The white grape variety is a complex interspecific new variety between Edelweiss x Villard Blanc. Synonyms or breeding numbers are ES 422 and Esprit. It contains genes from eight grapevine species, i.e. Vitis aestivalis, Vitis berlandieri, Vitis cinerea, Vitis labrusca, Vitis lincecumii, Vitis riparia, Vitis rupestris and Vitis vinifera. The hybrid was crossed by the breeder Elmer Swenson (1913-2004) on his farm near Osceola in Wisconsin. Plant variety protection was granted in 1984. The variety was a crossing partner in the new Delisle variety. The early to medium ripening vine is resistant to frost down to minus 29 °Celsius, but very susceptible to powdery mildew, and moderately susceptible to botrytis and downy mildew. It produces fruity white wines without (despite the presence of Labrusca genes) foxtone. The variety is also used as table grape. It is grown in small quantities in the Midwest of the USA in the states of Colorado and Iowa (2 ha). In 2016, only the Iowa stand was reported (Kym Anderson statistics).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)
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Domäne Wachau (Wachau)