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TheWaterbug
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Finding the best wine grapes for my area?

I only have 8 more pumpkin patch parties to host until Jr. goes off to college! :(

Once he's off to college, I'm going to have a big paddock and nothing to plant in most of it, so I'm thinking I should grow wine grapes!

Does anyone know of a good online database where I can search for varieties that will grow well in my particular location? I found this link from University of CA, but it doesn't have much detail.

I would love to grow some combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Barolo, Zinfandel, and similar bold reds, but there's no point in trying something that's unsuited for my climate.

I'm thinking that I could get started next year with some sample vines and see how they do.

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Habanero
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Location: Sierra Nevada Foothills, California. Zone 8a

I've actually found it really difficult to find area-specific information on growing particular plants. For example: I needed information on blueberries recently and didn't find much here or online in regard to how they'd handle my zone.

Call a local nursery. Not a chain store like Lowes, but a ma-and-pa shop type. Or call around and ask the same questions until you get someone really helpful, then stick with them.

For example: I did some research on blueberries so I had a general idea of what I needed to do, but couldn't find out what variety was best for here and how well it would do. I called a local nursery, and the guy on the phone was able to tell me what types they had for sale that would grow well here, how to plant them, when was best to plant them, what type of sun they like here, what I needed to do to my local soil, how old the plants were and how I needed to care for them, the price per plant, you name it!

So in regard to your wine grapes (Oh how I envy you for having the water to grow them!!), definitely call local nurseries until you get one that can tell you all of that and more about your grapes. And when you do get them established and fruiting, please post pictures because I'm an avid Wine-o and swoon at the Cab and Zin grapes. :()

Good luck!

-Habs

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webmaster
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Location: Amherst, MA USDA Zone 5a

Locate wineries close to you and find what they're growing. As I understand it there are wineries in Santa Barbara area as well north in Paso Robles. In Paso Robles the soil there was similar to the Rhone area in France so you'll find a good amount of Rhone style wines produced there. Merlot, Cabernet and I think some Zins if I recall correctly.

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Gary350
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Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

Read this it should answer all your questions. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown is many locations in the world.

I would love to grow Cabernet Sauvignon grapes myself but it will probably take several years to get a good crop of grapes. I almost bought a 5 gallon Cabernet Sauvignon wine kit but changed my mind. I bought 15 different Cabernet Sauvignon wines turns out Bareboot Wine is the best wine $5 per bottle. 28 bottles = $140 that cost less than a 5 gallon wine kit and cheaper than growing my own grapes. Wine making is a fun hobby I been doing it 49 years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabernet_Sauvignon

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Gary350
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Gary350
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Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

Blackberries make excellent wine. If you grow these large berries you can pick 6 1/2 gallons in 1 hour that will make 5 gallons of juice = 28 bottles of wine.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kiowa-blackberr ... SwcwhVJUwr



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