Hybrid Wine Grapes: Part 2 of Our Wine Grapes Series

It's here! Part 2 of our Wine Grapes series! In this episode, we're going beyond European Vitis Vinifera grapes to explore hybrid varieties you may never have tried!  From Vidal Blanc (aptly named after it's founder, Jean Louis Vidal), a highly planted hybrid grape in New York state, to Marechal Foch growing in Minnesota, we've got it covered!  

Hybrid grape varieties were created to solve problems. For example in North America, they're solving problems from cold climate hardiness in frost-prone zones, to pest resistance.  However, these amazing hybrid grapes aren't always associated with wine quality. They've suffered for years as winemakers of the past tried to take traditional wine production methods and transpose them to hybrids. The result was less than positive.

Hybrids aren't made from grafted vines or rootstock. These are new plants born from parents of different grape species.  Vitus Vinifera varieties such as Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon are cross-pollinated with grapes from American species to birth new grape varieties such as Seyval Blanc, Baco Noir, or the red wine grape, Chambourcin. 

Wines from red hybrid grapes have been called foxy or funky and have languished on wine shop shelves and fewer wine lists. But these grapevines are having their moment as winemakers such as Jerry Mueller of Röbbler Vineyards in Missouri and Martin Polognioli, St. Croix vineyards in Minnesota, are taking a different view and letting these unique grapes tell their own stories.

Listen in as we talk red hybrids, hybrid wine and all things hybrid! You'll want to pop a cork and compare these new varieties to some of your favorites. 

Cheers!

Charisse & Kristi