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Growing and Drinking Your Own Wine Grapes

So you want growing your own grapes to make your own wine from your own grapes, do you? Taking these step makes you part of a tradition dating back almost 8,000 years, effectively to the very beginnings of civilization itself.

The first archaeological evidence of grape growing is found in Iran and Georgia and these sites were dated between 5,000 and 6,000 BC. The earliest European traces are found in Macedonia at about 4,000 BC and these sites contain the first crushed grape skins which implies the making of wine. People have been making and drinking wine ever since. You could say that Bacchus is the most generally worshiped of all the gods.

The quality of the wine you can produce is almost entirely dependent on the quality of grapes you can grow. Unlike beer, there are no secret recipes or arcane procedures. What comes out the end of the pipe is determined by the grapes that go in at the start.

One choice you will face is whether to go with the European grape varieties or turn to one of the hybrids that have been developed. Which you choose is partly determined by the area in which you are growing. If the climate in your area is ideal for growing grapes, central California for instance, then the choice is up to you. However, if you live in a less hospitable area, you will have to choose one of the hybrid varieties. Which variety to choose will require some research on your part. Each hybrid is designed to grow in a particular climate and particular growing season.

Another thing is whether to go with a red or a white grape. It depends on you which kind of wine you want to produce. Definitely, you can’t make a white wine from red grapes.