Called, "Grape Varieties in the USA," this online guide to regional performance data for grapevine varieties and rootstocks uses 60 lesser-known wine grape varieties as a pilot.
This project will serve as a pilot for the establishment of an authoritative web-based collection of grapevine variety and rootstock information–a useful resource for the viticulture and enology industry. In addition to providing reliable descriptions, pictures, and performance data (when available), for grapevine varieties and rootstocks, we envision developing and assigning a list of traits to each variety to facilitate discovery, via a website search function, of varieties that be unfamiliar, but possess traits of interest. The Co-PIs have conducted many wine grape variety and clone trials which will provide the content necessary to establish the website. Additionally, several cooperators have expressed interest in contributing content from their own experience and trials. Eventually, we envision many people from across the country’s viticulture research, extension, and industry communities contributing and reviewing content, and helping to evaluate and improve site functionality. Links to published variety trials could be housed on the website, as well, which will be accessible via the NGRA website. View the site here: grapevarieties.info.