Next stage of my project is choosing the grapes. Actually there is not much to choose because there are not many grapes that survive here. And when I want just white grapes I have 4-5 different grapes from to choose.
The main grape for will be Solaris. It is quite interesting double crossing from Merzling (Riesling&Pinot Gris) and Gm6493 (Zarya Severa & Muscat Ottonel) It is quite new mix breeded 1975 in Germany. Solaris is more hybrid than pure vitis Vinifera. Solaris is an early ripening variety with good resistance against fungal diseases and frost. It gives wines which have fruity and perfumed aromas with hints of banana and hazelnuts, with medium acidity. It has been grown successfully in Norway so I´m very hopefull.
The second grape is the "victory wine" Siegerrebe which is german crossing from Madeleine Angwine and Gewurtstraminer. The vine is suited to colder climates as bud-burst is late and fruit ripening is very early. Despite high must weights the wine tends to be very low in acid. The finished wine has an intense aroma reminiscient of muscat and tends to be used in blending than a varietal wine, however the flavour is reminiscent of Gewurtstraminer May Siegerrebe wines are high in extract and yellow-green to golden yellow in colour.
The third and only pure vine is Madeleine Angevine. This grape is more a test than realistic hope to get fruits. Madeleine Angevine makes an attractive fruity wine with a flowery nose, similar to an Alsatian Pinot Blanc. It is crisp, acid and dry. Retailers plants died during winter so I´m not yet betting on Angevines surviving in Finland but it has been grown long time in Cold climates. If there is a chance to get french lady in my garden I´ll try.
My total amount will be 20 plants (10 Solaris 5 Siegerrebe and 5 Madeleine Angevine) I´ll wait 2 weeks more before planting. May has been very warm but temperature is time to time getting close to zero at night time. It ain´t easy to be farmer in Finland.
maanantai 27. huhtikuuta 2009
keskiviikko 15. huhtikuuta 2009
From the scratch
I´m really starting from the scratch. I took me some while to find out, was Stuart Pigott´s idea(read my first blog) just a line that didn´t have any real life matter. After some research I found out that there was some finish people who taught same way. Northern location should not be barrier to grow wine. It has been done every where else.
To get some base for my interest I bought some books about wine growing. Wine magazine (Viinilehti) recommended Jamie Goode´s "From vine to Glass" but better knowlegde I got from"Growing wine in Finland" by Juha Karvonen. Local knowlegde beats the author in this case.
After gathering some basic facts became reality: I needed a place where I could grow my Wine. Helps came from the city. Helsinki city rents small (100m2) garden places for citizens where they can grow vegetables etc. Why not wine? And it was cheap 33,00€ / year.
It became almoust too easy when I found that there is a company called Omenakumpu that was selling wine plants for northern atmosphere. Company is still very much testing but if they are so am I. I think this was the point when there was no return.
It is good to have basics before start but I was a bit early. I still have wait for 4-6 weeks before I can plant wine. In Finland temperature might go under zero in May and first year plants a very fragile for cold weather.
But it is a start. Sony Company started it´s business after first world war by selling buckets that where made out of cannon ammunition shells. So why me hurry?
To get some base for my interest I bought some books about wine growing. Wine magazine (Viinilehti) recommended Jamie Goode´s "From vine to Glass" but better knowlegde I got from"Growing wine in Finland" by Juha Karvonen. Local knowlegde beats the author in this case.
After gathering some basic facts became reality: I needed a place where I could grow my Wine. Helps came from the city. Helsinki city rents small (100m2) garden places for citizens where they can grow vegetables etc. Why not wine? And it was cheap 33,00€ / year.
It became almoust too easy when I found that there is a company called Omenakumpu that was selling wine plants for northern atmosphere. Company is still very much testing but if they are so am I. I think this was the point when there was no return.
It is good to have basics before start but I was a bit early. I still have wait for 4-6 weeks before I can plant wine. In Finland temperature might go under zero in May and first year plants a very fragile for cold weather.
But it is a start. Sony Company started it´s business after first world war by selling buckets that where made out of cannon ammunition shells. So why me hurry?
My northern wine exposure
I got my idea for this experiment from Stuart Pigott´s column in finnish wine magazine(Viinilehti 06/2008). Pigott was telling about his experiences from Geisenheim´s wine school where he is studying for next two years. He was telling about his collegue who is from Regenburg, Bavaria. Very cold area for wine growing. If you can grow wine there why not in southern Finland, was the question Pigott finished his column.
Yes, why not? This blog is about my attempt to make wine from finnish wine grapes that I have growed myself. I have rented a small plot of land (1 are / 41 acres) which will be my wine garden for next few years. If I´m lucky I´ll taste my own wine somewhere spring time 2011.
I´m trying to detail all phases and even little things that may effect to the result so if there is someone else who has interest to grow wine 60 degrees northern lattitude this blog may someday be useful.
Yes, why not? This blog is about my attempt to make wine from finnish wine grapes that I have growed myself. I have rented a small plot of land (1 are / 41 acres) which will be my wine garden for next few years. If I´m lucky I´ll taste my own wine somewhere spring time 2011.
I´m trying to detail all phases and even little things that may effect to the result so if there is someone else who has interest to grow wine 60 degrees northern lattitude this blog may someday be useful.
"Adventure starts from your own yard. Literaly"
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