Three grape varieties bred by Cornell get their names

Three grapes born and raised at Cornell University now have names: Noiret, Corot noir and Valvin Muscat.

The naming of the grapes, developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, Ontario County, occurred during the 31st annual conference of the Eastern U.S. Chapter of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, held Monday and today at the Hyatt Regency downtown.

The Noiret (pronounced Nwahr’ay) and Corot noir reds are resistant to cold and diseases but also ideal for winemaking and blending.

„These new varieties will allow wineries to produce higher-quality wines at prices lower than what vinifera wines will usually sell for,“ said Bruce Reisch, a grape breeder and professor of horticultural science at the Geneva facility. Vinifera vines produce the most common European grape varieties.

Reisch and his team worked with Finger Lakes wineries on the development of the grapes, some of which are already in use. The newly named grapes are cross-bred from existing varieties.

Source: rochesterdandc.com