Page 58 - Grapevine May-June 2019

Around The Vineyard

the U.S. and in the Midwest. and Minnesota have created hundreds if not thou-
sands of new varieties. In 2006, Minnesota intro-
Vidal blanc: Is considered one of the best of the duced two cold-hardy grapes, Marquette and La
white French-American hybrids. The wine pro- Crescent. Marquette, a red grape, is said to have
duced from Vidal blanc is fruity, with grapefruit and the characteristics of Vitis vinifera grapes, while La
pineapple notes. The wines produced can be quite Crescent has been touted as the perfect choice for
versatile, ranging from off-dry German style wines Riesling lovers. More recently, Minnesota released
to dry, barrel-fermented table wines. Due to its the Itasca hybrid, which has drawn comparisons to
high acidity and fruitiness, it is particularly suited to Sauvignon Blanc.
sweeter, dessert wines. It is especially popular as
an ice wine in Canada. You can also find Vidal Blanc While French-American hybrids may not have
the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. reached the international status of Vitis vinifera
wines, the future is wide open for these varietals.
Vignoles: Produces excellent wines of many dif- Researchers are continuing to develop grapes that
ferent styles, depending on the region where the produce desirable qualities, and growers are exper-
grapes are grown. Most commonly, however, imenting in site selection, growing techniques and
Vignoles is produced as an off-dry wine or as a des- winemaking. Hybrids are getting a second look, too,
sert wine, especially when picked late in the sea- as an option to offset climate change. Researchers
son. The fruit can have a high sugar content while at the University of California Davis are trying to A non-grafted vine displaying Syrah decline, surronded by apparently healthy vines.
retaining high acidity. Vignoles is one of the main- create heat resistant grapes that produce quality
stays of the Eastern North American wine industry. wines. In France, the INAO has approved a third
It is also prevalent in the Midwest and been called category of grape varieties “for climate and envi-
“Missouri’s favorite white wine.” ronmental adaption” that allow regions to conduct
their research on heat-resistant grape varietals.
This list is by no means comprehensive. Cornell
Wines made from hybrid grapes
continue to improve by leaps and
bounds. Whether used to offset
global warming, promote sustain-
ability, due to changes in consum-
er tastes or the “localvore” move-
ment, the time is right for these
former “mutts” of the wine world.
Who knows, one day a hybrid
may take its rightful place in wine
shops as “America’s grape,” and
become a rising star in the inter-
national wine scene. Stay tuned!

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