On 10/23/2012 04:51 PM, David Rance wrote:
On Tue, 23 Oct 2012 Emery Davis wrote:

David, what varieties are you growing, you have vines both in the UK and
Normandy, I believe? What does well for you?

I have the same kinds in both Reading and Basse Normandie. I grow

1. Chasselas - at least I think it's Chasselas. It was growing on the
back of our house in Normandy when we bought it. I took cuttings and
established a small vineyard mainly with them. They ripen August/
September, depending on the year. Cons: they are very susceptible to
mildew and need to be sprayed regularly with Bordeaux mixture, ideally
(according to the books) every fifteen days but I can usually get away
with once a month.

2. Seyval Blanc - I was given some cuttings of this back in 1976 by
someone who had a vineyard in Wales. Those were the early days of the
viticulture revival in Britain and was one of the two main grape
varieties grown then (the other was Muller-Thurgau). Pros: it's a hybrid
and is not susceptible to mildew or any other disease in my experience.
Cons: none. However it does ripen later in late September/October and
produces a much fresher wine. For this reason many vineyards in the UK
use it for producing sparkling wine. It is *very* prolific.


I take it you mean it's very acidic? I guess this is virtually unknown
in France... It seems to be a V. labrusca cross perhaps? (Wiki says it
has non-vinifera genes). That would make it illegal to call the wine
"wine" in the EU I believe! (Not that it would stop me, mind).

3. Kerner - I bought 25 of these ten years ago from Vigo. I wanted a
Riesling cross but hadn't had much success with Muller-Thurgau in the
past. It, too, ripens in late September/October, but it, too, suffers
from mildew if not sprayed regularly. Produces an acceptable wine.


This is all great information, thanks.

[]
We're 30 miles south of Caen. I wouldn't try to grow black grapes
seriously at our latitude because they will never mature well enough to
produce a good red. Some vineyards in England claim to do it but I am
suspicious of their methods. But Chasselas and, I guess, Chenin blanc,
will do well in Calvados. Whereabouts are you?


A little south of you, in the Orne. Just south of Argentan in the foret
d'Ecouves. Our problem is that the soil is pretty acidic, but I gather
vines like chalk. I'd like to plant a couple of rows eventually, maybe
2 or 3 varieties.

-E