Life Style / Wine Grapes / Elvira: Reportedly discovered in Missouri in 1870, this old-line complex american labrusca/riparia/vinifera (reported seedling of a Taylor x Martha crossing) variety is now considered to produce a mediocre and strongly 'fox' flavored white wine. Vulnerable to fruit cracking because of thin skin, the grape typically has high acidity. Ripening at same time as Concord, it is resistant to Mildew and its general hardiness recommends it for difficult growing areas. Currently used by at least two wineries in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Production in the Lake Erie region of New York state was recently (2002) reviewed and recommended as cost suitable as a wine blending agent. A new variety, named Ventura, that upgraded the older cultivar in its resistance to fruit cracking was released in the 1970's by the Ontario Horticultural Research Institute of Canada.
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Lifestyle / Wine Grapes / Noah: 19th century (dating from 1869) V.riperia/labrusca white-wine producing grape with somewhat 'foxy' flavor. Parents are reported as Hartford (a cross between Isabella and an unnamed labrusca) and the i MORE