evanvine
Landlord.
You weren't expecting a life of Roley were you?
Isleworth vineyard update 10
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tonyhibbett
Landlord.
Just following a dream.
Precautions minimalised storm damage to a single broken central pole, with no loss of harvest. This morning I milled 22 kilos of isabella grapes, fished out most of the stalks and ended up with 5 gallons, including skins and pips. This should yield about 4 gallons of wine. The gravity is pretty low at 1050, but the pH of 3.8 suggests the grapes were probably as ripe as possible. 1.6 kg of sugar brought this up to 1090. At present it doesn't taste very interesting.
Precautions minimalised storm damage to a single broken central pole, with no loss of harvest. This morning I milled 22 kilos of isabella grapes, fished out most of the stalks and ended up with 5 gallons, including skins and pips. This should yield about 4 gallons of wine. The gravity is pretty low at 1050, but the pH of 3.8 suggests the grapes were probably as ripe as possible. 1.6 kg of sugar brought this up to 1090. At present it doesn't taste very interesting.
evanvine
Landlord.
I think to have such a dream is magnificent!
I hope you go from strength to strength.
I hope you go from strength to strength.
tonyhibbett
Landlord.
It certainly keeps mind and body in shape!
A dramatic drop in temperature overnight has prevented fermentation from starting, so I dug out the old 60 watt brew belt.
I have another bag of grapes from my neighbour. In 2010 I got 11 gallons of juice from her vine. Last year just 1 gallon and this year even less, and the quality is rather poor, so it has been pruned down to half size.
A dramatic drop in temperature overnight has prevented fermentation from starting, so I dug out the old 60 watt brew belt.
I have another bag of grapes from my neighbour. In 2010 I got 11 gallons of juice from her vine. Last year just 1 gallon and this year even less, and the quality is rather poor, so it has been pruned down to half size.
evanvine
Landlord.
What method do you use for pruning Tony, single/double guyot or spur?
tonyhibbett
Landlord.
In the case of my neighbour's vine, she simply got her boyfriend to hack her side of the vine with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, or a chainsaw, if he possessed one! At the vineyard, I have had to take a measured approach. Given that the surviving original vines have grown unchecked for years, pruning has been a bit of a challenge. I have been advised by an expert that there is 'too much wood', which should be cut back. I think the original concept was double guyot, but has ended up far more complex than that. As a result I have treated each vine individually, with diverse results in terms of yield and quality, with 1 riesling producing a single bunch and 2 isabellas producing 150 bunches each. It's no different than raising children!
evanvine
Landlord.
Yes I used double guyot on my Chardonnay in the greenhouse, but spur pruned the Madeleine Angevine.
This was because I couldn't keep the damn Blackbirds off and so grew it ornamentally.
This was because I couldn't keep the damn Blackbirds off and so grew it ornamentally.
tonyhibbett
Landlord.
My approach to pruning is evolving. For years I have been developing huge vines with huge yields, but eventually they get exhausted and unproductive.
I have gone to great lengths to keep birds and mammals off my grapes, but they still manage to get through, just like pizza leaflets through the letter box and double glazing cold calling!
One of my visitors has both a shotgun and a dog that hates foxes. I suggested that killing foxes was a pointless exercise. He agreed and told me of a cattle farmer who had a problem with a leopard. Having shot the leopard, he got 4 more leopards moving in to take over the territory, making the problem worse!
Meanwhile, overnight the latest brew erupted. I filled the 5 gallon bin to just below the 5 gallon mark, but the cap of grapes had reached the brim and would have overflowed but for the fairly tight lid. Fortunately I have a larger bin, so I transferred it to that, but it's now reached the brim of that too. It's a monster, like a living jam pot. Does anyone recall that early Steve McQueen film 'The Blob?'
I have gone to great lengths to keep birds and mammals off my grapes, but they still manage to get through, just like pizza leaflets through the letter box and double glazing cold calling!
One of my visitors has both a shotgun and a dog that hates foxes. I suggested that killing foxes was a pointless exercise. He agreed and told me of a cattle farmer who had a problem with a leopard. Having shot the leopard, he got 4 more leopards moving in to take over the territory, making the problem worse!
Meanwhile, overnight the latest brew erupted. I filled the 5 gallon bin to just below the 5 gallon mark, but the cap of grapes had reached the brim and would have overflowed but for the fairly tight lid. Fortunately I have a larger bin, so I transferred it to that, but it's now reached the brim of that too. It's a monster, like a living jam pot. Does anyone recall that early Steve McQueen film 'The Blob?'
evanvine
Landlord.
Now you're showing your age Tony!
Yes I remember it.
We've not had any pics of your vineyard!
tonyhibbett
Landlord.
No pics because I don't know how to post them, but it's just rows of vines, just like any other vineyard, but smaller. Visually unimpressive.
Meanwhile I have the 'beast' under control and the flavour goes from strength to strength. The legendary Fragolino wine is reborn in the UK, of all places!
Meanwhile I have the 'beast' under control and the flavour goes from strength to strength. The legendary Fragolino wine is reborn in the UK, of all places!
evanvine
Landlord.
Was more interested in pics of your bird/animal excluders!
tonyhibbett
Landlord.
Just 2 metre wide nylon netting, tied at 1 foot intervals to the top wire and pegged at ground level, both sides. Rats can get under it and foxes can rip it. Grapes close to the ground are most vulnerable, as are grapes pressed against the net. Spikes on top of the poles prevent perching and old CDs suspended between the rows distract the birds and make them nervous. Oddly enough, local crows chase away pigeons. Squirrels are far more interested in the acorns on the nearby oaks.
Netting is horrible stuff to install, so I am leaving it attached to the top wire, rolling it up and tying it to the top just before harvesting. Unfortunately, cheap plastic netting becomes brittle after prolonged exposure.
Netting is horrible stuff to install, so I am leaving it attached to the top wire, rolling it up and tying it to the top just before harvesting. Unfortunately, cheap plastic netting becomes brittle after prolonged exposure.
evanvine
Landlord.
So no poly tunnel or mesh cage then. :whistle:
tonyhibbett
Landlord.
Originally the whole site was covered with overhead netting, none of which remains. A polytunnel encourages mildews. A trained hawk is a nice idea, but I suspect the local crows would give it a hard time.
I just completed the riesling harvest, 6 kg, so the whole crop is now in, totalling 62 kilos, mostly from 20 vines, so eventually there is the potential for 300 kilos in years to come, which is quite reassuring as demand for wine is now outstripping production, which will push up prices of wine kits as well as wine.
I just completed the riesling harvest, 6 kg, so the whole crop is now in, totalling 62 kilos, mostly from 20 vines, so eventually there is the potential for 300 kilos in years to come, which is quite reassuring as demand for wine is now outstripping production, which will push up prices of wine kits as well as wine.
evanvine
Landlord.
Indeed yes, but circulating air discourages it!
tonyhibbett
Landlord.
That would require a fan and there is no power on site.
Today I will crush and press the 6 kilos of riesling, thus completing this year's harvest of 62 kilos, from 20 of the restored vines, so eventually 300 kilos is possible. Since it has taken 2 weeks to harvest and process 62 kilos, 300 is a daunting prospect!
Today I will crush and press the 6 kilos of riesling, thus completing this year's harvest of 62 kilos, from 20 of the restored vines, so eventually 300 kilos is possible. Since it has taken 2 weeks to harvest and process 62 kilos, 300 is a daunting prospect!
evanvine
Landlord.
300 kilos may be daunting to most, but it is your dream!
Hello - I have read some of you posts with interest and wonder if you can help? I have moved to a house with 60 vines in a small vineyard - south facing on a sheltered site. Last year we had one bunch of grapes as I hacked the vines back - it was so overgrown and the weather was awful.... This year we have had more (though to be fair weather was superb) and got around 10 litres of juice. My brix was 17% at best - then the bunches started disappearing... low ones first - could be foxes as they stole all the gooseberries too..... I harvested at around 15% Brix -- what do you think is realistic in a UK vineyard? -- I see California aim for over 23%.....
Started a brew at 1080 by adding sugar. it went from brown to cream to honey and is now clear. Have racked it off the sediment twice and is now 996 and relatively clear. Fermentation stopped. Taste is light, bit acidic but sort of pinot griggio -ish or sauvignon blanc if I was being generous...... What do I do next? One set of advice is to leave it in demi-johns for 3 months then rack and bottle and another one says stabilise it now, sweeten it, add finings let it settle and bottle before leaving it for 3 months........ what would you do?
I don't know the variety of grapes or even if I have more than one type -- is there a way of telling? We are in West Wales........
Started a brew at 1080 by adding sugar. it went from brown to cream to honey and is now clear. Have racked it off the sediment twice and is now 996 and relatively clear. Fermentation stopped. Taste is light, bit acidic but sort of pinot griggio -ish or sauvignon blanc if I was being generous...... What do I do next? One set of advice is to leave it in demi-johns for 3 months then rack and bottle and another one says stabilise it now, sweeten it, add finings let it settle and bottle before leaving it for 3 months........ what would you do?
I don't know the variety of grapes or even if I have more than one type -- is there a way of telling? We are in West Wales........
evanvine
Landlord.
Tony is more clued up on this than me, but I'll give you my pennyworth.
20 Brix and over you need not add sugar.
Ideally your acid should be between 0.4 and 0.6% (sulphuric).
If you've not done so already, add 1 Campden tablet per 4.5 litres.
Use finings by all means and keep under airlock until fully clear before bottling.
I don't think you can determine the variety by looking at them.
My location is Notts, 53rd parallel
I've now given up after 40 years trying, just too acid this far north!
20 Brix and over you need not add sugar.
Ideally your acid should be between 0.4 and 0.6% (sulphuric).
If you've not done so already, add 1 Campden tablet per 4.5 litres.
Use finings by all means and keep under airlock until fully clear before bottling.
I don't think you can determine the variety by looking at them.
My location is Notts, 53rd parallel
I've now given up after 40 years trying, just too acid this far north!
tonyhibbett
Landlord.
Not sure where to begin. 60 established vines is way ahead of my situation. It may be best to put production on the back burner and consider the site. The first thing I did was to dig up the weeds and remove all organic debris from the beds. The next stage was to remove all dead and weak growth from the vines and burn them to reduce pests and generate potash. This will take time and effort. Get back to me when this has been done!
