Moore's Diamond

I picked this one today.  It had suddenly started to have many more bad grapes, and the honey bees and especially bumble bees were all over it.  I still got a surprisingly good harvest from it, getting a solid 8 quarts.  I'll make two gallons of wine and have 3 qts. of juice.  It's amazing how quickly the grapes can change from day to day.  This variety is always a bit earlier than the Niagara, though they are so similar.  I was planning to do the Niagara on Thursday but I might wait.  I'm slowly learning I have to let the grapes let me know when to pick, not the calendar.

Very Cool, Then Very Hot August

I picked the Reliance seedless, a few aurore, and the frontenac gris I let grow this year.  I blended them with a few of the white Concords, which have never done well before but have a great, fruity taste this year and have been very free of disease.  So I made a gallon from that and had enough to make another gallon, plus a quart of juice, from the white Concords.  It will be interesting to see how the flavor  compares with the Niagaras, which I plan to pick this Thursday, the 29th.  I got readings with the refractometer anywhere from 15 to 18.  I'd let them go a bit longer if I had the time and if the birds would stay off them, but the birds are starting to work on them.  There were honey bees on the damaged grapes, the first time I've seen this.  It has to be due to the extreme dryness we've had.  I'll harvest the grapes, steam them and save the juice until I can turn it into wine.
So far, I have one gallon of blueberry, a gallon of white blended, which may have a bit of a rose color when finished, and a gallon of concord white.  Another two to three gallons of Niagara would be great.
As for reds, the frontenac and St. Croix are about ready and I may be able to do something with them early next week.  Nortons are pretty much a wash this year.  I may or may not do some De Chaunac. I haven't ever been very happy with the wine from that grape unfortunately.