On Thu, 18 Sep 2003, Anthony wrote:

Black Hamburg is the one I have on my allotment, and it only produces
(When it does!) fruit the size of blackcurrants and pippy! This is
the one which didn't flower at all this year, until NOW!

Black grapes won't do really well in the UK unless they're under
glass. Best to keep to white.

Looks at the Black Hamburg vine on the back wall of the house...

Looks at the 16kg of grapes picked last weekend...

I may be forced to disagree with you there. :-)

You may well do so because there will always be examples of a
mini-climate where people are able to do the unusual. Perhaps I should
have said, "Black grapes won't *normally* do really well in the UK
unless they're under glass."

But you must remember that this is an exceptional year for grapes. I
harvested my (white) grapes in Northern France a good six weeks earlier
than usual at the end of August. My grapes here in Reading, though a
variety that doesn't really ripen until late October, are now ready for
picking. Some have a gravity of 1085 (as measured with my refractometer)
which is exceptional. I shall probably harvest them this weekend and
look forward to an outstanding wine!

It's also an exceptional year for cider apples (I also have a cider
orchard in Normandy). While cider apples normally fall from the trees in
October and one makes the cider around the beginning of December, I
noticed on the news on France 3 that many growers are finding the apples
have been falling for the last few weeks and that they are having to
make the cider now as the apples will not keep.

This year isn't typical - but with global warming it may become so!

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