Herb'n Hippie: 2013

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Monthly Snippet Info: Herbs N Wine - Mustang Grapes & The French

T.V. Munson Memorial Vineyard Link

Free Online Version of Foundations Of American Grape Culture Click Here

Next.......How to Make Wine

Namaste
Indu

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Monthly Snippet Info: Herbs N Wine - What Grapes to Grow in Texas

Have you ever wanted to grow grapes? I know, I have, and its quite interesting on how many there really are. There's over 10,000 varieties of wine grapes. Now days a lot of the varieties have been grafted to create new hybrids. Some to keep them bug and fungus protected. Then there's the real creative wineries that play the Mother Nature Game to introduce a new flavor of grape and fine tune the perfect bottle of wine.

But, first I want to begin the growing journey to how the grapes got here in Texas. We know by Patrick McGovern and by his book Wine and its Origins narrows the influence of wine making down to the Chinese. Well, who brought it to Texas? Missionaries? Yup! In the 17th Century Missionaries brought grape roots to transplant in the new land. They landed around El Paso, Texas. Infact the Oldest Winery and is still in operations is Val Verde Winery in Del Rio. If you would like to know more about the Winery Click Here! For information on visiting the winery Click Here! By the late 1800's the Europienes had vinyards almost through out West and Central Texas. Then around 1880 something almost killed out the vineyards through out Europe and in the states called Pierse's Disease. There is a long story between France and T.V. Munson from Denison, Texas regarding the Pierse's Disease and I will explain more in Part 3. So, lets take a turn toward growing them.

The house I grew up in had grapevines on the side of the house. I have to confess, these grapevines got a few nasty words over the years, because I had to sweep up the leaves and grapes that would fall to the patio. If I would have known then what I know now, I would have respected it a bit more. My father planted about 4 different kinds to see which one would grow and it wasn't till a few years ago that I found out what kind they were. Yes, they were wine grapes, Blanc du bois, Lenoir, Temprinillo and a Texas Native Mustang Grape. Over time the Mustang Grape took over though. So, I can't say why since I was young and rather hang out with my friends, but can say I watched them grow with little care. I am not saying they are easy to grow, but depending on what kind, location and environment. and sometimes that can make it complex. All I know is that my father made it look easy. My father wasn't a drinker so, he gave his vines a job to just shade the house and that's about it. He watered them occasionally, but I really think Mother Nature took care of them. I can't tell you how crazy they would grow and all the grapes I would have to keep cleaning up....

If you are wanting to get a bit more serious about grape growing Texas A&M has a wonderful site called the Texas Winegrape Network that has all kinds of connections to wineries as well as Extension Agents to help guide you. In fact, here's an actual link to their section of Q&A's on growing grapes Click Here I have another great find and its the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association. Click Here The Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association has a gathering every year called the Grape Camp, which is a gathering of Viticulture Extension Specialists, Wineries, Biologist..etc. gather and discuss and exchange all kinds of goodies that are happening within the grape growing industry.

My personal favorite is the Texas Winegrape Network since I am just an Urban Gardener. The best time to plant grapevines is in the Fall. Please maker sure your starter root is "Certified" which keeps the diseases down. I have heard through the "grapevine" no pun in tended, that you can grow some varieties of grapes in containers. So, I may try it out on the Herb'n Hippie Patio/Farm next year.

Next is.....Mustang Grapes & The French!

Namaste
Indu

Special Note: Nothing said, done, typed or written is intended to diagnose, prescribe, cure or treat any illness and is not a substitute for a license physician. I provide educational information designed to help you and your personal journey to good health

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Sunday, July 21, 2013

Monthly Snippet Info: Herbs N Wine - The History of Herbs & Wine

Part One

The History of Herbs & Wine

Well, we made it past the ending of the Mayan’s Calendar (Do you remember all that?).   So, lets celebrate with some wisdom from our ancients and their magic with herbs and wine! I am not sure how far back herbs in wine go, but Patrick McGovern at the University of Pennsylvania is someone who might .   Patrick’s Website or here Wine and its Origins Its quite a history at that. The Ethiopians, Egyptians, Romains, Greeks, Medieval Witches, Mayans Shamans, the Chinese, the Japanese and more have some sort of formula or use with herbs and wine in the same bottle. Some would use herbs to enhance the flavor of the wine, while others would use it for medicine. Patrick's beliefs are, the origins of wine is from China.   I would have guess Egypt. Then there’s our modern wine makers and their secret family formulas selling to the masses and we just know them as brands of wine in our grocery store. I am not sure if we take for granted of the wine recipes from the past, but I do know from living over in Europe the wines from the older wineries taste cleaner and you can pick out the essences right away.

Have you ever heard of a Sommelier?   A Sommelier has a fascinating career in getting very intimate with wines and their essences, through the human sense. The senses are used to combine wine with food. If you would like to know more about Sommelier or even find one. This Texas group might help ya! TEXSOM

What is interesting now for me is, in Herbalism there’s something called “Herb Energetics” which also uses human senses. They use their senses to capture essences of the herbs. This would be one of the processes of traditional medicine making and whatever base they choose (water, oil, vinegar, wine, bourbon, whiskey, gin, etc. ) for the final steps of create formulas/herbal medicine blends to give to their clients. The Herbalist in modern times blend most formulas to have a decent taste. Something the client will even drink, smell or use.   But, since I am talking about Herbs N Wine....The question I have is, I wonder if that is also how the ancients came up with their wine recipes/formulas?

If you would like to know more abut the history of Herb Energetics go here Jeremy Ross   Two really groovy teachers that can help you with Herb Energetics with Kiva Rose and in Austin, Texas there is Nichole Telkes at Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine . My personal favorite is Rosalee de la Forêt! Here is a wonderful color wheel she has designed for Herbalist below and the link to get it!

CLICK PHOTO TO COLOR WHEEL LINK

Click Here To View Patrick's Book

So...Lets start with wine. Now that we know the history of wine is quite long, lets speed up the time clock and come to modern times. Lets check our group of wine makers around the world. Do they actually make wine like the ancients or don’t they? Wait!?!?...An Herbalist uses the whole plant! So, that means we would pay attention to everything that goes into wine in order to formulate herbs with it, doesn’t it? How they grow the grapes? Do they use Organic everything? What is their process of making the wine? Well...sometimes, but not all the time? The Archeologists have said they have found medicinal herbs in ancient wine containers. Why the herbs were in the containers is a mystery that could unfold a whole bunch of answers unless we have the person come back from the dead and flat out tell us. So, it’s a theory for me, the scholars don’t have me totally convinced they know for sure tiz all. Here is a sample list below of some of our oldest wine farms.

The oldest known winery:

Some of the oldest working wineries (Samples Only)

Wine Estate Schloss Vollrads
Barone Ricasoli
Wente Family Estates
Warwick Estate
Tignanello
Codorniu
Chartreuse
Bienvenue au Domaine de Ladoucette

The Next Generation (Samples Only)

Texas Wines
California Wines
Oregan Wines
Washington State Wines
Virgina Wines

Will we know if any of the wineries of today follow the ancients ways of wine making? Well...considering the process is a family secret or if you have a chemist give you a chemical break down on each bottle of wine that is consumed. It might be a tad complex.

Next is...What Grapes to Grow in Texas

Namaste
Indu

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