Vitis vinifera New York Muscat - Grapevine

The Vine 'New York Muscat' is generally grown and consumed as a table grape, but it can also be used for winemaking. It is also known for its strong resistance to fungal diseases such as mildew and powdery mildew. This variety produces medium to large, compact and rather heavy clusters of fairly large berries that turn blue to black when ripe. With a remarkable Muscat aroma, their sweet taste is deep and very pleasant, without bitterness. This non-astringent grape has a thin skin that clings well to the pulp, offering crunchy grains. Harvesting will begin around early September in southern regions and around mid-September in northern regions.

The wine grape, in Latin Vitis vinifera, belongs to the Vitaceae family, just like the Virginia creeper. It has been cultivated for thousands of years in North Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Europe. Between 1000 and 500 BC, it was introduced by the Romans to Italy, Sicily, Spain, Portugal, and southern France. During this ancient period, wines were diluted with water and flavoured with herbs and spices. Wine as we know it was first produced in the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, winemaking shifted towards the search for higher quality wines, but at the end of the 19th century, phylloxera destroyed a large part of the French vineyards, leading to the emergence of the science of wine: oenology. This species is cultivated for its clustered fruits called "grapes," which can be consumed fresh as table grapes, fermented into wine, or dried as raisins.

The variety 'New York Muscat', sometimes called blue muscat, is also known by its breeding number: New York 12997. It is the result of an interspecific cross between the famous Muscat de Hambourg, widely grown commercially but susceptible to diseases, and the American vine Ontario, resistant to diseases but with a typical foxy taste (an odour reminiscent of fox, crushed bug, venison). The result is an interesting combination of the two: a grape that resembles Muscat de Hambourg while being disease-resistant. This hybrid was created in 1926 by Richard Wellington at the Grape Breeding Institute of Cornell University in Geneva, New York (USA). Its protection as a plant variety was granted in 1961. Grown in the form of a trellis, the plant produces long, woody, and climbing shoots, called canes when they are mature and woody, which can reach 4 to 6 metres in spread, or even more when trained. The young shoots that bear the leaves, fruits, and tendrils that allow the vine to cling to a support are called shoots. Its root system can reach a depth of up to 5 metres in the soil, providing the vine with good drought resistance. The shoots are supported by a twisted trunk with bark that peels off in strips with age. The remarkably long-lived vine can live for several centuries. Its deciduous foliage consists of alternate large leaves, 8 to 16 cm wide, with 5 or 7 lobes, and serrated edges, attached to the shoots by a long petiole. They change from light green at bud burst to medium green during the season, and turn shades of golden yellow, orange, and reddish-purple in autumn, offering a colourful spectacle. Flowering occurs in May opposite the leaves, as a cluster measuring 8 to 12 cm long, composed of small insignificant, yellowish-green flowers, with 5 prominent stamens. As a self-fertile variety, the hermaphroditic flowers self-pollinate. To form the cluster, the fleshy and round berries are attached to the stem by small pedicels. The flower buds freeze at temperatures below -2°C, but the late flowering of this variety is not very susceptible to spring frosts. This hardy plant can be grown in sunny and warm locations, in well-drained, deep, even poor, dry, and limestone soils.

The 'New York Muscat' vine is a productive and vigorous variety, with a quick fruiting period, around 2 to 3 years, reaching its optimal production after 7 to 8 years. However, it is advisable to prune it sparingly to avoid exhausting it. To achieve a beautiful fruit colouration, light leaf removal can be practised. The uniform and abundant harvest, takes place in September, with variations depending on the region and climate. It is important to only pick the fruits when they are ripe, as they do not ripen further, and to gently harvest the cluster with its pedicel using pruning shears. One plant can produce 20 to 30 kg per year, which varies depending on vine management. Grapes can only be stored for a few days in a cool place or in the refrigerator.

Firm, juicy, sweet, slightly acidic, 'New York Muscat' is delicious when eaten raw. It is also an ideal fruit for making jam, jelly, and fruit juice; for making clafoutis, cakes, custards, or cakes; for making salads with other fruits; or for accompanying savoury poultry dishes (turkey, chicken, quail, duck...). It pairs perfectly with cheese, endives, walnuts, and cured ham... Grapes are rich in carbohydrates (glucose and fructose) from 16 to 18 g per 100 g, a calorie-dense fruit (approx. 80 Cal/100 g). Their content of vitamins B (B2, B6) and C, phenolic antioxidants, fibres, manganese, potassium, calcium, magnesium, with a significant iron content, make grapes a healthy choice. They are a healthy, natural, and tasty fruit.

In addition to its fruit, the New York Muscat Vine can be a decorative element when trained on a pergola, arbour, or wall. For urban cultivation, growing a vine in a pot on a balcony or terrace is possible when trained and well-maintained, in a sunny area, where it can be very ornamental. To enjoy its table grapes between August and October, it can be paired with other varieties, some earlier ones such as Chasselas doré, Chasselas rosé, Roi des précoces, Centennial Seedless, Perlette, Madeleine Royal, or later ones such as Alphonse Lavallée, Exalta, Muscat d'Alexandrie, Muscat de Hambourg, Sultanica bianca, among others. However, given the wide range of available grape varieties, it is easy to find the one that best suits one's taste.