Seyval Blanc Harvest

[kmoorman]

I have a single Seyval Blanc vine in my garden, and it currently has 29 bunches of grapes on it. I've managed finally to identify the creature that ate last years crop (squirrels) and I've managed to save most of the crop.

However, I can't remember when the Seyval should be harvested, as I want to try to make a gallon of wine from them... I don't have any testing equipment other than a hydrometer, but I'd rather leave them until they are fully ripe, as the Seyval can be a little tart if not fully ripe.

Any advice would be useful...

P.S. I live in Worthing, Sussex, England if that helps.

[Ah - my signature gives away my location anyway]

[lockwood1956]

eat one...does it taste sweet?
are the seeds brown?
crunch a seed what does it taste like, if it is really bitter, maybe wait a little.

but generally if the seeds are brown and not green you are ok, but leaving it later wont hurt either, harvest here is generally later than in France for example, so you will be at the end of sept probably, maybe even into october.

are there vineyards close to you?
if so when are they harvesting?
give a vineyard a ring, you should find them happy to help

http://www.englishwineproducers.com/ukva.htm

lists UK vineyards

hope this helps
regards
Bob

[kmoorman]

Good idea about the Vineyard thing - there's one very close by 'Highdown Vienyard' in Worthing. I've spoken to the owners a couple of times, and they seem friendly enough.

From what i've read - Seyval is an early ripener, so I may look to harvest mid September, but I will check everything beforehand.

Kieron.

[kmoorman]

I harvested the grapes yesterday (Oct 14th) and after removing rotten grapes etc I only got 4lbs of fruit.

I put the grapes in a large straining bag, crushed them by hand and then drained the juice into a bucket. I eventually got 1.25 litres of juice, to which I added 1 crushed campden tablet and left in a 3 litre glass container overnight.

The gravity of the juice was 1082.

Today there is about 1.5 inches of pulp at the bottom of the jar.

I intend to add a small amount of sugar today, and then the yeast and see what transpires.

I was pleased that I got to 1082 with them, and it shows that leaving them on the vine a little longer helps.

Hopefully I'll get more from the vine next year, and also stop birds / squirrels getting at them, as I lost quite a lot to them again.

Whatever happens I will get at least a bottle of wine from my own grapes thsi year!

Cheers

Kieron.

[shirlthegirl43]

Well done you! I have 2 grapes (individuals not bunches) on my vine - long time to wait for a bottle of my own vintage methinks

[Mamgiowl]

Well done you! I have 2 grapes (individuals not bunches) on my vine - long time to wait for a bottle of my own vintage methinks

LOL Well at least you got some grapes. I had buds, then they all died off!

[lockwood1956]

Keiron
I would ferment as is at 1.082 adding sugar (chaptalisation) will just take away from the varietal flavour and boquet, and it will show you exactly the kind of wine your grapes will produce, (if you get it to 0.990 it will give you 12% ABV, which is fine, even a little less will be ok) you really dont want a white to be more than 12% I reckon

hope this helps
regards
Bob

[kmoorman]

Excellent- that answers a question I had in my head. I'm quite glad that I can ferment out without anything added - as you say; it gives me a clear picture as to the true character of the Seyval grape in my garden.

I hope to retain more of the grapes next year... I originally had 30 bunches on the plant, but 1 got snapped off early on () about 5 got eaten and others partially gnawed. I then lost a percentage to rotting in the final week or so, but at least I managed to get a good sugar content.

[Hippie]

Yes, I would say you got lucky to get that kind of sugar in your climate. Good job, and congrats on your first homegrown grape wine!

[kmoorman]

Thanks - the vine is up against a South facing wall, and sheltered. Once the grapes were formed I tried to clear away the leaves in front of the bunches to increase the sunlight falling onto them. I think the sunny weather we had into October helped, as the rest of the summer was very underwhelming!

I do have another vine (next to it) Siegerrebe, but due to a poor choice of pruning in the winter (spur as opposed to replacement cane) there were very few grapes and the critters got them all.

[Hippie]

Here, the bunches of grapes would be sunburned from the intense sunlight and heat, if they made it through the summer without the humidity causing fungus, and then rot.

[kmoorman]

Here, the bunches of grapes would be sunburned from the intense sunlight and heat, if they made it through the summer without the humidity causing fungus, and then rot.

Nice - do you have to treat your grapes to stop rot then?

[Hippie]

If I were to grow them here, yes.

[lockwood1956]

Just muscadines down your way Glenvall right?

and scuppernongs (but they are muscadines too...yes?)

[Hippie]

Well, some folks grow some native American and French-American winegrapes, and some even dare to grow normal vinefera grapes, south and west of here below Fort Smith at an old Swiss community. Like I say, it takes alot of fungicides because of the humidity. Muscadines (yes you are correct, Bob) are not susceptible to most fungi, including noble rot and Pierce's disease. Muscadines (black, red, pink) and scuppernongs (bronze) are native to Southeastern U.S. There are a few hybrid varieties available now, but few do well north of USDA zone 7. I am zone 6b and have grown them, but they seem to get poorer after each cold winter. Wild muscadine vines in the woods grow very well here and can cover an acre each vine.

Sorry so off-topic, kmoorman.