Viticulture in 2019

Two years ago, We’ve started growing eleven grapevine seedlings in a office room because I could not make up any greenhouse nor fields. Four varietals and two rootstocks were poted at the window of fourth floor of the building.

In a situation of seedlings shortage because of excess demand from start up wineries, it takes more than a couple years to get grapevines that you need like a thousands of Pinot Noir. Now it is hard to get a hundreds and thausands of vines at once for next year. However a small amount like a ten, twelve vines each might be availble to get. Increasing propagation demands and improvement of Japanese wine quality, we desided to start (challenge) grapevine nursery. The purpose and mission of establishment is to produce fine grapevine graftings and own rooted hybrids for cold climate region of Japan (For Hokkaido).

Already some rootstocks and varietals for red and white wine were planted  on the ground in 2018. Finally I set up experimental farm in a suburb of Sapporo.

Rootstocks: 5c, 5BB, 101-14, 3309, St. George, 161-49, 420A, SO4, 110R, 99R

Red Vinifera Grapes:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Dornfelder, Pinot Noir, Zweigeltrebe

White Vinifera Grapes:
Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier.

Planting for 2019, following cultivars are now shipped to our nursery farm from domestic other nuresries(retailer).

Cabernet Franc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and additional Pino Blanc.

For 2020, five Austrian German winegrapes will be planted. Blauer Lemberger, Dunkelfelder, Frühburgunder, Regent, Portugieser, Trollinger.

Some of these will be killed by the harsh winter cold  and I hope most of them survived. Still I’m looking for winter cold hardy cultivars with no foxy taste which is hyblidized in the United States and Canada. Happy or not, Global warming allow us to raise vinifera grapes for last two dacades.  I live in cold humid climate area of Japan which is similar to Northeathtern and Milddle west of US. So my interest is how they adoupt these regions climate charactoristics and how we find appropriate grapevines.