Climbers

Vitis labrusca L.

Fully hardy, vigorous, deciduous, woody-based climber with ovate to rounded, usually 2-lobed leaves, to 18cm wide, and edible, musky-flavoured black-purple fruits.  [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Vitis vinifera ‘Moscatel Gordo Blanco’

‘So similar in many respects to Muscat of Alexandria, that the one is sometimes confounded with the other. A seedling of Muscat of Alexandria, much cultivated in Spain; the best type of raisin grape of Malaga. Fruit bunches, a closer bunch than Muscat of Alexandria; fruit sets better as a rule; berries rounder, a crease often found at the apex. Skin inclined to be a little darker in colour, and not nearly so green when ripe. Flesh not quite so hard as Muscat of Alexandria. Thicker and finer bloom than Muscat of Alexandria, which looses its bloom very rapidly when you come to pack and dry them. Muscat of Alexandria has to be dried a little more than Muscatel to bring it into a keeping condition when in the same degree of ripeness.’ [Despeissis p.247/1903].

Vitis vinifera ‘Aucarot’

‘No. 19 – Aucarot (29/2, or 29 of the Luxembourg collection [of Busby]). Hardy white grape, bears plentifully, and makes very good wine. Where abundant produce, combined with medium quality, is an object, this is a variety well worth attention; I am inclined to think it may prove one of the most valuable of the white wine grapes; requires the same room as No. 3 [Dolcetto]’. [Maro p.25/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Australian Small White Cluster’

‘No 5. – Australian Small White Cluster. Originated in the same manner as the last [Australian White Cluster]; hardy plant, but of much less vigorous growth than No. 4; may be planted at least as close as No.1 [Pineau Grise]; very small closely set bunches, very small berries, sweet; and yields very little wine, but of excellent quality.’ [Maro p.22/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Australian White Cluster’

‘No. 4 - Australian White Cluster. Seedling raised at Camden by the Messrs. Macarthur, a plant of vigorous growth, very hardy, fruit very early ripe, bunches small, or of medium size, berries small, very closely set, very juicy, and thin skinned: very sweet to the palate; very liable to rot if much rain falls after they begin to swell to maturity, produces well, and yields a wine of good flavour and considerable body. This and No. 3 [Dolcetto] require about one-fourth more distance every way than No. 1 [Pineau Gris].’ [Maro p.22/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Bidwill’s Seedling’

‘Bunches, large, long, loose, and shouldered. Berries, large and round. Skin, thin, quite black, and covered with a thin blue bloom. Flesh, tender, melting, and juicy, but with a most disagreeable earthy flavour, which seems peculiar to it, as I have never met with this variety without it. It ripens very well against a wall, in the West of England, by the end of October. The leaves die yellow.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.372/1884].

Vitis vinifera ‘Black Grape No.13’

‘No. 13 – Black Grape. Of the Pineau family, from Mr. Busby’s collections. (The No. lost, but supposed to be No. 50 or No. 51 of the private collection). Bears little bunches of very small berries, but very sweet; has all the appearance of being a good wine grape for cold districts.’ [Maro p.24/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Black Grape’

‘No. 32 - Black Grape (62/2, or No. 62 of the Luxemburg collection [of Busby], misnamed Bon Blanc in the catalogue). A vine of rather dwar?sh habit, but very productive, bunches large, berries of medium size, closely set, makes a good red wine of tolerably good color; should be planted as closely as the varieties of Pineau.’ [Maro p.28/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Black Hamburgh’

‘Bunches tolerably large, with two short compact shoulders, nearly as broad across as the bunch is deep. Berries pretty large, of an oval figure, but when grown to an extraordinary size, they are much enlarged at the head. Skin rather thick, of a deep purple colour, nearly black, and covered with a blue bloom. Flesh tender. Juice sugary, and well-flavoured.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.192/1831].

Vitis vinifera ‘Black Prince’

‘Bunches rather long, and generally unshouldered; they are, however, occasionally well shouldered. Berries oval, and, when well thinned out, of a very good size. Skin dark blackish purple, covered with a thick blue bloom. Flesh white, abounding with sweet well flavoured Juice. In pulling the berry from the stalk, a long receptacle is left, which is red, and covered with the white flesh. Seeds large, generally four, and sometimes five, in each berry. Leaves rather fleshy, broad in proportion to their length, with long footstalks, tinged with red: the principal lobes not deeply divided, broadly serrated, becoming variegated in the autumn with pale red and dark purple.

The Black Prince is of easy culture, requiring only the protection of the greenhouse or common vinery; and in favourable seasons it will, on a warm dry soil, ripen its fruit on a south wall.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.195/1831].

Vitis vinifera ‘Blanquette’

Described by William Macarthur: ‘No. 37 - Blanquette (6/1, or No. 6 of the private collection [of Busby]). Avery productive white grape, said to be used to impart strength to the white wines of Languedoc, ripens later than any other sort I have named; a very hardy plant.’ [Maro p.29/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Bolas Blanco’

This grape remains unidentified.

Vitis vinifera ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’

‘One of the choicest red varieties of France, making the high-class Medoc wine. Season: mid-season (third period). Merits: of the highest as to quality, but giving a small crop. Vine: growth vigorous when young, somewhat spreading, but on unsuitable soil grows weak with age; shoots of a dark-reddish mahogany colour, of medium thickness, long joints; buds medium size, downy. Leaves very characteristic, medium sized, as long as they are broad; five-lobed; the indentation or sinus deep, rounded, and overlapping towards their extremities in such a way as to make the leaves appear as if they were pierced with fine holes; teeth sharp and uneven; upper surface of a dark-green colour, smooth and glossy, but uneven; under surface covered with close, short down. Fruit: bunches medium size, conical, slightly shouldered, and rather loose, slender peduncle. Berries, small, round, on along and slender foot-stalk, which turns red as the grape ripens. Skin thick, hard, and black, covered with a fine blue bloom when ripe, apt to fall off when over-ripe. Flesh hard and juicy, with peculiar flavour, which is common to the Cabernets.’ [Despeissis p.258/1903].

Vitis vinifera ‘Carignan’

‘No. 33 — Carignan (1/1, or No. 1 of Mr. Busby’s private collection). Black grape, bearing occasionally in great abundance, and sometimes comparatively little, appears to be hardy, and subject to no disease; ripens too late with me to estimate its qualities as a wine grape.

The foregoing three [Carignan, Grenache and Mataro], with sometimes the addition of No. 36 [Mourastell], are described by Mr. Busby, in his journal, and by French authors, as the sorts used in making the wine of Roussillon; the whole being usually planted together. Some of the wine made from them, on decomposing schistus, is said to have been kept more than 150 years, and to have continued to improve to the last.’ [Maro p.29/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Chasselas’

‘Bunches, long, loose, and shouldered; sometimes compact and cylindrical. Berries, large, round, and, in the compact bunches, inclining to oval. Skin, thin and transparent, greenish yellow, becoming pale amber when quite ripe, and sometimes marked with tracings and dots of russet; covered with thin white bloom. Flesh, tender and juicy, sweet, and richly flavoured.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.404/1884].