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"Irish Party Ale":3c6og8cn wrote: I know Brian (the fella that runs the Homebrew Centre in Limerick) does his own wine - I dropped into him a few years ago and picked up a bottle. Anyway, he has some recipe's here[/url:3c6og8cn] if you want to check them out[/quote:3c6og8cn]

Yeah, I have been into Brian a few times. Long before I started making beer I was a wine hound....I believe this is a link to his wine store [url:3c6og8cn]http://wineoftheglen.ie/[/url:3c6og8cn]

the country wines are good

I thought Ireland doesn't get enough sunlight to allow the grapes to produce enough sugar?

Irish Wine? What next, Chinese Coddle?

The grapes are possibly grown in a greenhouse. I picked up about 6 kg from a fella in Cobh over the weekend, but only got about 3 litres once pressed. the OG was 1070. The vine has been there approx 20 years I think. I doubt very much that they would grow outside in our lovely climate.

I know we gripe about the weather, but we actually have a very mild climate here. It never gets very cold and we get plenty of rain. I know we don't get a huge amount of sunshine, but that doesn't mean we can't grow grapes and make wine.

I have heard of vineyards in Munster (as well as in the UK where the climate is similar) and while shelter, like walls or fencing helps, I don't think they actually need to be in a greenhouse.

"sbillings":3ii7rlpv wrote: I know we gripe about the weather, but we actually have a very mild climate here. It never gets very cold and we get plenty of rain. I know we don't get a huge amount of sunshine, but that doesn't mean we can't grow grapes and make wine.

I have heard of vineyards in Munster (as well as in the UK where the climate is similar) and while shelter, like walls or fencing helps, I don't think they actually need to be in a greenhouse.[/quote:3ii7rlpv]
Sure you can grow grapes but the wine made from them would be like vinegar.

Plus our wet climate would not be good for the vines either.

A few years back I visited a vineyard in Trier Germany, which is on the Mosel River, a very well known wine region in Germany, famous for it's Riesling. The guy that gave us the tour was telling us that the region doesn't get enough sunlight for the grapes to produce enough sugar, can't remember the amount of hours required, but that's the reason why they don't produce that many German Red Wines, and having tasted German Red Wine, thank God they don't!