Grape Growing

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Grape Growers Guide

Grape Growers Guide

The grape growers guide is a must have for anyone considering growing their own grapes. The guide takes you by the hand from the beginning to ensure the best grapes possible.

can drinking red grape juice have the same effect as drinking red wine?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on June 20, 2010 | 6 Comments

I don’t like wine and I was wondering if you drink red grape juice or any grape juice can have the same effect with the anti stuff as wine?
I was just wondering if you can get the same anti-oxidents benifits from garpe jucie as from red wine with out the side effect from wine.

The alcohol in red wine comes from a lengthy fermentation process.

Red grape juice is simply the juice from grapes, there is no alcohol in it because it has not been allowed to ferment.

Therefore – drinking red grape juice, or eating red grapes, will not make you drunk. If there are any similarities with red wine, it is only that it contains similar anti-oxidents or nutrients.

The only way you can get the effects of alcohol, is to drink alcohol or take drugs…

Mustard as a "cover plant" in Napa?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on | 1 Comment

I have friends in Napa, Ca that I visit frequently. They joke that the purpose of the “Napa Valley Mustard Festival” is to keep the tourist coming during the off-season.

I know what a “cover plant” is. But:

“What specific benefits do the mustard plants provide to the vineyards or grape vines (vs. any other plant choice)?”

Thanks in advance.

Def “cover plant”: Cover crops are grown to protect and improve the soil, not to harvest. Cover crops have the potential to improve soil tilth, control erosion and weeds, and maintain soil organic matter. They can reduce compaction and increase water infiltration, which decreases leaching of nutrients.

found this insteresting article for you. oddly enough the mustard plants that you see growing as cover crops are not the same mustard that produces mustard the condiment. Really there isn’t any logic to why mustard is used in place of anything else, other than it just looks very pretty.

The most important thing that maybe is the reason mustard is used most is erosion control. Napa floods A LOT, and mustard plants keep the soil in tact and also provide great nutrients to the vines.

Can white wine be made from red grapes?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on June 19, 2010 | 4 Comments


Yes.

The juice of red grapes is clear*. To make white wine from red grapes, they gently squeeze the grapes to extract the clear juice, throw away the skins, and ferment the juice.

To make red wine they ferment the juice together with the skins and the red colour comes from the skins.

To make pink wine they leave the skins with the juice for a few hours (depending on how pink they want it) then drain the juice off the skins and discard the skins.

Perhaps the most famous white wine made from red grapes is Champagne, which is made from the red Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunieur plus the white Chardonnay in various blends, but Champagnes labelled ‘Blanc de Noir’ (white of black) is made from only the red grapes.

Another popular white wine – Pinot Grigio – has grapes that are deep pink when ripe.

To sum up, you can make white wine from both white and red grapes, but you can only make red wine from red grapes.

*there are a very few rare red grapes that have red juice, such as Alicante Bouschet.

How do you make a really tasty white wine sangria?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on | 2 Comments

I have found this recipe, but I don’t know if it is any good..

1 Bottle of white wine (Riesling, Albarino, Chablis, Gewurztraminer, Rioja, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)
1/2 cup Peach Schnapps
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you prefer your Sangria)
2 sliced peaches (frozen peach slices work well)
1 sliced orange
1/2 mango peeled and sliced
1/2 liter of ginger ale

EVERYONE LOVES MY RECIPE
1 bot. Gewurztraminer or Riesling
(semi-sweet)
2 cups mango/ orange / peach juice
(or combination of any)
4 ounces brandy
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 or 3 star anise
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
no pop (sangria is a still beverage)
Allow to set in fridge for a few hours before serving.

What is the difference between white, red and rosé wine?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on | 5 Comments

Well I know that white wine comes from white grapes. And red wine comes from red grapes.
But I heard that white wine can come from red grapes without the skin? In other words, just the flesh of the grapes. Then red wine is when you leave the skins on in this particular variety.
Are there specific grapes that produce rosé wine? Or is it just a mixture between white and red?
Can you get rosé wine from red grapes? I heard that you don’t leave them to ferment as long or you you only leave on some of the skins to get rosé wine. Is this true?

Thanks to any connoisseur or simple a savvy wine drinker if they can help me.

You are correct.

You can make red, white or rose wine from red skinned grapes, but only white from green skinned.

Basically all grapes are pressed with the skins on.

For white wine the juice is strained from skins/pips immediately, for red the juice is let stand on the skins/pips during fermentation.

Rose can be made in two ways;

Either mix red & white (the method used by most cheap rose manufacturers) – or by limiting the amount of time the juice is left on the skins – the longer they are on the skins the darker the wine will be, and the more tannins it will contain.

comment on odysseus addresses his father?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on | 2 Comments

“This said, my mother turned and heralded
my coming to Laertes in his vineyard.
And now my lonely father, I address you
as sure relentless passing seasons pile
upon your shoulders. No more do kings and wars
consume your energies. Affairs of men,
the haggling, scheming, building, arbitrating,
soon forgotten business figures of the day
are dust now in your mind, and all you crave
here now is watching green life grow to grape
in awe of resonant Dionysus.
Your son has come back to his homeland now.
I’ve lost the stupid doubt that stained my heart.
I’m ready to begin my training
at the oar and spear and shield. I lay these gifts
that came to me from old Autolycos,
at your feet now, Laertes. A golden tripod
never fired, a purple robe of softest wool,
the spear with which I killed the boar,
but not before he marked me with his tusk.
All these I give to you. All he gave me,
but for this knife I’ve always kept somehow,
even now, bobbing in the bashing sea
this night.

By addressing his father Odysseus is proclaiming that his journey has finally come to an end. Although he lived a life full of danger, adventure, and excitement he still hasn’t found what he was looking for during his ten year absense from home. However, building a family, living peacefully, and enjoying ordinary habits was what Odysseus was searching for and finally found in the arms of his family. Odysseus is celebrating his homecoming but he is keeping in the form of the knife what he learned during his journey.

is there a white wine on the australian market that leaves the taste of grapes in the mouth when swallowed?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on June 17, 2010 | 3 Comments


There is only one grape variety that makes wine that gives the taste reminiscent of grapes and that is Muscat.

While it is sometimes made as a dry wine, most Muscat wines are sweet. You will often find it sold by glass in restaurants as a dessert wine so you could try a glass. But Muscat wines don’t tend to be very expensive if you want a bottle

Should I refrigerate an unopened bottle of grape red wine?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on | 8 Comments

Should I refrigerate an unopened bottle of grape red wine?

Perfect storage temperature for red wine is around 56°F.

how to make a white wine?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on | 7 Comments


White wine is simply made by using stemmed and crushed white wine grapes and adding yeast. Wine gets its color from the skins, so white wine tends to have pale colors for two reasons: first the skins are not left in contact with the wine very long, traditionally, and second, the grapes are usually light skinned. However there is nothing to prevent one making a white wine from red grapes, such as with the abominable white zinfandel, created because of a surplus of red grapes no one wanted during a white wine boom.
However, saying that, there is much more than just mixing the two together and waiting for fermentation to occur. Choosing the grape type is the most difficult. I suggest you choose from what others have tried. In essence, this entire effort will be fraught with peril unless you ask someone how they have done it before. After you have done one or two batches, then you will begin to get the hang of things, but early efforts often go awry. Below is a good book and site, from one of many, for the beginner at home wine making. Have fun with it.

Poets, looking back, Comments and critique?

Posted in: Grape Growing by admin on | 1 Comment

REPRISE

Lion in Judah
There is much dread
The barren places
Cold, dark, deep, and high.

Manipulated
Governed by our fear
Interest conflicts
Narrowness constricts.

Brother fights brother
Hating those afar
Distrusting those near
Claiming race and place.

Fig tree infertile
Knowing not season
Vine bearing sour grapes
Knowing not reason.

Hidden in a wall
There the viper bites
In an outstretched hand
Pound a cruel nail.

Unloving parent
Disrespectful child
Abused abusing
Garden growing wild.

Ruled by appetite
Never have enough
Displaced relations
Desecrated faith..

Sharpening our spears
Strapping on our swords
Diversified wars
No attempt at words.

Mission accomplished.

(Some thought my last one too optimistic.)
Responsible
Peace is not promise
Plowshares must be beat
Pruning hooks sharpened.

Plow to fig tree roots
Prune back sour grape vine
Rest then unafraid
To learn war no more.
Lion in Judah
Lift your people’s heads.
Mountains and hills sing
Woods and fields flower.

Strong hold no power
Poor man not trod down
Warfare’s night ended
Justice will prevail.

Call locusts, hoppers
Eat useless stubble
Wrath’s pot is out-poured
The almond blossoms.

Chosen stones laid out
Plumb line held to wall
Lift keystone in place
By right raise the arch.

Fig tree by the way
Vines growing sour grapes
East, west , north, and south
Crowds enter by foot.

Where are the Holy
Trusting in the Law?
Shamed by the despised
Set at God’s right hand.

Desert road is built
Lion and Lamb sleep
High and low made plain,
Drink from nearby pools.

We our dream of hope
Desire of right to come
Dig, feed the fig tree,
And prune the sour grapes.

Tend fire and anvil
Do job to be done,
Beat from pride new tools
Lion’s battle won—

We can, we are One!
Add "We’re" to Responsible.
K. I read and enjoyed your Haikun, answered by other poets I also greatly respect. I am impressed.
Isaiah 2:4.

I don’t think it is too optimistic… It is true… Fight and fight, but no attempt to negotiate for peace… A word may not be enough, words from all can bring it to an end…

EDIT: Thank you… I enjoyed your poems (first and second) as well… They are excellent… I have added you as a contact as well… Hope you don’t mind…