Chapter 2

Wine Grape Varieties

Wine Grape Clones

Today, with increasingly diverse plant materials available, growers planting new vineyards need to consider choice of clones as well as choice of variety. A clone is defined as a genetically uniform group of individuals derived originally from a single variety by asexual propagation (cuttings, grafting, etc.). While conforming to the overall character of the variety, some of the viticultural characteristics that make clones distinct include berry and cluster size and morphology, yield, fruit chemistry, color, phenolics, flavor, and aroma characteristics, time of budbreak and ripening period, vine vigor, cold hardiness, disease resistance, and tolerances to heat, humidity and drought. It should be noted that most of the interest in clones applies to the classic European varieties (V. vinifera) and has not extended into hybrid varieties.

Grape Registry for Clones

Concord is used for the narrow market of sweet, flavorful red wines often marketed as kosher wines. More often it is used for juice and jelly production. Vines are usually trained on a high cordon and long spur-pruned. It produces medium-sized clusters bearing large, blue-black berries that mature rather late in the season.

Click on the following topics for more information on wine grape varieties.