Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

labruscagrape - Re: [LabruscaGrape] Diamond

labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Ontario Fruit Explorers

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Thomas Olenio <tolenio@sentex.net>
  • To: labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [LabruscaGrape] Diamond
  • Date: Tue, 04 Feb 2003 21:39:26 -0500

Hi,

More than you want to know about those varieties.

I am researching as we go...

Excerpts from:
http://www.marylandwine.com/mgga/growing/glossary4.html#niagara

DIAMOND:
Also known as Moore's Diamond. American native vine and vinifera hybrid grape created in New York around 1870 by crossing the Iona (vinifera-labrusca) hybrid with Concord. Ripening in early to mid-October, it resembles the latter parent and has been widely grown in western New York state and used for creating sparkling blends and dry varietal wines. Susceptible to fruit-cracking under wet conditions. It is also popular as a tablegrape.

IONA:
Native American hybrid variety developed for use in New York State in 1855. Historically interesting as one of the parents, the other being Concord, of Diamond.  Mild labrusca "foxy" flavor allows use in sparkling wine blends.

CONCORD:
Historically important - (introduced to the Northeast USA around 1850) - very hardy native American hybrid grape producing the characteristic "foxy" flavored style of red wine associated with vitis labrusca vines. Ripens mid-late October. Like its popular offspring Niagara, (created by a Concord X Cassady crossing in 1868), it produces small vines and low crops unless grafted onto a good growth rootstock (eg. "3309") and planted in soils of optimum fertility.  Mainly grown in the Eastern and Mid-Western U.S. and Canada to produce sweet finished wines, grape-juice and desirable fruit-flavored dessert grapes.  Has susceptibility to skin cracking and postharvest shelling; also to Eutypa-dieback disease. A very similar grape called Fredonia is grown in the Erie region of New York state, ripening about two weeks earlier, and acts as an insurance crop against early frosts. Another version, named Sunbelt, has been developed to give more even fruit ripening in the hot conditions of the Southern and Gulf States of the U.S.A.

NIAGARA:
Root disease and cold resistant native American labruscana hybrid grape derived from Concord and Cassady American hybrids.  Introduced in the Northeast USA in 1882. Like its parent Concord counterpart this grape requires soil of optimum fertility and grafting to a good growth rootstock (eg. "3309") for best results. Used to create fruity white wines with strong "grapey" flavor, usually sweet finished, but also found in dry versions. Suitable also as a Table grape. Possibly one of the few native American hybrids that will remain popular in the U.S. because of a wide consumer base created after World War II. Plantings are mainly found in the Eastern and Mid-West regions of the U.S. where it ripens about 1 week earlier than Concord. At its best when blended with a neutral wine.

dabrowski wrote:

I don't know enough about Niagara to compare it to, but I do know that
Diamond was a descendant of Concord (by I think 2 generations).

===
Canada plant hardiness zone 5b
Southwest Ontario
===
 



Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page