Hello group,



I am a total newbie to making wine and growing grapes. And I'm looking for
any advice you can give me. I have about forty acres in North East Texas
near Commerce. (Elevation is about 655 ft and there are approx 2300 GDD.) It
has good, well drained soil and I want to try growing wine grapes. For the
last couple weeks I've been researching via the internet. The best websites
I've found so far a



http://www.agr.state.tx.us/wine/docs/grapeguide.htm

http://www.twgga.org/

http://winegrapes.tamu.edu



Any other websites on grape growing would be helpful. Are there any grape
growing discussion group forums?



I plan on trying to grow about 1 acre of grapes from cuttings. I want to
grow classic vinifera such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. The only
source I've found so far for cuttings is Double A Vineyards in New York. Are
there better sources? Is it crucial to get certified cuttings from the
region I'll be growing? Or would I be better off getting vines grafted to a
specific rootstock?



I want to begin construction soon and I'm not real sure about the best way
to go about getting prepared. Do I need to construct the entire training &
irrigation system before I plant? How many varieties should I start out
with? Should the different varieties be spaced further apart or does it make
any difference? Can I use one training system for all varieties?



The only book I've purchased so far is called "First Steps in Winemaking" by
C.J.J. Berry, and it is not a very good book. I want to buy "From Vines To
Wines", but I'm not sure if this is what I'm looking for either. Any
recommendations, specifically about growing wine grapes?



Also, I was wondering about how to tell when you have a good grape crop. Are
there tests or do you have to develop a taste for the grapes over years of
experience? I plan to visit area vineyards and ask questions there also, I'm
just afraid I'm too late. I'll appreciate any information. I just don't want
to waste a lot of time and money, so I'm trying to find as many information
sources as possible so I can grow the best possible grape. Thanks in
advance.



Troy Hart

I planted 50 vines, 10 each of 5 Red French Hybrids. All came up
beautifully. I also planted 21 blueberry bushes, 20 of 21 great, 21st
was struggling, but surviving.

I was very impressed with the packaging, the shipping at planting time
and the healthiness of the plants.

Don't discount them as a possible source for your vines.

"Troy" > wrote in message news:<sJ7wb.287146$Fm2.297702@attbi_s04>...
> Hello group,
>
>
>
> I am a total newbie to making wine and growing grapes. And I'm looking for
> any advice you can give me. I have about forty acres in North East Texas
> near Commerce. (Elevation is about 655 ft and there are approx 2300 GDD.) It
> has good, well drained soil and I want to try growing wine grapes. For the
> last couple weeks I've been researching via the internet. The best websites
> I've found so far a
>
>
>
> http://www.agr.state.tx.us/wine/docs/grapeguide.htm
>
> http://www.twgga.org/
>
> http://winegrapes.tamu.edu
>
>
>
> Any other websites on grape growing would be helpful. Are there any grape
> growing discussion group forums?
>
>
>
> I plan on trying to grow about 1 acre of grapes from cuttings. I want to
> grow classic vinifera such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. The only
> source I've found so far for cuttings is Double A Vineyards in New York. Are
> there better sources? Is it crucial to get certified cuttings from the
> region I'll be growing? Or would I be better off getting vines grafted to a
> specific rootstock?
>
>
>
> I want to begin construction soon and I'm not real sure about the best way
> to go about getting prepared. Do I need to construct the entire training &
> irrigation system before I plant? How many varieties should I start out
> with? Should the different varieties be spaced further apart or does it make
> any difference? Can I use one training system for all varieties?
>
>
>
> The only book I've purchased so far is called "First Steps in Winemaking" by
> C.J.J. Berry, and it is not a very good book. I want to buy "From Vines To
> Wines", but I'm not sure if this is what I'm looking for either. Any
> recommendations, specifically about growing wine grapes?
>
>
>
> Also, I was wondering about how to tell when you have a good grape crop. Are
> there tests or do you have to develop a taste for the grapes over years of
> experience? I plan to visit area vineyards and ask questions there also, I'm
> just afraid I'm too late. I'll appreciate any information. I just don't want
> to waste a lot of time and money, so I'm trying to find as many information
> sources as possible so I can grow the best possible grape. Thanks in
> advance.
>
>
>
> Troy Hart

>I am a total newbie to making wine and growing grapes. And I'm looking for
>any advice you can give me.

You don't need "advice" from this group. What you need is to get a
good book on grape growing and and *study* it!

Get in touch with your County Agent for additional information. And
go visit the commercial grape growers in your part of Texas for help,
based on their experience.

vince norris

Dr Roy Renfro at Grayson college is very knowledgeable and familiar with
the Munson collection. Email him at

--
Regards,
Rex Franklin
"Troy" > wrote in message
news:sJ7wb.287146$Fm2.297702@attbi_s04...
> Hello group,
>
>
>
> I am a total newbie to making wine and growing grapes. And I'm looking for
> any advice you can give me. I have about forty acres in North East Texas
> near Commerce. (Elevation is about 655 ft and there are approx 2300 GDD.)
It
> has good, well drained soil and I want to try growing wine grapes. For the
> last couple weeks I've been researching via the internet. The best
websites
> I've found so far a
>
>
>
> http://www.agr.state.tx.us/wine/docs/grapeguide.htm
>
> http://www.twgga.org/
>
> http://winegrapes.tamu.edu
>
>
>
> Any other websites on grape growing would be helpful. Are there any grape
> growing discussion group forums?
>
>
>
> I plan on trying to grow about 1 acre of grapes from cuttings. I want to
> grow classic vinifera such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. The only
> source I've found so far for cuttings is Double A Vineyards in New York.
Are
> there better sources? Is it crucial to get certified cuttings from the
> region I'll be growing? Or would I be better off getting vines grafted to
a
> specific rootstock?
>
>
>
> I want to begin construction soon and I'm not real sure about the best way
> to go about getting prepared. Do I need to construct the entire training &
> irrigation system before I plant? How many varieties should I start out
> with? Should the different varieties be spaced further apart or does it
make
> any difference? Can I use one training system for all varieties?
>
>
>
> The only book I've purchased so far is called "First Steps in Winemaking"
by
> C.J.J. Berry, and it is not a very good book. I want to buy "From Vines To
> Wines", but I'm not sure if this is what I'm looking for either. Any
> recommendations, specifically about growing wine grapes?
>
>
>
> Also, I was wondering about how to tell when you have a good grape crop.
Are
> there tests or do you have to develop a taste for the grapes over years of
> experience? I plan to visit area vineyards and ask questions there also,
I'm
> just afraid I'm too late. I'll appreciate any information. I just don't
want
> to waste a lot of time and money, so I'm trying to find as many
information
> sources as possible so I can grow the best possible grape. Thanks in
> advance.
>
>
>
> Troy Hart
>
>
>

"Rex Franklin" > wrote in message
. com...
> Dr Roy Renfro at Grayson college is very knowledgeable and familiar with
> the Munson collection. Email him at

Troy, DITTO Rex's post. Roy is the keeper of Munson Hybrids. You said you
wanted to plant only vinifera but I would really consider a row of
Delicatessen grapes ( a Munson Hybrid). We had a Delicatessen wine entered
in this years Wine Classic contest and it was GREAT.

If you decide on grafted vinifera vines you might try the following;
Kendall Jackson Nursery, Madera, California
contact Ernie Bowman
Ernie is the manager and is very helpful. I live in the KC area and Ernie
helped select clone of C. Sauvignon that have a good chance of living and
producing ripe fruit here.

Vintage Nurseries LLC
P.O. Box 279
27920 McCombs Avenue
Wasco, CA 93280
<sorry, don't have an email or web site for them>

There's nothing wrong with Double A vines. I have their NY73 in my vineyard
and the plants have been strong from the day I planted them.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas