Lets see those grapes!

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sloanfamilydsm

sloanfamilydsm

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Des Moines
image-460017191.jpg

Memorial Weekend
Espirit on left, Swenson Red on the right



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Close up of Swenson Red.
 
last year was the first year I grew grapes. one of the neighbor kids (5-8 y/o) cut it off at the ground. it hasn't come back. I lost 3 hop plants due to the same kids as well. I'm gonna put my yard in prison lock down.
 
Havent been able to identify these yet....

This is the smaller vine of the two. The back side of the leaves are a bit fuzzy.
photo1-8_zpsae3cb6fd.jpg


And here is the larger
photo3-5_zpsafce2f57.jpg


The larger vine closeup
photo2-7_zpsc0f8ff91.jpg
 
All grape varieties have certain distinct features. The easiest to identify are the color of grape (which will be hard to determine till veraison occurs mid to late summer), and the shape of the clusters. Those two factors plus the knowledge of vigor, hardiness, flavor, acidity, and sugar levels will help you identify your vines.

Sry I have no idea what kind of grapes those are and realistically it will probably take awhile, if not years, to know for sure what varietals you have
 
I do not have a true recipe but rather a few base rules. Then i will vary the process based on how the grapes do for that particular year.

I crush with stems and do a light 6-12 hour maceration. Sulphite to 25 ppm during crush and press the juice. I take a gravity reading and test for acidity then adjust to fit the flavor profile of the grapes. After fermentation I will bulk age the wine until the next years harvest where I will then taste and adjust the current years numbers to fit my taste buds from the previous years wine.

Like I said, no real recipe just adjusting my numbers to fit my own taste buds.
 
sloanfamilydsm said:
I do not have a true recipe but rather a few base rules. Then i will vary the process based on how the grapes do for that particular year.

I crush with stems and do a light 6-12 hour maceration. Sulphite to 25 ppm during crush and press the juice. I take a gravity reading and test for acidity then adjust to fit the flavor profile of the grapes. After fermentation I will bulk age the wine until the next years harvest where I will then taste and adjust the current years numbers to fit my taste buds from the previous years wine.

Like I said, no real recipe just adjusting my numbers to fit my own taste buds.
Click to expand...

holy what the flocc?!? I was just planning on using mine in a pyment. my brain's too full of beer stuff to learn new wine stuff. I might just stick with wine kits for a little while!
 
aeviaanah said:
Haven't been able to identify these yet....




We got our vines right before a thunderstorm was rolling in. During the rush to plant them, before a week worth of nasty weather set in (Iowa weather :mad:), I could not remember which of the two vines I had planted in which row.

The first two years, while the vines were being trained; I thought I had a damn good idea which vine was in each location, but was only guessing because my logic always strayed to whether or not I put the red varietal's row closer to the sun so it would receive more light and get to a lower acidity.

I literally waited 3 years before I knew for sure which vine I planted in row.

In case you are wondering, I planted the Espirit in the southern east to west row(pictures are looking to the west, 6 year old is looking down towards the blueberry bush(s)).
Click to expand...
 
I was ready to go pull that grape "stump" when my wife told me just to wait it out a little. glad I did. this morning I saw one small leaf had broke out on the underside and a very tiny red bump breaking through the top. still glad I got another variety though.
 
Hey there sloanfamily, I have Frontenac vines growing in my parents backyard here in Pella, Iowa. You should give them a shot sometime, as long as you lay down fungicide in the spring time they make amazing grapes.
 
so one plant I have is Catawaba. there is one (only) small bunch just starting to turn. it's it's first year. any of y'all have this variety/use for wine?
 
Harvest is completed.

Raccoons got the Swenson Red, so no harvest numbers on them. Grape protection will be necessary for the 2014 season

ESPIRIT 2013

1.071 18* brix adjusted to 1.081 20* brix after chaptalization

3.36 pH
5.096 TA



image-1754978051.jpg



image-2962811903.jpg



image-691427681.jpg


Netted 4.8 gallons after crush
Pitched D47
 
This is my second year using Lalvin D47 fermented around 58*.
I'm trying for a dry white that retains a lot of the fruit flavor as Espirit is a very light flavor to begin with.
I did a light maceration last year and thought the wine was a bit more astringent than I wanted.
 
I love hearing about varietys that I haven't had a chance to experience. D-47 is one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing!
 

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