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  • From: mIEKAL aND <dtv@mwt.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] 2007 Hardy Grape Notes
  • Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:09:16 -0500

Del: How many Valiant plants did it take to generate 4 gallons of juice?

Thanks for the report. Here in SW WI we had 3 1/2 weeks of non-stop rain. 80% of my grapes split & exploded & the bees & ants made quick work of them. I did manage to salvage 2 gallons of juice from 5 St Croix plants which was promptly turned into a merlot which we did an early tasting of yesterday. I'm definitely not gonna have to worry about bottling the wine because it will disappear quickly.

~mIEKAL

On Sep 27, 2007, at 7:25 AM, Del Stubbs wrote:

Here are my notes from this season, I am trialing several other varieties but they have
not fruited yet.
(Our location in N. Minnesota was listed as zone 2b, but we don't even see minus 40 that
often anymore so I have changed my designation to 3b) Heavy soil, drought conditions mid
July to mid Sept. - but plants showed little stress.
All grapes were juiced with a Victorio strainer.
Grapes: Sept. 16, 2007 picked all grapes after 2nd hard frost of season.
Beta: Sour, must add sugar, poor flavor, (graft over or remove)
Blue Bell: Very productive, very large berries, needs a little sugar, never got blue -
reddish cast - fully ripe? were very juicy, try mixing with sweet apple juice
Frontenac: Pleasant as fresh eating (only had one little bunch on new plant).
Monitor: - Too tart to eat fresh, dark juice, overipe, splitting berries, needs some
sugar to make drinkable juice, ok as juice, full flavored.
1729: Berries are the size of valiant, looser bunches, rich flavor (not as rich flavor as
valiant of course, but even sweeter), super sweet! I have no idea who the breeder is or
if number is hyphenated. ( Anyone familiar with this grape?)
ES 8-2-24: - Birds ate 50%, mild good fresh flavor, fully ripe, some acid, good wine?
questionable as table grape
sufficiently sweet, good juice, vino?
DM 8521-1: - Very small berries this year, putsy to hand strip, wife's favorite for fresh
eating, dark juice, fully ripe, she might prefer it over even valiant as juice because it
is smoother, so gets an A as juice, I believe it has Merlot in its background. Eager to
try for vino!
Sueltor: - Large berries, easy to strip, fully ripe, dark juice - pleasant if a little
sugar and water added.
Troubador: Next in flavor to valiant, fully ripe, but irregular ripening, many small
green berries, ok for juice.
Valiant: Picked Sept 7, very productive, very flavorful and sweet, little bird predation,
made 4 gallons of concentrated juice.



Del Stubbs www.pinewoodforge.com zone 3a N. MN




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