MYstery Grape

[BobR]

Anyone have any idea on what type of grape this might be? They were labeled Niagara and they were planted in the Niagara rows. Last year, I noticed that two of the plants did not look like the rest of the Niagara plants. These plants had reddish vines with light green, waxy looking leaves. At first I thought that maybe they had mutated back to a wild grape variety, so this year, instead of removing the grapes, I just let them produce to see what they would look like. When they failed to look like a wild grape, I thought that maybe they were just another white grape that got mismarked at the nursery, but now, they are beginning to turn purple. Whatever they are, they have survived two central Illinois winters, with last winter being one of the worst in 20 years, so they seen to be cold hardy.

 

[Vgrilli01]

I don't know, but they're pretty! Maybe you can tell by leaf shape? Those leaves look somewhat distinctive!

 

[BobR]

Yeah and that reddish vine.

 

[GreginND]

Are they a little light in color? Not really dark purple? It almost looks like Frontenac Gris to me. But maybe the grapes will get darker.


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[BobR]

Thanks Greg, we'll wait another week and see what they look like. As green as they are, they do not have a bitter taste like and under ripe Concord. Your place is really beginning to take shape, looking good.

 

[grapeman]

I don't know where my post went from yesterday, but I said they look like Frontenac Gris to me. The leaves, clusters and shoots all lead me to think that is what they are.

 

[BobR]

Thanks Rich & Greg. We'll see what happens.

 

[BobR]

Sent several photos and a description up to the University of Minnesota and the guy there seemed to think that it was Frontenac gris. Sent an email to the nursery a couple of weeks ago now and asked if they remember a mix up in plants from a couple of years back, but they never answered. Unless they really messed things up back then, I doubt if they would remember.