Grape Varieties for Connecticut
PP032 (12/97R)
By Dr. Sharon M. Douglas
Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street
P. O. Box 1106
New Haven, CT 06504-1106
Telephone: (203) 974-8601 Fax: (203) 974-8502
Email: Sharon.Douglas@ct.gov
Grapes are becoming increasingly more popular in backyard plantings throughout Connecticut. This is due, in part, to the development and availability of new, more hardy cultivars. This list is intended to provide general information on table or dessert and wine grapes which are at least medium hardy in the Connecticut climate. While some of the cultivars have been evaluated in Connecticut, others have been reported to do well in similar climates. This list is not all-inclusive but highlights cultivars with attributes which make them popular.
Table or Dessert Grapes:
| Color | Cultivar | Ripening Season | Description |
| White | Edelweiss | Very early ripening | Fruit: sweet, high sugar. Vine: vigorous, hardy |
| Himrod | Very early ripening | Seedless. Fruit: medium size, golden yellow, excellent flavor | |
| Interlaken | Very early ripening | Seedless. Fruit: small, golden, good. Vine: moderately hardy | |
| Lakemont | Midseason ripening | Seedless. Fruit: medium size, high quality | |
| Seneca | Very early ripening | Fruit: European type, firm, crisp, sweet. Vine vigorous, productive, moderately hardy. | |
| Red | Canadice | Early ripening | Seedless. Fruit: medium size, firm, delicate flavor. Dessert, jelly, or wine. Vine: hardiness similar to Concord. |
| Catawba | Late season ripening | Fruit: good quality, suitable for jelly or wine. | |
| Reliance | Very early ripening. | Seedless. Fruit: rich flavor, tender skin. Vine: vigorous, productive, hardy. | |
| Suffolk Red | Midseason ripening | Seedless. Fruit: large, excellent quality. Vine: moderately hardy. | |
| Swenson Red | Very early ripening | Fruit: medium-large, firm texture. Vine: vigorous, productive, very hardy. | |
| Black | Buffalo | Midseason ripening | Fruit: slipskin (like Concord), juicy, sweet. Vine: very vigorous, productive. |
| Concord | Midseason ripening. | Excellent flavor. Old favorite for jelly, juice, wine. | |
| Glenora | Early ripening | Seedless. Fruit: medium to large, juicy, skin tender. | |
| Steuben | Midseason ripening | Fruit: excellent flavor. Vine: vigorous, very productive, very hardy. | |
| Worde | Early ripening. | Fruit: similar to Concord. Vine: suitable for short season, very hardy, very vigorous,productive. |
Wine Grapes:
| Color | Cultivar | Ripening Season | Description |
| White | Aurora (Siebel 5279) | Early ripening | Good wine grape |
| Cayuga White | Midseason ripening | Excellent for wine, flavor neutral, light. Vine: vigorous, very productive, moderately hardy. | |
| Seyval, Seyve-Villard 5276 | Midseason ripening | Excellent wine grape. Vine: medium vigor, good disease resistance. | |
| Villard blanc | Late ripening. | Good wine grape. Vine: high yielding, moderately hardy. | |
| Red | Baco noir | Midseason ripening. | Fruit: small, blue-black, seedy. Wine: red, fruity, light. Vine: very vigorous, good disease resistance. |
| Chambourcin | Late ripening | Fruit: high yield, good acid and sugar. Wine: tart, Claret type. Vine: medium vigor, moderately hardy. | |
| Marechal Foch | Early ripening. | Fruit: black, small. Wine: outstanding Burgundy type red. Vine: medium vigor, hardy. | |
| Villard noir | Late ripening. | Fruit: good yield, good acid and sugar. Wine: good, neutral. Vine: low vigor, hard |
Summary
Grapes are becoming increasingly popular for backyard plantings and for personal consumption. In part, this is because of the availability of new cultivars which are winter-hardy and disease- and pest- resistant. This fact sheet lists the table or dessert and wine grapes that can be successfully grown in Connecticut and provides brief descriptions of their attributes.