Grape Diseases - What Are The Most Common Grape Diseases?

Even the fruits blessed by the Greek gods are not immune to diseases that can wipe out the entire vineyard or adversely change their flavor. We are, of course, referring to grape diseases, of which there are many. It is then the farmer's job to identify, manage and eliminate these diseases for the protection of both crops and profits.

Identification of the vine diseases is important as most pests, fungi and bacteria will respond to a specific control measure. Once the grape disease has been properly identified, management in the form of elimination and prevention can then commence.

Continue reading about grape diseases...

Pruning Your Grapevines

Would you like if it I shared with you the one thing that you are currently not doing (probably), yet if properly done could dramatically improve the health of your grapevines and subsequently their yield?

Ok, well here it is...

Are you pruning your vines? If not this simple activity can immediately have a huge impact on your vineyard.

Learn more about pruning grape vines in my latest article...

Watch Out For These Grape Disorders

Even the fruits blessed by the Greek gods are not immune to diseases that can wipe out the entire vineyard or adversely change their flavor. Grape diseases are plentiful and when left unattended can ruin your crop. If you want to learn how to grow grapes, one of the most important things you can do is watch out for any signs of illness in your grapes.

You need to be aware of the different kinds of diseases since each one will have there own specific method of treatment. The first step to treating a grape disease is the identification and diagnosis of it.

Anthracnose

This is a fungal disease (Elsinoe ampelina) that mostly affects the fruits although other parts like the leaves, shots and stems are also attacked. It's first signs are dark spots that then progress to ashy-gray on the berries while the young shoots become dead and the leaves become disfigured.

Black Rot

Black rot is another type of disease caused by fungus that attacks all parts of the growing grapes. Unfortunately, the first symptoms can only be seen within 10 days after the first infection has started, thus, possibly making for elimination difficult. Tiny brown dots that eventually turn black are characteristic of this disease. Rainy weather can spread the infection throughout the vineyard very quickly.

Crown Gall

This disease caused by a bacteria affects both the roots under the ground as well as the vine's stem. It appears as hard brown to black gall almost to the size of walnuts. Fumigation of the soil is a common treatment for crown gall.

Dead Arm

This is one of the grape diseases that affect all parts of the plant from the shoots and branches to the fruits and leaves. The symptoms are similar to black rot except that rotted tissue has a lighter color and the pycnidia are larger albeit lesser in number. The name comes from the fact that all the affected parts eventually die from the fungal infection.

Downy Mildew

It's easy to spot this disease since the affected parts of the plant become covered with a white substance that looks like down but is actually a fungus. The first signs of this disease are seen as yellowish-green spots on the upper face of the leaves. It then subsequently spreads to other parts of the plant. All the leaves can fall once this disease really takes hold of the plant.

Powdery Mildew

Downy mildew and powdery mildew are two grape diseases that are often mistaken for each other. However, it's actually caused by a different fungus. This fungus impairs the growth of the grape vine stems and leaves. The fruit berries appear dull and darkened with a light powdery growth.

Other diseases in the vineyard include gray mold and nematode growth, which are also of great concern for the farmer. Grape diseases are very dangerous and care must be taken to prevent them from destroying your hard work, causing loss of time, money and frustration. If you are a lover of wine, then it's important to be aware of the love and sacrifice of the grape farmer that was required to produce that bottle of wine you are now enjoying.

Pests That Can Destroy Your Grapes

Learning how to grow grapes in both small and large tracts of land can be profitable and enjoyable, too. But there is a learning curve - you need to learn all about the various aspects of growing grapes; from the types of grapes to grow to how to care for them and everything in between. One of the most important thing to learn is how to defend against grape pests, especially insects, that can totally destroy your crop in very short time.

The following are just a few pests that attack the vineyards of the world. Well, actually, some of the mentioned pests are endemic to one part of the world but with the way the world is changing now, it pays to know the other possible pests, too.

Grape Phylloxera

These tiny aphid-like insects with yellow bodies have both foliar and root forms. If you start to notice unusual growths called galls on the grape leaves or roots, then it's a sign that you just might have a grape phylloxera infestation.

These grape pests set off a chain of events that can ruin the crop. Since these insects lead to premature defoliation in the severe stages, the ripening of the fruits is delayed and, thus, the crop quality is affected.

Management of phylloxera starts with routine monitoring of the grapevines and the leaves for any gall formation. If you common experience phylloxera infestations, you might want to treat your plants with insecticide. Carbaryl is the most popular insecticide for grapes. .

Japanese Beetles

These insects are extremely detrimental to may different types of crops and grapes are one of them. An adult beetle is identifiable through its brilliant metallic green thorax and head coupled with copper-brown wing covers.

The good news is that the berries can usually take the impact of these grape pests for as long as the infestation is at mild to moderate levels. In severe defoliations, the grapes can be injured. Management of Japanese beetles consists of twice-weekly checkups during the growing season coupled with hand-picking of the pests and application of insecticides like Permethrin preferably as localized spot treatments.

Grape Berry Moth

This is one of the grape pests that attack the berries. The adult grape berry moth is small insect with mottled brown color and a bluish-gray band inside the front wings while the larvae are creamy white.

It is not the adult grape berry moth that concerns farmers the most but the larva since it feeds directly on the berry. The larva can also contaminate the crop resulting in even more devastation.

Injured berries are usually removed by hand while prevention measures include destroying the dead leaves. An application of insecticide may be in order to keep these moths under control since they produce two generations each year.

In the course of your career growing grapes, you will come across many other grape pests like the multicolored Asian lady beetle and the yellow jackets. Become educated with regards to the different pests that exist in your area and the best means to prevent them.

Vitis Vinifera - Tracing the Origins of Wine

Wine is a kind of drink extracted from the Vitis Vinifera plant, more commonly known as the grape vine. This is probably one of the most popular drinks in the world today. Up to date, there are now a wide variety of wines available in the market at varying prices. Either way, the drink has always been a symbol of celebration and gatherings. But before you go out and start opening another bottle, take time to read on and trace back the origin and history of the world's most favorite drink.

Some may think that Vitis Vinifera wine farms and its origins came from the European continent alone (which is also the area most popular for world-class wines at present), but the fact is, the East has its very own wine history as well. The earliest record that mention of the grape plant being used as a drink was dated all the way back from China, about 9,000 year ago.

Continue reading about Vitis Vinifera...

Home Wine Making - Labels and Other Supplies

Making wine at home involves a lot more than just growing the grapes and making wine out of them. There is a whole science around bottling and the best way to do it. In this article we take a look at some aspects of bottling including choosing labels and corking.

You can read it here: Home Wine Making - Purchasing The Right Labels And Supplies...

Food That Goes Best With Chardonnay Wine

The world-renowned Chardonnay wine is extracted from a specific kind of grape known in the grape growing and wine industry as the Chardonnay grape. These vines are most popularly grown in an area in France called Burgundy, where people have perfected the art of how to grow grapes, and produce one of the most delicious white wines in the market. The original taste of the grapes is actually not that distinct and strong. As a result, many wine makers combine them with other ingredients to make their own unique tasting Chardonnay wine.

Many wine experts believe that it is quite difficult to pair Chardonnay wine with food because of its very subtle taste. But nonetheless, it can still be done. Listed below are the best kinds of food and dishes that you can pair with that perfect bottle of Chardonnay.

1. Sauces that are creamy - This is considered to be one of the best kinds of dishes to pair with Chardonnay wines. Cream based sauces with pieces of poultry are heavenly with this white wine. Since properly cooked chicken does not have a strong taste, it will allow you to savor the taste of Chardonnay grapes at the same time. This makes them a perfect combination.
2. Fish - Fish such as salmon and seafood like oysters help to bring out the excellent flavor of citrus that the Chardonnay grape is famous for. Of course, seafood needs to be cooked just right, with just the right amount of spices to neutralize its strong flavor and not overpower the wine.
   
3. Subtle pork dishes - Subtle pork dishes like that from the Caribbean can also go perfect with that bottle of Chardonnay. This is because food from the Caribbean is normally subtle and not very spicy. This makes it the perfect food to serve with Chardonnay wine, allowing you to savor that Chardonnay grape taste.
   
4. Fruits - Wines are best paired with foods that basically have the same tastes. Since Chardonnay has the flavor of fruit, it's an excellent wine to serve with fresh fruit like apple slices or cut mangoes.
   
5. Cheeses - Another serving suggestion is smoked cheese, examples of which are Gouda and Jack cheeses. These cheeses are good since they do not leave a strong aftertaste that could reduce the ability to taste the Chardonnay grape flavor.
   
6. And last but not the least -Chardonnay can be enjoyed just as wonderfully when taken as it is. For the best taste it should be chilled to a temperate of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Having a glass that is a bit too cold may numb your taste and prevent you from tasting the wine's full flavor.

Another Tip - What you need to stay away from are the tomato based dishes. Tomato sauces have a sharp and very acidic taste that does not blend well with the subtle and buttery taste of the Chardonnay grape.

So if you want to enjoy that meal to its fullest, make sure that you have the perfect wine that with it that will complement the flavor and the taste of your food. So be prepared to awe your guests by using these serving suggestions to complement that bottle of Chardonnay wine that you've been saving!

The Vitis Vinifera Plant And How It's Used To Make Wine

Wine is a kind of drink extracted from the Vitis Vinifera plant, more commonly known as the grape vine. This popular beverage has become a favorite of many all over the world. A huge selection of different wines can be found, from cheap to very expensive in price. When one thinks of a joyous occasion, one can certainly be sure that it will be accompanied by wine. Have you ever thought about where this drink came from? This article will give you a brief look at the origin of wine.

Most people are under the impression that Vitis Vinifera is only grown in Europe, however did you know that wine as we know it actually originated from Asia? 9,000 year old records have been discovered from China which talk about a drink made from the grape plant. This drink was made from grape juice, rice that was fermented and then mixed with honey. Archaeologists have also found tartaric acid in jar bottoms which validates this research. It is not know exactly what grape species was used to make wine, but we can assume that some local grape variety was used. This kind of substance was also discovered in some jars around Western Asia, particularly Iran, but at an earlier date.

Even before wine was made in the east, wine from Vitis Vinifera was been made in Europe. 12,000 year old records have been found from Greece that talk about the use of grape seeds and grape skins. Grapes were an extremely popular vegetation in the European continent for its cool climate and good, fertile soil. This is also one of the main elements for great tasting wine products in the area. In the past, wine drinking was considered as a social status where only the high and the mighty had the privilege of feasting on such drinks. Servants of rich people used to serve their masters and visitors many glasses filled with wine all day.

Over the years, people, particularly the Europeans have learned to perfect the art of grape growing and the wine making process. From the traditional manual pressing, wines today are now extracted through machines. As wine making became widespread and its products more popular all throughout the world, more and more countries started learning how to grow grapes and cultivating their own farms to produce the drink.

Vitis Vinifera is currently one of the most popular plants grown all over the world. The enjoyment of wine is no longer limited to only the high and mighty, but to average people too. Wines now come in a huge range of prices, with various tastes and alcohol content in them. In the end, this lowly plant has indeed come a long way from its humble beginnings to be dubbed as the world's most favorite drink.

5 Popular Red Wine Grape Varieties

Red wines are rich wines that come from a variety of red grapes that grow all over the world. Depending upon the terrain of the earth that yields the grapes, the flavors of the grapes will produce wines that might vary wildly in flavor, but are all very tasty just the same. The wine grape varieties that produce the wines that we love are grown in the U.S., Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Chile, and in other smaller regions. Here is a look at five of the wine grape varieties that produce some of the best red wines on the market, past and present.

The Durif Grape: This grape was developed by a French doctor, Dr. Durif in 1800s. He created this wine, by mutating the breed with another wine grape. The Durif grape is a cross of the Syrah grape, and the Pelourisn grape. When these two wine grape varieties were blended together, they formed a wine that is known as the Petit Sirah, especially in the U. S. It grows well in warmer climates, such as California. The Durif was used for the production of Burgundy wines from the 50s to the 70s when Burgundy wine was popular on the market.

Continue reading about the most popular red wine grape varieties...

The Process Of Making Homemade Wine

Making homemade wine is quickly growing as a hobby among wine enthusiasts around the world. As wine making kits and books become more readily available, it has become an easily achievable goal for anyone who is persistent enough to perfect the art. Why should anyone try making homemade wine? There are so many choices of wines available on any shelf, perhaps you wonder if it is worth the time to make your own.

It is true that it is a lengthy process, but the satisfaction of doing it yourself and long-run savings make it a very feasible undertaking. Making homemade wine also allows you to try unique flavor combinations, from not just grapes, but many other fruits. Creating your own flavors means you can use grapes, peaches, berries and even apples.

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5 Popular White Wine Grape Varieties

White wines come from the grape varieties around the world that produce these various types of wine. Unlike the grape varieties used to make red wine that are grown in the warmer regions, the grape varieties that are used to produce white wine are grown in regions with colder temperatures. However, some of these grape varieties come out of South Africa, which is deep into the southern hemisphere. There are many cool days and nights there as well.

While red wines are rich in texture and flavor, white wines are quite the opposite. They have a light body and a subtle taste as well. They go very well with poultry, and seafood. They can be enjoyed at any time of year, but because of their light and refreshing taste, they are welcome and wonderful during the hot summer months. Here is a look at the grapes that produce white wines:

Chardonnay: This grape is grown throughout the world and as a result it produces probably the most popular white wine of all, known by the same name. The white Burgundy wine of France is also made of these grapes. The wine produced from these grapes is rich and buttery in flavor. Chardonnay wine is relatively inexpensive since it thrives everywhere and it's an excellent accompaniment to both chicken and fish.

Pinot Gris: These grapes are used for the Pinot Grigio wine out of Italy. This wine has a medium body and a taste of fruit and flowers. This wine goes wonderful with poultry, seafood, and spicy food. This is a very delicious wine that should be enjoyed chilled.

The Riesling Grape: This grape is known for being produced out of Germany. It's generally found in places with cold weather. This, of course, includes Germany but it is also found in other parts of northern Europe such as the Alsace region in the north of France. The wine from these grapes is very sweet. Riesling is very popular, and the wine is very easy to find.

Scheurebe: These wine grape varieties are grown almost always in Germany. The wine produced from these grapes has a fruity flavor that is crisp. They have dark berry notes to them. These wines are best served with seafood.

The Chenin Blanc Grape: These are very high yielding wine grape varieties. They are grown in South Africa, France, and the U.S. in California.  The wine produced from these grapes is very crispy and acidic. This wine would go well with a light snack, and with a light summer meal.

An important thing to remember when serving white wines is that they are generally served chilled. These make wonderful light wines for summer dinners, and for social events.

Visit Grape Growing School for more information on grape growing and how to grow grapes.

These 5 Wine Grapes Are Used To Make Excellent Red Wine

Red wines are rich wines that come from a variety of red grapes that grow all over the world. Depending upon the terrain of the earth that yields the grapes, the flavors of the grapes will produce wines that might vary wildly in flavor, but are all very tasty just the same. The wine grape varieties that produce the wines that we love are grown in the U.S., Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Chile, and in other smaller regions. Here is a look at five of the wine grape varieties that produce some of the best red wines on the market, past and present.

The Durif Grape: This grape was developed by a French doctor, Dr. Durif in 1800s. He bred this grape along with another to produce a unique wine grape. The Syrah and Pelourisn grapes were bred together to produce the Durif grape. When these two wine grape varieties were blended together, they formed a wine that is known as the Petit Sirah, especially in the U. S. It grows well in warmer climates, such as California. This grape was also used to produce Burgundy wines from 1950 to the 1970s.

Merlot: The Merlot grape is mixed with Cabernet Sauvignon, and it makes a soft finished wine that tastes of berries. It's a rich and dry wine. Merlot goes really well with rich meats, and although it's great all year long, it goes especially well with heavy winter meals. These grapes are a bit more fragile than other wine grape varieties, and they can develop problems with mold easier than some other wine grape varieties.

The Pinot Noir Grape: This is a challenging grape for wine production. It needs just the right conditions to thrive including the right about of sunshine in the day and a cooler temperature at night. However, when successfully grown it produces an excellent wine that has a cherry and strawberry flavor. It can be consumed with along with many different types of food.

The Sangiovese Grape: You can find this grape growing in the northernmost parts of Italy. The Chianti wine is produced from this grape. The wine is very smooth and is a popular addition to many different varieties of meals but it goes the best with rich Tuscan cuisine such as pasta. These wine grapes are often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to build upon its flavor.

The Grignolino Grape: This grape is native to the Italian region of Piedmont. Unlike most wines, the wine produced from this grape does not taste better with age. It's best consumed fresh. These wines are best enjoyed with beef, and with light to medium flavored snacking meats and cheeses. You'll rarely find this wine grape growing anywhere else in the world . This is a wine grape variety that is extremely rare to find outside of its home region.

Of course we can talk about many more different red wine grape varieties, but these are some of the most popular. Something to keep in mind is that while the label on the wine bottle generally mentions only the primary grape used in the wine production, often other grapes are blended together to enhance or modify the flavor and to produce unique tasting wines.

Learn more about grape growing and how to grow grapes by visiting http://www.grapegrowingschool.com.

 

Wine Making At Home

When you take up wine making at home, you not only save yourself some money on wine, but have the satisfaction and making it the way you want it. This activity has gained popularity among many people recently too. It is easy to produce some top-quality wines with the right instruction. There are many options to choose from for this information too.

Many online websites have much needed tips and tricks on the wine making at home. If these are not enough information for you though to get started there are many books available on the subject too. Of course, it always helps to have someone show you how to make homemade wine who does it themselves, but not everyone knows someone who does it. If you must use the online guides or physical books to guide you just make sure their details tell you all you need to know.

Continue reading Wine Making At Home...

Growing Wine Grapes

Walking past the aisles of wines, with Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot being some of the more prominent choices, makes you wonder what wine grapes made each wine. With more exotic choices, such as a Grenache or Muscato wine, or even Shiraz - how do the vineyards determine which wine they are going to produce, and how do grapes affect the taste of wine?

There are several types of grapes, and these cultivated varieties are used for three different purposes. You can't make a wine with the wrong grape. Some are classified as a table grape (for eating), others are dried for raisins, and the others are wine grapes.

Continue reading Growing Wine Grapes...

Make Wine At Home With These Tips

When venturing into wine making especially for the first time, anyone needs some wine making tips. The following tips have been compiled to get you started making excellent wine at home. Who wants to spend all that time making wine and not have it taste good? I don't! So follow these tips and get started making wine...

1. Before you start making wine be sure you have all the equipment you'll require handy. You don't want to get started and find out you don't have something you need to finish. This equipment includes things like siphon tubes, Demijohns, trial jars, fermentation locks, glass or plastic funnels and of course storage bottles that have caps that fit tightly. To safely store the wine, be sure to have a wine storage area in mind.

2. Take it easy at first and follow a simple recipe. You need to learn how to make wine before you can experiment making it. This is probably one of the most important wine making tips. With more experience wine making you'll be in a better position to understand what parts of the recipe can be modified and what parts are best left alone.

3. Use the right recipes for the fruit you are using. The preparation and fermentation requirements for each fruit differs. So use a grape wine recipe for grapes and so on. This will ensure your wine will turn out with the right flavor.

4. How much sugar is supposed to go into your wine will dictate how sweet or dry it will wind up being. Note that a fruit concentrate will require less sugar as compared to fresh fruit.

5. Make sure you get your fresh fruit from reliable sources. Unless you happen to have your own backyard vineyard, an orchard is the best place to go for your fruit. Ultimately the quality of fruit will determine the quality of your wine, so don't be afraid to be picky about the source of your fruit.

6. It is important to thoroughly mash up fresh fruit before putting it in the fermentation container. This will take you some time, but it is necessary.

7. Measure your ingredients carefully with wine making. This is not the place to use your own judgement and mess with the recipe.

8. During the wine making process, make sure to check that you have the correct amount of sugar in your wine. You can measure the sugar amount with a hydrometer. If it's not sweet enough add some more sugar. If it's too sweet add water. Don't forget this very important wine making tip.

9. Make sure you have the proper sugar/acid ratio before adding the yeast nutrient to your wine. This nutrient activates the yeast cells which causes them to process the sugar into alcohol in your wine.

These are just a handful of the most important tips for wine making. You can find many more tips in addition to these to help you make world class wine. Just remember to follow the instructions in the recipe to the letter. This way you will have wine in no time ready for aging until it is ready to drink.

Do you want to learn how to grow grapes for wine? Find out more at my website - Grape Growing School.

 

Wine Making At Home - What You Need To Know

When you take up wine making at home, you not only save yourself some money on wine, but have the satisfaction and making it the way you want it. In recent years this activity has become very popular amongst many people. It is easy to produce some top-quality wines with the right instruction. There are many options to choose from for this information too.

Many online websites have much needed tips and tricks on the wine making at home. If these are not enough information for you though to get started there are many books available on the subject too. An even better option is to get someone who already knows how to make their own wine to show you how you can do it too. Although this may not be feasible for everyone. If you must use the online guides or physical books to guide you just make sure their details tell you all you need to know.

You need to know all the equipment needed to set up for wine making for one thing. Any hobby cannot be enjoyed to the fullest without the right tools. Make sure also that you buy only the best equipment once you know what all you need. This will ensure that it functions as expected during the process of making wine.

The next thing you need to know about is te kinds of fruit or concentrate you'll need. This will be governed by the type of wine you plan to make. You will need to know this before you even choose your recipes. The amount of sugar will change depending on the recipe you choose.

When you first start looking at wine recipes, you might find the ingredients confusing and not understand why they are required. Just trust the recipe, each ingredient plays and important role in the wine making process. Sugar for instance, helps the wine be either dry or sweet depending on how much is put in among other things. Let's look at some of the other ingredients and see what their roles are in forming the final outcome of the wine.

Yeast is required for fermentation. In is used to convert the sugar to wine.

Yeast Nutrient is needed to give energy to your yeast. This guarantees your yeast brings on the fermentation process like it should to produce alcohol. And depending on the fruits called for in the recipe, a yeast energizer may be used instead of a yeast nutrient.

The wine's sharpness is controlled by the acid blend.

Pectic enzyme is used so the fruits break down correctly, which helps the wine have more flavor. It also provides clarity to the wine.

Wine tannin improves the aging process of the wine. It also adds clarity to the final product.

Campden tablets are added prior to fermentation and then just prior to bottling the wine. These are to make sure the wine has shelf life without spoiling.

Now you understand why you have to add all these ingredients just to do your wine making at home. This will make it easier to know why proper measuring of the ingredients is also important. Enjoy your winemaking experience and especially your finished product.

Interested in growing your own wine grapes? Learn how to grow grapes and get more information on grape growing at my website - Grape Growing School.