GRAPES FOR FLORIDA: Here are 20 photos from our recent trip out to Henscratch Farms Winery in Sebring. The farm store is fully loaded with local wines (their own), jams, salsas, etc. Although I tend to search out organic farms, I do love local foods as a backup. They have many labeled rows of muscadine varieties that you can see growing in the vineyard when you stroll the property. We saw fruiting Jumbo, Triumph, Fry, and other varieties there. Their Country Blueberry wine was my favorite, but I am a primitive I suppose, as I would much rather drink fresh blueberry juice! Plus, I dont like sulphites added to any wine, and they add a limited amount, what they call a minimum. Still, a nice country outing, and it was nice to see very healthy hens free-ranging / scratching all across the acreage. Nearby Grapes of Kath give occasional wine-making workshops that avoid the addition of sulphites! Grapes of Kath also sell potted grape plants ($8 each 4 pot the last time that I was there). Grapes of Kath also sell some bunch grapes for Florida including Conquistador (my favorite tasting variety, but the individual fruits ripen at different times so you dont clip an entire bunch off the vine) and Lake Emerald (my overall favoirite, vigorous, delicious dessert grape for Florida - if I had to pick one). Also, Grapes of Kath sell Greek Purple, a variety that only she has, I believe, that is an outstanding pop-in-your-mouth dessert grape. Hey Paul Zmoda, being such a Florida grape expert, what are your favorite varieties that you can recommend for us?
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 19:07:26 +0000