Cabernet Franc

[Kcwhippet]

Nancy,

According to the site, he gets to -30 Centigrade - even colder than -30 Fahrenheit. Apparently, he keeps the main trunk of the vine close to the ground and horizontal, then drops the vine to the ground and mulches heavily for the winter.

Actually, we just made the ice cream two weeks ago, not the two months ago we were supposed to. It was quite good. The saffron and honey made for a very unusual taste. Despite everyone's misgivings about the main flavor component, it got rave reviews. Try it.

Bob

[n144mann]

Bob, thanks.....didn't catch the centrigrade in your post.... It sounds like he does things the way I had been intending also....you plant the vines at an angle, then train the young trucks in a J shape that allows you to remove them from the trellis and lay them down and cover them for the winter without damaging the main parts of the vine. Thanks again for the site....I am sure it will be helpful.

Well, I am going to have to try the ice cream one of these days....I keep getting out the recipe, intending to get it made, but have not managed to do it. Now I have even more incentive. Have you gotten your new source of saffron set up??

Nancy

[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 08-23-99).]

[Randy Caparoso]

Hi, Nancy. I'm not a viticulturist, but I do have eyes and ears. An interesting thing companies like Chateau Ste. Michelle have been doing for years in eastern Washington is plant double trunks. That way if one out of two dies in a particularly bad winter, growers don't take too much of a financial beating. You might want to research the pros and cons of that from a quality/quantity perspective, since I haven't.

[n144mann]

Randy, you are right, a multi-trunk method is another that is commonly used, but not around here, so I have not actually seen it in practice. Around here, most grow the hybrids, and they are often too vigorous for such a training method as the vines become too large and unwieldy. But for a vinifera vine, it might well work here, and I will definately look into it as a possibility also, probably in combination with the ability to lay it down over the winter, in order to preserve the vines. Left on the trellis, there is little to no chance that they would survive the winter temps here. Thank you all for your suggestions...they are much appreciated.

Nancy

[n144mann]

oops somehow managed to get the same message entered twice.
Nancy

[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 08-23-99).]

[Jason]

Good Cab Franc descriptors. I think the grape has gotten a bad rap. In fact, I just opened a bottle of 92 Nelson Estate. Good stuff, still very youthful, no sign of its age.
The grape has always been higher acid in my mind, in fact it reminds me of Sangiovese. The cherry skin nose I get reminds me of Italy's wines. Pride mountain makes some pretty good stuff also. I also like the price of this grape since it always been unchic.

[Thomas]

Jason, the Italians (Friuli-Venezia-Giulia) produce wonderful Cabernet Franc. See if you can find Formentini.

[primitivo]

Interesting to read the Cab Franc posts, I'm in the mountains of Central VA and we are producing world class cab francs. I've been barrel tasting '98 samples and it will be a wonderful year. Has anyone had the opportunity to sample these wines?