, being in the south, most of them produce fruit wine & muscadine wines. I am not a big fan of the idea of growing muscadine. Some of them produce cabs, merlots, and zinfandels but I don't see those varietals being a viable option for my location.

Thanks for the recommendation of checking out Double A. I'll look in to that right now.

 

[cmason1957]

I do know that there is some Norton and Chambourcin grown in parts of Tennessee. Don't know which parts. Cab, at least a person at a winery told me this, stops doing well when the temps get much above 90 for days in a row. So growing those is probably right out.

 

[CabEnthusiast]

I do know that there is some Norton and Chambourcin grown in parts of Tennessee. Don't know which parts. Cab, at least a person at a winery told me this, stops doing well when the temps get much above 90 for days in a row. So growing those is probably right out.

Cabernet franc doesnt like warm temps over 90 But it does tolerate quite cold temps. I would also stay away from any italian varietals as they do not tolerate heat at all and several 100F+ days almost killed my barbera.