New York: new wine grapes released

New York State’s Cornell University has released three new wine grapes.

They are the seventh, eighth and ninth grapes born at Cornell’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, a city in the winegrowing Finger Lakes region.

The three hybrids were developed and tested by Bruce Reisch, a grape-breeding professor of horticultural sciences, and Thomas Henick-Kling, who heads Cornell’s enology program.

The grapes – Noiret, Corot Noir and Valvin Muscat – ‘are broadly adapted to the winegrowing regions in the East, and produce high-quality varietal wines,’ Reisch said.

Noiret is a red and is intended for varietal wines. Corot Noir, also red, is for varietals and blends. Valvin Muscat, a white, is for varietals and blends.

Grape breeding takes decades. Work on Valvin Muscat began in 1962, Corot Noir in 1970, and Noiret in 1973.

The Geneva station’s viticultural advances, often compared by scientists to those of the University of California at Davis, focus on improving winegrowing in cool-climate Northeastern conditions.

Cornell’s earlier triumphs include Cayuga White, Melody and Traminette – all fruity whites – and Chardonel, which has become important in Missouri’s wine industry.

Cayuga White and Melody are popular vin de pays in New York, America’s fourth biggest winegrowing state.

Written by Howard G Goldberg in New York