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Narr: Robert Herald runs a 1-acre vineyard in central Connecticut, but last weekend he was in Brooklyn teaching city-dwellers how to grow grapes. He says the climbing vines aren't nearly the space-hogs most people think they are, making grapevines the vine of choice for an urban jungle.
Herald: The climate here in Brooklyn is quite conducive for wines...in Manhattan of course you have a lot of buildings and pavement and what have you so the temperature is actually warmer, and it will be actually be better to grow grapes there, provided you have space for the pots.
Narr: Herald admits that a studio apartment does not a vineyard make, but he says if you want to grow grapes in New York City, take a cue from the tourists and look ....up.
Herald: Rooftops are an ideal location
Narr: But can you really grow enough grapes for wine on your rooftop?
Herald: There are a lot of people who grow grapes in pots. A five gallon pot will easily support a vine, and after a number of years you'll get berries off of it. You will need 12 vines - roughly 12 vines to make 5 gallons, but if you have space for 12 buckets you could make 5 gallons of wine a year.
Narr: In other words, anyone with a rooftop is a potential vintner....
Herald: Absolutely. You got it. (laughs)
Narr: This past weekend Herald taught the first of a two part series on grape growing and wine making at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens - Here he is instructing the class on how to plant the vine cutting and get it to root.
Herald Teaching: What we are going to do is stick it into the soil and try to get two buds into the soil - I am going to put my finger about there and just keep pushing it down (noise of vine pushing into soil). Voila it's done. (Fade down under narr again.)
Narr: Every student gets to take a cutting or two home from Heralds own vines. And with any luck in a few months they'll each have the beginnings of their own personal vineyards (teaching fades up)
Teaching: Now take that home and put it in the dark.....,
Narr: And while growing grapes may have a reputation for being tricky, Herald insists that with a little know-how anybody can learn. For inspiration he opens a couple bottles from his own vineyard for the students to sample
Cork popping, wine pouring into glass
Student1: Mmmm. That's good
Student 2: oh yeah that is good!
Herald: A well made homemade wine will most likely be superior to an average low-cost wine that you can buy in the store. You could do so many things - make em sweet make em dry make it full bodied less bodied, whatever you want.
Narr: Harold says putting your own personal touch on the final product is a big part of the allure, and having our own private label, how cool is that?
Herald: The whole concept of having your own vineyard, whether it's one vine or a thousand vines, being able to produce grapes that you can make wine out of and put your name on that label and tell your friends and neighbors that I created this and its drinkable. Just seeing the fruits of your labor is so satisfying it's just a great, great hobby.
Narr: Robert Herald regularly teaches a class on winemaking and grape growing at Naugatuck Valley community college. The second of his classes on wine making will be held at the Brooklyn botanical gardens this summer. Gretchen Cuda Columbia Radio News.