Alabama grapes

[rtrent2002]

Long shot... Anyone live in Alabama and grow any grape varietals other than muscadine and have been successful? I'm about to plant Cab sav seeds but understand cab doesn't grow in Alabama due to low disease resistance.

 

[gspot]

I've always heard we're too humid for anything other than Muscadine types. Mildew and other fungal problems. Same with hops which I stubbornly tried to grow and it was a failure.

 

[Chef-Ryan]

I mean this in the kindest way.. do not used Seeds of vinifera grapes (majority of traditional wine grapes are in the category), due to something called phylloxera, which in simple explanations is a tiny bug that attacks roots and leaves, and will pretty much kill vinifera ( some places are still using own rooted vines) so they need to be grafted onto north american root stock. in terms of variety, if you want to try I would recommend ensuring you have a variety with loose clusters, if humidity is a concern leaf removal is deeply recommended (removing some or all leaves in the fruit zone). you may be able to find some sprays for helping with mold and fungus but they can get expensive and if you are not diligent in spraying you can loose your crop and maybe even your vines.

 

[rtrent2002]

Thanks for your comments and feedback. Everything I have read points to your suggestions. For me personally, I enjoy the art of wine making using grapes that will produce a full bodied wine with complex characteristics. (Deep red tannic skins) I did make a muscadine with skins last year and my friends loved it, I just don't care for the sweeter acidic taste it produces and the fact you have to add water and sugar to the recipe.

 

[gspot]

I visited a production winery last year in Nashville, and apparently even they are a little too far South/too humid. Except for the wines made with the "foxy" native grapes, all the "fancy" grapes were imported from California. There are some nice vineyards as close as Missouri and Kansas, however, and perhaps you could source some fruit there.

 

[rtrent2002]

I just can't get excited about concord as a wine. (Great for eating) I couldn't drink the first 2 batches I made due to the musky smell. Found muscadine vines at the hardware store this weekend so will probably go that route. A bit acidic but the flavor is more pleasing to me than Concorde.