Our row of vines was completed this week with the planting of the last two specimens. Both are suitable for outdoor cultivation and should provide some good fruit in a couple of years. They were supplied bare root and, for some reason that makes no sense to me, the scion was cut rather short. We might, therefore, need an extra year to bring these to fruit than the others we planted. The first variety is the French grape Chasselas Rosé Royale, a sport of Chasselas Blanc with sweet pink–red fruits. The second is Gewürztraminer, from which the well know Alsatian white wines of the same name are produced. The grape itself is another pink skinned sort and, although best known as a wine grape, should also produce good table grapes.

We have two vines growing in our glasshouses – old classics Muscat of Alexandria, which has delivered great crops of fine dessert grapes for the past two years, and Black Hamburg, which is a year or so younger and has yet to give a decent bunch. Now we have added a row of vines outdoors. Continue reading →