growing grapes in Yorkshire

[Tigerella]

Hi

This post is meant to be about grapes, not global warming.

A quote from David Bellamy "The Romans grew grapes in York"

My question is could grapes be grown in York now?

Are there hardier varieties, I would think that the Romans would have been able to give the vines some shelter, but not glass.
How warm do grapes need to be?
Do they need to be able to survive over winter?

Look forward to your comments..T

[Snadger]

Last question first......yes they would be able to survive over winter with a bit of straw wrapped around them for insulation, probably by the slaves!

These guys were very ingenious and a nation that could build underfloor central heating and walls from one end of the country to another shouldn't have had any bother in achieving near miracles in horticulture. A high south facing brick wall could have acted like a heat sink and allowed the warmth to permeate back to the vines through the night and cripes only knows what else they could have used. A rubbed pigskin is nearly translucent so hides could have been used instead of glass to make a polytunnel asuming they had no glass!

Where there's a will, there's a way, and Im sure they could have done it!

[hectors]

Hi Tigerella...

I'm not a grape expert, but as far as I know, temps are not the only important factor in grape growth. UV radiation is very important too, and I think Yorkshire is at about 50º latitude... as we move away from the equator line, we have less and less UV radiation. Anyways, grapes are know to develop well up to 50º both north and south, so you should not have a real problem there...

I'm from Argentina, and most of the grapes here are grown at 20-30 latitudes, but there are some really good wineries growing at about exactly the same latitude that I think Yorkshire is... between 40-50.

Aside from this (and a rocky soil), temperature should not be a big deal anyways... you should take a chance with Vitis Labrusca or Vitis Rotundifolia. Both are native to north american soil and develop well in weather "colder than normal for a grape". I have a friend in England, who happily grows Vitis Labrusca with no problems at all...

Hope this encourages you!!! Just keep researching, you should definately be able to grow some superb grapes!


EDIT: I started googling a little out of curiosity, and found that there is at least one comercial wineyard in Yorkshire. Keep in mind that grapes intended for winemaking need a lot more sun and temp than those intended for eating (they need to produce more sugars)... so if they're making wine from grapes grown there, you SURE have the needed conditions for perfect grapes

[Flummery]

Also remember that the Romans' wine wasn't like ours. They would happily sweeten it, add honey and herbs, water it. Adulterate it in other words. So if they had the occasional off year they'd still sup the stuff! I reckon it's worth a go.

[bluemoon]

As I understand it the climate was such that up until the early fourteenth century there were vineyards throughout England, usually attached to monasteries etc. At this point the climate took something of a turn for the worse and we entered a very cold era, (ice-fairs on the Thames and the like) Conditions haven't been quite that cold for a while, so perhaps it's time for a revival of this most excellent idea. - And a Yorkshire vintage? Well it's going to be wonderful, isn't it.

[Seahorse]

There's a working vineyard at the old Bishop's Palace in the middle of Lincoln, which isn't a great deal further south than York. It's well sheltered and faces south.

Claire

[JanieB]

My MIL certainly grew grapes. She lived at Burythorpe just a few miles from York. Don't know if they were any good for wine though .

[Tigerella]

Hi

Thanks all, for that information, when I said the question was not about global warming, I just meant that I was asking about grapes.
I hadn’t thought about growing any, on my allotment; but you never know.
I think the Romans did have glass for bottles, but not for green houses.

Climate change has almost become my hobby; I just like to be well informed.

T

[Seahorse]

Thought this article was interesting.

Veni, Vidi, Viticulture...

Veni, vidi, viticulture - remains of Roman vineyards found in UK - Independent Online Edition > Science & Tech

[SueA]

I've got a grapevine growing over an arch in the garden Tigerella. I think it's 'Brandt' but I'm not sure, it's a black grape & fairly small & can be eaten (has large pips & smallish fruits though) or made into wine.It survives fine outside here near Manchester & has done for about 5 or 6 years I think it is now. It took about 2 or 3 years to produce fruit but now has lots of grapes which ripen in autumn around late October. I only ever eat a few , they taste nice but are too fiddly to eat many & usually let the birds eat the rest.

[oneflewover]

Just to the east of Leeds near Woodlesford is the Leventhorpe Vineyard, reputedly Britains most northern.