French Hybrids

[richard lambert]

Have a chance with a friend to plant 2 acres of grapes in North Carolina? the winery right down the road is using french hybrides, with good success. We are in zone 4 so it gets cold.So my question is can we grow vinefera and do the hybrids make good wine? Richard :cheers:

 

[MtnBrewer]

Caveat: I'm by no means an expert, I'm just going by what I've read.

Cold isn't your problem. Vinifera grapes grow in places like Germany, France, Washington, Ontario and upstate New York. I think the problem is your hot, humid summers. Vinifera are susceptible to various types of fungus that like things warm and wet. If the local winery has been having success with hybrids, that might be your best bet.

 

[Oskaar]

Richard,

You'll need to give some more information here, hybrid and vinifera are not necessarily interchangeable terms. Which specific hybrid?

Is it a French Hybrid or French-American Hybrid?

What kind of rootstock we talkin' here?

What is the name and/or the hybrid-grape number? (Foch and L. Millot are the only two hybrids I know of that will produce fruit consistantly in Zone IV but my experience with hybrids is very small)

What are the predominant insect, virus, bacterial and fungal afflictions of vines in the area you're going to plant?

Zone IV can be prone to winter kill, how close are you to a body of water or a river that can regulate that temperature?

Is this a wide open field, does it have trees surrounding it, is it in the bottom of a valley or the top of a hill, is it windy, foggy, rainy (late rain in summer can be very bad)? What was planted there before?

French hybrid grapes do not do well in zones 3 and 4, I personally would not plant 2 acres worth in a Zone IV area. Have you researched the hybrid you're going to plant and what the recommended vineyard environment is?

Two acres is a buttload of grapes, and no small investment. You and your buddy will really need to do some diligence on researching your degree days, irrigation strategy, orientation of the rows, the trellising, the pruning and canopy strategy, vinyard management, etc.

I know that sounds like a lot of things to consider, but that's really just scratching the surface of the things you'll need to know before you plant and to ensure you actually have a budbreak, nouvaison, veraison and of course a successful crush.

Let us know,

Oskaar

 

[richard lambert]

Thanks this is great info! The land is located @ the top of a hill. Lots of air movment and good frost flow.The plot faces north but has a full sun coverage of east and west. We had Dr. Wolfe (Banner Elk Winery) See website, come up to the house and walk the property.He seemed very excited about the location and is willing to be a consultant in the planning and planting.He is most interested in buying our grape if @ all possilbe and cooping with him because we have no press, fermenters, etc.

The plot has been planted in hay for the last 20 years, and has trees only on the top. The soil is gravelly but with enough soil to prevent the roots from freezing. We were
thinking of running the row down the hill for air and frost drainage. Because we are @ 3500 elev. the humidity is relatively low and with a good breeze. Some of the fungus that afflict the south seem not to be problematic up here.
Because of the elevation the vines can be in some fog/ clouds with low in the 50s and highs in the mid 80s in the summer time 14 to 15 hours of sun. Lows in the winter can be in the teens to low 50s.But you don,t have the problem with a late freeze like the the low elevation had this year and lost all there flowers/ no grapes.
French american hybids have many var.that I think will be cold hardy, Fosh, chardonet,chambourcin,seyval blanc,traminette, baco Noir just a couple that will make the cut.
We are putting in a well @ the barn we are building,so we can irrigate form there.Also we have a 30 by 24 basement with a 10 foot garage door that stays 50 all year round.
I can send pictures of the land if needs be.
But you are very right, I need to do a lot more home work and count the cost. Will let you know how it goes. Small steps! thanks

 

[Oskaar]

OK so we're talking about French-American hybrids then.

That hill top will present some challenges when it comes to sulfuring your grapes since the airflow will really affect the application in the vineyard.

Hmmm, fog, heat up to the eighties, drainage....you might even try a very small section of Pinot Noir, it probably wouldn't work, but...it might be pure magic too.

Take a chance, Custer did!

Oskaar

 

[richard lambert]

Ok lets talk vitis vinifer.Right now you are thinking this guy is out of his mind. This is not California,France, Italy, but it is all I have.I know grapes grow in inclement weather all over world. They seem to thrive in the worst soils and gravel and do the best there. Now I know I am preaching to the choir, your family and friend have been burying wine in the back yard for ever.You have been kissed with brains,family and some of the most productive wine areas in the world, as fate would have it. I have only a dream and but load of research and work ahead of me, if I do it at all. It is an exciting thought! :toothy10: How about just a few suggestion on the vinifer and I will leave it @ that. By the way the mead is coming along wonderfully. Hmmmmmmm!
thanks Richard

 

[beeboy]

Just did a little research and found that you can expect anywhere from 1.5-1.85 tons of grapes per acre when the vines are mature depending on the type of grape. That's a lot of grapes to deal with, I wish you luck with it. Are you planning to start your own winery? don't forget two or three bee hives for polination. ;D