Altai territory to launch industrial winemaking from French grapes.

BARNAUL, October 3 (Itar-Tass) -- The Altai Territory intends to
launch the second harvesting campaign from the vineyards, which were
brought to the Russian territory from the French province Franche-Comte.
The first grape harvest of just about several kilograms of grape was
collected in the previous year. However, winemaking specialists pledged
that the third grape harvest will be already quite suitable for the first
industrial batch of Altai wine.
Some 17,000 French grape bushes grow on the Altai foothills. These
grapes were selected by the grape breeders from Franche-Comte. "In the
previous harvesting season we have picked up most grapes in late
September, but the grapes, which we thrashed in October, contained more
sugar and had a better taste. Therefore, we are going to harvest from
October 10 to 20 this year," the general director of the Altaispirtprom
Corporation Vladimir Vagner said.
Altai is planning to produce up to 500,000 bottles of red and white
wines in a few years. The Russian territory also hopes to launch the
production of grape jams and juices.
While the grape is growing, the region is training actively
winemakers. Altai students are taking training courses at special
winemaking educational institutions in Franche-Comte.