TAProots Vineyard continues to expand the number of grape varieties and the amount of vineyard planted, to now include five areas of grape production. When we started buying and replanting vines in 2005, the grapes were limited to 5 acre and 2.5 acre plots of Concord grapes, the superhardy American grape used for juice and jam. These are taken care of by Fingar Farms and have continued to be productive, yielding 120,000 pounds of grapes last year, sold to a juice maker. We next planted and trellised a row of table grapes with six or so types of seedless grapes such as Canadice, Lakemont, Steuben, seedless Concord, and other varieties. These have yielded consistent crops but only yielded many grapes due to predation by deer and other varmits, until we started to net the ripening grapes. About 10 years ago, we planted 20 rows of Reisling grapes, a German white vinifera variety, with harvests for several years until we needed to tear out the vines due to a rootgall infestation. This year we have four year old vines and a nice crop hanging, but have much cluster thinning and leaf pulling to do to assure the highest quality of picked fruit. Two years ago, we tore out the old Baco Noir grapes north of the graveyard and planted 475 or so Cabernet franc, now second year vines not yet trellised. Finally, in the small plot facing south from the graveyard, we planted 180 Saperavi vines this spring. This grape hails from the Caucasus mountains and is gaining popularity here in the Finger Lakes. They are doing well as first year vines. We still have one more vineyard to plant, most likely more Reisling. Lots of progress over the last 15 years!
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