Vitis vinifera Miss Pink - Grape vine

Vitis vinifera 'Miss Pink' is an original table grapevine, with pink berries, that has many qualities. It is a vigorous variety, productive, naturally resistant to diseases, and well adapted to cold regions in winter as well as medium-altitude gardens. 'Miss Pink's' elongated clusters are filled with oval and golden grapes, turning pink when ripe. Their flesh is low in seeds, crunchy, rather sweet, with a pleasant fruit and muscat aroma. A single plant will produce up to 5kg of fruit! The harvest takes place in September, more or less early depending on the region.

The wine grape (Vitis vinifera) grew in the wild more than 5000 years ago. Its introduction to France, for cultivation, was done by the Romans. Many hybrids have been created to vary colours, flavours, and uses. 'Miss Pink' is a Hungarian selection with a fairly late bud break in spring, but with average ripeness. Its resistance to grape downy mildew is excellent.

A sarmentous climbing bush of medium vigour, the 'Miss Pink' grapevine easily reaches 4m (13ft) in height or spread if not pruned. Its final shape will depend on the pruning performed. It is a frugal sun-loving plant, not very demanding, which even prefers a soil that is both clayey and stony, with a tendency towards limestone, but can be sensitive to prolonged drought. Its long stems cling to their support (trellis, espalier...) by means of large green and voluble tendrils. Its foliage, with serrated edges, is a deep green in summer and turns to beautiful gold in autumn. It flowers in May-June, depending on the year and the region, offering very small greenish flowers gathered in conical and cylindrical clusters. The fruit clusters are medium-sized, elongated and cylindrical in shape, weighing an average of 350g. Its oval grapes are of a good size (2.3cm (1in)) and have a thick skin, turning completely pink when fully ripe.

'Miss Pink' grapes can be eaten fresh or used to make juice, for example in a vitamin-packed fruit cocktail for breakfast. You can use them to decorate a pergola, a trellis, or to train them against a sunny wall sheltered from cold winds.