As a wine enthusiast I realize this a bit wacky, anyway.. Hydroponic wine. Image taking rocks and stones from Chateauneuf du Pape and taking a clone and growing these grapes hyrdoponically. Surely people can remember 02’ rains in Southern France that ruined the outcome of the wine for that year. With a strict and controlled environment possibly great CONSISTENT wine could be produced. I realize that it would be nearly impossible to copy the terroir of a region with the soils, winds, mountains temp. drops, Etc.. With a lot of controlled experiments just maybe a decent wine could be produced in a lab setting Hydroponically ...
-- vinny gildersleeve, Dec 10 2006

I don't see why not.
-- notmarkflynn, Dec 10 2006


To my knowlege grapes need a strong root stock to thrive. I don't know if this would be in the capabilities of hydroponics to produce a 30 year old stock.
-- Chefboyrbored, Dec 11 2006


If they need a strong root stock, why not just protect the crop better?
-- twitch, Dec 12 2006


twich, most do try to protect thier crop as best they can. I highly doubt there is a wine producer out there who dosent make an effort to protect his/her assets.
-- Chefboyrbored, Dec 12 2006


Wine derives its flavor profile from what it 'eats' from where it is planted. The greatest vineyards (and olive groves) are actually located in some of the worst soil types for normal food crops. Since the idea of hydro is soilless gardening – which has been around since the 1600s – your idea is more than half way home. The point is not to over grow the root structure as you provide all the nutrients it needs, so it doesn't see any reason to grow a big structure. Huge advances have been made in the feeding of nutrients in solution for hydro gardens. I would think that any biology lab would be able to analyze a particular fresh wine grape and its asociated vine (and finished wine) to figure out any additional nutrients that would be needed for the final product. Then just add it to the mix. Most of the plants used are annuals –vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. There doesn't seem to be a lot of success with woody perennials such as fruit trees and grape vines. Quote from a big hydro grower with a website: "The only problem is that I just have not seen any woody plants like grape, roses, shrubs and just about every other kind of tree except banana trees grown hydroponically and I suspect they are really just big plants." I think that is because of the seasonalness of the vine. Your hydroponic housing would need to mimic the spring, summer, fall, winter temperate weather cycles so that the vine could hibernate for a while to rejuvinate the growth system. At some point, the grapes need to ripen which is a sun-based deal in real life. So that would have to go on as well. There are lights that exist to do just that thing, I am sure. Then maybe it could actually work.
-- bobzaguy, Sep 06 2009



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