Grape Planting
It almost goes without saying that the taste of your wine is determined by the quality of your grapes. Therefore grape planting and growing is one of the most vital steps in the wine making process.
You have surely heard it said that location is everything in the sales of real estate. Well the same can be said for grape planting. The photosynthesis process needed by the grapes will be aided by good access to sunlight. This is the process that causes sugar to fill the grapes, which will turn to alcohol after the fermantation process. The type of soil is important as well. So you will be looking for well drained soil that is a little low on nutrienants. This will cause the vines to have smaller grapes, which will make for a better tasting wine. Make sure that it is well drained. You do not need to add compost or nutrientas unless the soil is so bad that weeds will not even grow! Also you will want both sides of the vine to get equal sunlight if possible.
When planting your grapes you will want the vines about six feet apart. And if you are planning a large crop, you will want rows that are about eight feet wide. You can plan on about one gallon of wine from each grape vine. When planning for the number of vines to produce the amount of wine you want to make, leave an allowance for some lower yields due to pests or less than perfect conditions. And since the grape is a vine you will need a trellis for support. When digging the hole dig it deeper and larger than it needs to be. This will allow the soil to be looser and allow for some extra drainage.
The first year of growing your grape vine tie the main shoot to the trellis with string. The string will not do the damage that a wire would do. Be sure to clip off any other shoots that come up from the roots. When it goes into the dormant stage you will need to prune it back. When the buds start to show in the spring you will need to select a strong shoot on each side of the main vine that will become the arms to hold the grapes. Tie them to the trellis loosely.
It would be wise to purchase a hydrometer at harvest time. You can easily find one at a wine making store or online. It measures the specific gravity of liquids. It will let you know the sugar content of the grapes. The ideal gravity would be between 1.095 and 1.105. The higher would be better. This is the time to harvest the grapes.
After the grape planting it will take several years before you see any wine. But patience is a virtue and the rewards are great. Your dedication and time will be rewarded with some of the best wine you have ever had. And you and your friends will be impressed with the outcome.
