Grapes and vines
Raise a glass as we toast the vine and the wine
GRAPES will grow anywhere in the UK – if they’re in a greenhouse. However, for success with vines outdoors you’ll really need to live south of the Midlands. And you’ll need to wait: a vine’s peak of production will be after 20-25 years.
In addition, regular training is needed to achieve decent bunches and, sadly, whichever system of pruning you choose, it is intricate! As you can see, therefore, grapes are for the enthusiast, rather than the casual gardener. But there are many interesting facts and stories relating to grapevines.
All grapes come from the vitis genus, and they are available in many colours, including green, red, purple, black, yellow and pale pink. ‘White’ wine generally comes from green grapes.