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EC 1309 / Reprinted April 1993

75

GRAPE CULTIVARSFOR YOUR HOME GARDENB.C. STRIK

Bernadine C. Strik, Extension horticulture

specialist, Oregon State University.

There are essentially three types of grapesavailable in Oregon: American (Vitis labrusca), including

Concord and Niagara; European (V. vinifera), which are the

predominant commercial wine cultivars(varieties) in Oregon; and

French-American hybrids, which weredeveloped from crosses of European withAmerican species.

Many of the American cultivars, also calledlabrusca types, have a strong, characteristicfoxy ( musty) flavor and aroma. Therefore,these cultivars are mainly used for juice ratherthan wine. However, many people like the foxy

flavor and enjoy eating fresh fruit from thesecultivars. Labrusca types were developedmainly in the eastern United States and may behardy to 10F.

European grape cultivars differ fromAmerican cultivars in fruit characteristics, vinegrowth habit, and climate adaptation.European types, or vinifera, have tight clustersof grapes that are usually thin-skinned with awinelike flavor. Vinifera require at least 160,but preferably 200 or more, frost-free days tomature fruit. Plants are likely to be damagedbelow temperatures of 0F.

Vinifera cultivars require more heat unitsfor fruit maturation than labrusca types. Ingeneral, vinifera can be grown well in areaswith more than 1900 degree days or heat units.

(Calculate heat units by subtracting 50Ffrom the average of the daily high and lowtemperature. Add these values for the period of

April 1 to October 31. Dont use negativevalues).

However, dont grow some of thelate-maturing vinifera cultivars, such asCabernet Sauvignon, unless you live in a warmregion. Oregon is a cool climate area for winegrape production, as are many areas of Franceand Germany. Although grapes may beharvested as late as mid-October to achieve thedesired maturity, the warm days, yet coolnights, produce grapes of excellent quality.Oregon is becoming world-renowned for theproduction of excellent Pinot noir wines.

French-American hybrids have somecharacteristics of both American and Europeantypes, depending on parentage.

Theres currently no large commercialproduction of table grapes in Oregon. However,you can grow many table grape cultivarssuccessfully in the home garden.

Grapes are self-fertile, so you need to growonly one cultivar for fruit production. However,you may prefer growing several. You can selectvarious cultivars best suited for eating fresh, forjuice, or wine production.

Its important to choose a cultivar that willmature in your area. In addition, selecting agood planting site, proper training, andpruning are essential for the production ofquality fruit. Purchase plants from a reputablenursery or propagate from cuttings (see EC1305 for more information).

The following list is intended to serve as aguide when you choose grape cultivars; mosthave been tested in Oregon, but not all may beavailable at local nurseries. The descriptions

are brief, including some comments on fruitquality; note that performance varies greatlywith location and pruning method.

The cultivars are divided into table grapesand wine grapes. However, some are suitablefor more than one purpose. (The letters inparentheses after the cultivar name indicate:A,American type;E, European;H,French-American hybrid.)

TABLE GRAPESRedCaco (A). Mid- to late-season. Fruit

medium-sized, red. Fruit has a slipskin (the

pulp slides easily out of the skin). Berry skin istough. Clusters compact. Flavor ismedium-sweet and foxy. Fruit keeps well incold storage and is good for juice. Plants arehardy.

Canadice (A). Early season. Fruit medium,red, and seedless, borne on compact clusters.Slipskin is moderately tender. Fruit can bestored for relatively long periods and is good forraisins. Plants are hardy, resistant tophylloxera, and very productive.

Catawba (A). Late season (grow only onthe warmest sites). Fruit large, round,

coppery-red. Flavor is slightly foxy, aromatic,and winelike. Fruit can be used for home wineproduction. Plants are moderately hardy.

Delaware (A). Early to mid-season. Fruitsmall, round, red. Clusters small. Flavor isgood fresh, but fruit is also good for wine.Plants are susceptible to powdery mildew andrequire a well-drained soil.

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Einset seedless (E). Early. Fruit medium,oval-shaped, red, seedless. Fruit resists crackingand doesnt have a slipskin. Clusters loose, butwell-filled. Flavor is fruity with a mild labruscaand strawberry character. Fruit stores well.Plants are hardy with good productivity.

Flame seedless (E). Early. Fruit small tomedium, round, red, seedless. Clusters mediumand loose. Flesh is firm and crisp. Excellentflavor for dessert grape. Susceptible to powderymildew. Plants are very productive when

cane-pruned.Moored (A). Early. Fruit medium, red.

Clusters medium and compact. Flesh has foxyflavor of typical labrusca. Acceptable for freshconsumption. Plants are hardy.

Suffolkred (A). Early to midseason (ripensa few weeks before Concord). Fruit medium,red, seedless. Clusters loose. Good to excellentfor fresh consumption. Plants are moderatelyhardy.

Utah Giant (E). Midseason. Fruit large,round, blotchy red. Clusters large and loose.Flesh is firm and crisp. The fruit is like that of

Tokay and is suitable only for dessert. Plantsare very susceptible to powdery mildew.

Vanessa seedless (A). Early to midseason(10 14 days before Concord). Fruit medium,oval, red, seedless. Clusters compact. Flesh iscrisp with a good flavor (not labrusca type).Plants are moderately hardy (hardier thanInterlaken, Lakemont, and Himrod).

White/yellowAurore (H). Early. Fruit medium, golden.

Clusters long and loose. Flesh soft and juicywith sweet, slightly foxy flavor. Fruit makes alight, delicate wine, but of foxy flavor. Good fordessert. Vines vigorous and productive ifcane-pruned. Hardy.

Fiesta (E). Midseason. Fruit small tomedium, white, firm, seedless. Clusters looseand large. Fruit is good for raisins as skin istender and flavor is good. Plants should becane-pruned for maximum yield.

Golden Muscat (H). Mid- to late-season.Fruit medium to large, yellow-green. Flavor isof the characteristic muscat type. Slipskin isslightly tough. Flesh ju icy, soft, sweet,aromatic. Good dessert grape.

Himrod (H). Early. Fruit small,greenish-yellow, translucent, seedless. Non-slipskin is tender. Clusters long and loose. Fruitis excellent fresh and for raisins. Plants aremoderately hardy and productive.

Interlaken (H). Early. Fruit small,

greenish-white, seedless, non-slipskin. Smaller,more compact cluster than Himrod. Excellentflavor with a hint of foxiness and good qualityfor fresh and raisins. Plants are vigorous withmoderate productivity. Vines should becane-pruned for maximum productivity.

Lakemont (H). Late-season. Fruit small tomedium, seedless, yellow-green. Non-slipskin,tender fruit borne on compact clusters. Fruit is

juicy, sweet, moderately acidic, which masksthe sweetness. Plants are less hardy thanHimrod, but more hardy than Interlaken.Productivity is good.

Niagara (A).Late-season (few days beforeConcord). Fruit large, green-white. Clusters arelarge and compact. Flavor is sweet with thefoxy characteristic of the labrusca type. Fruitcan be eaten fresh or used for juice and wine.Plants are hardy and moderately productive.

Perlette (E). Midseason. Fruit medium,white to yellowish, translucent, seedless.Clusters are large and very compact. Skin isthin and tender. Flesh crisp and juicy. Flavormild, but distinctive. Vines are vigorous and

What if you find a cultivar(variety) thats no t on this list?

Find out some of the plant growth andfruit characteristics:

What color is the fruit? Is the fruit best suited for fresh

consumption, juice, or wine? When does the fruit mature (if its

late-maturing, it may not matureproperly in your area)?

Is it a European, American, orFrench-American hybrid (Europeanand hybrids should usually becane-pruned)?

Remember: If you purchase a cultivarthats not on this list, it has probably notbeen extensively tested in Oregon. Itsbest to try a plant in your garden first, tosee if it grows well, if the fruit matures,and if you like it.

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should be spur-pruned on cordons. Thinningof berries within each cluster is recommended.Fruit attracts yellowjackets. Plants aresusceptible to powdery mildew.

Remaily seedless (H). Mid- to late-season.Fruit medium, oval, light green, seedless.

Clusters are large. Non-slipskin, slightly toughberry thats resistant to cracking. Fruit has agood flavor with good storage potential. Plantsare very vigorous and must be cluster-thinned.Resistant toBotrytis cinerea.

Seneca (H). Early. Fruit medium,yellow-green, becoming translucent golden.Clusters are loose. Skin is thin and tender. Fruitis aromatic with a sweet, spicy flavor. Excellentfor fresh. Plants are susceptible to powderymildew. Vines are vigorous, productive, hardy,and require cane-pruning.

Blue/blackAlden (A). Late. Fruit large, oval,

reddish-black, non-slipskin. Clusters large andloose. Flesh juicy, meaty, tender, pleasingaroma. Quality fair. Vines are vigorous,productive (tends to overbear) , and moderatelyhardy. Bunch thinning required to improvefruit quality.

Bath (A).Midseason. Fruit medium, black.Clusters medium, compact. Flesh tender, juicy,sweet, very little foxy flavor. Quality is fair.

Vines are vigorous, very productive (tends tooverbear), and fairly hardy.

Bluestar (A). Mid-season. Fruit medium,blue. Clusters medium large and tight. Flavormildly foxy, pleasant. Good for freshconsumption. Vine tends to overproduce unlessproperly pruned.

Buffalo(A). Mid-season. Fruit medium tolarge, reddish-black, heavily bloomed. Clustersmedium to large and well-filled. Slipskin,tough and thick. Flesh is greenish, translucent,

medium juicy, tender, sweet, not aromatic, tartwith pleasing flavor. Quality good. Seed size ismedium. Vines are vigorous, productive, andhardy.

Campbell Early (A). Early. Fruit large,blue-purple. Large clusters. Fruit similar inflavor to Concord. Moderately vigorous, hardy,highly productive vine.

Concord (A). Late-season. Fruit medium tolarge, blue. Flavor is foxy and sweet when ripe.Excellent for juice, good for wine and fresh.Plants are vigorous and hardy. Fruit seldommatures adequately in western Oregon.

Elizabeth (A).Early. Fruits medium, blue.Flavor is foxy (labrusca type). Good grape forjuice or fresh. An excellent Concord-type grape.

Fredonia (A). Early. Fruit large, black.Clusters are medium and compact. Skin isthick and tough. Fruit has a Concord-likeflavor. Quality is good. Plants are vigorous,hardy, and fairly productive.

Glenora (A). Midseason. Fruit medium,blue-black, seedless. Clusters large, moderatelycompact. Non-slip, tender skin. Flavor delicate.Fruit does not store well, but is excellent freshand for raisins. Vines are vigorous, moderatelywinter-hardy, and phylloxera-resistant.

McCampbell (A). Early. Bud sport ofFredonia and is thus very similar, exceptclusters are 3 to 4 times larger.

New York Muscat (A). Early to midseason.Fruit medium, reddish-black with heavy bloom(dusty covering on grapes). Clusters short andwell-filled. Muscat flavor, spicy. Vines aremoderately vigorous and productive.Moderately hardy.

Schuyler (H). Early. Fruit medium, blue,soft fruit. Clusters are medium, long, andwell-filled. Skin is tough and astringent. Flavoris sweet, bland, and juicy. Vines are moderatelyhardy, vigorous, and very productive.

Van Buren (A). Early. Fruit medium,black, slipskin. Clusters are medium andwell-filled. Flesh is juicy, sweet and foxy.Quality of unfermented juice is similar toConcord. Fruit has poor keeping quality. Goodfor dessert and juice. Plants are fairly vigorous,

hardy, and moderately productive.Venus (A). Early. Fruit medium, blue-black,

seedless. Flavor varies from a hint of muscat toslightly foxy. Vines are vigorous, hardy, andvery productive. May require bunch thinning toimprove fruit quality.

WINE GRAPESThe main wine grape cultivars grown in

Oregon are: Pinot noir, Chardonnay, WhiteRiesling, Gewurztraminer, CabernetSauvignon, Muller-Thurgau , and Sauvignon

blanc. Harvest typically begins in lateSeptember to early October and ends near theend of October or when fall rains arrive.

You can grow many of these cultivars wellin your home garden, provided you properlyprune, train, and otherwise care for them.Late-maturing cultivars such as CabernetSauvignon should only be grown on properlyselected, warm sites. Most cultivars aresusceptible to powdery mildew.

Chardonnay. White. Clusters are small tomedium and well-filled. Berries are small,

usually with one seed. Flesh is soft and juicy.Skin is tough and translucent. Ripe fruit issusceptible to spoilage by mold or rot once fallrains begin. Cane-pruning is recommended.One of the earliest cultivars to begin growth inspring, so its susceptible to frost damage oncool sites. Well-drained soils best.

Avoid high nitrogen fertilization itpromotes poor fruit set, fruit rot, and delaysmaturity. Fruit makes a table wine of highquality with a distinctive flavor.

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Cabernet Sauvignon. Red. Clusters aremedium, long, and usually loose. Berries aresmall, black, with a whitish bloom. Ripens late(around the last week of October). Plants arevigorous with low to moderate productivity.Relatively low incidence of fruit rot.

Gewurztraminer. Reddish-brown. Clustersare small to medium and compact. Berries aresmall with firm pulp and rather thick, toughskins. Flavor is characteristically spicy. One ofearliest cultivars to mature. Time of harvest is

very important: It lacks varietal character ifpicked too early, and it lacks acid if picked toolate. Cane-pruning is recommended.

Prefers deep, fertile soils. Excess nitrogenfertilization causes poor set and delaysmaturity. Early growth in spring increasessusceptibility to frost damage. Produces adistinctive white varietal table wine with aspicy, aromatic, muscatlike aroma. The winematures rapidly and does not retain quality forlong.

Marechal Foch (Foch).Red. French-American hybrid. Clusters are small and rather

loose. Berries are small, blue-black. Fruitripens early (4 weeks before Concord). Wine isof good quality, but with a slight herbaceoustaste. Plants are very vigorous with low tomoderate productivity.

Muller-Thurgau. White. Clusters are smallto medium and compact. Berries are small.Ripens early. Vines produce heavily. Wine has adistinctive character and a fine balance ofacidity, flavor, and aroma. Wine is not as goodas Riesling, but this cultivar can be grown inareas where Riesling doesnt often mature.Vines grow best on fertile soils that are not dryor calcareous. Vigor is low to moderate.

Pinot gris. White. Clusters are medium andcompact. Berries are gray-blue, small to

medium in size. Ripens early and produces awhite wine with a distinctive, complex flavor.Grows on most types of well-drained soils andhas drought tolerance.

Pinot noir. Red. Clusters are small andcompact. Berries are small, blue-black, withlarge, numerous seeds. Fruit ripens early(around October 1) and, if picked at the propermaturity, produces a wine with excellentaroma, flavor, and a soft finish. Bunches rotquickly if damaged by birds or insects. Vinevigor is moderate; yields are low to moderate.Plants grow best in well-drained, deeper soils.

Sauvignon blanc. White. Clusters aresmall to medium and compact. Berries aremedium to large. Ripens mid- to late-season.Must be fully ripe to achieve a true varietalcharacter in the wine. Early growth in springmay increase susceptibility to frost damage.

Mature fruit are quite susceptible to bunch rot.Deep fertile soils tend to produce excessivegrowth and poor crops. Plants grow best insandy loams.

White Riesling. White. Clusters small.Berries small to medium, greenish-yellow, withbrown speckles. Skin is fairly thick andmoderately tough. Flavor is somewhataromatic. Ripens late, but often produces agood quality wine when picked at less thanoptimum maturity. Vines are moderately

vigorous. Bunches are susceptible to Botrytisbunch rot.

FOR FURTHER READINGThe publication listed below, and the one

youre holding, are available from PublicationsOrders, Agricultural Communications, OregonState University, Administrative Services A422,Corvallis, OR 97331-2119.

EC 1305, Growing Grapes in Your HomeGarden, by Bernadine C. Strik, Oregon State

University Extension Service publication(Corvallis, reprinted April 1993). $1.50

This publication replaces FS 101. Trade-name cultivars are listed as illustrations only. The OSU Extension Service does

not endorse any listed cultivar or intend any discrimination against others not listed.

Extension Service, Oregon State University, Corvallis, O.E. Smith, director. This publication was produced and

distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension work is a cooperative program

of Oregon State University, the US. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties.

Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials without regard to

race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX

of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Oregon State University

Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer.