Grapes

Grapes are generally divided into three broad categories:

1. Seedless table grapes

2. Juice Grapes (sometimes called labrusca or foxy grapes)

3. Wine grapes

The Wasatch Front climate is suitable for most juice grapes. Some table grapes and some wine grapes. Many juice grape varieties are also hardy in Utah's higher elevation mountain valleys.

Table Grapes: Many table grapes are not cold-hardy in Northern Utah. Two popular store varieties that are not include Red Flame and Thompson Seedless.

• Himrod: Similar in flavor to Thompson Seedless but much more cold-hardy.

• Interlaken: Additionally similar to Thompson Seedless.

• Canadice: Somewhat similar in flavor to Red Flame.

• Swenson's Red: Another red type. Somewhat more suited to colder areas such as Logan but still may incur winter injury.

• Reliance: Another red variety that is among the most cold-hardy of the seedless types.

• Mars: Variety developed in the mid-eighties. It is among the most cold-hardy seedless varieties. Purple color with a labrusca flavor somewhat similar to concord.

Juice Grapes: Canning grape juice is very popular in Utah. There are many other good table grape varieties grown in Northern Utah. Concord is the gold standard all other grapes are compared to. However, many varieties of grapes are suitable for canning. When in doubt try it out.

• Concord: Relatively cold hardy, growing well in areas such as Logan. One concern is that the fruit ripens relatively late (in October along the Wasatch Front). This is problematic for areas with short growing seasons.

• Bluebell: One of the most popular cold-hardy juice and jelly grapes. Has qualities similar to concord but ripens 2-3 weeks earlier.

• Beta: An heirloom variety that the breeder somehow named after his wife. Popular in the Northern United States. Ripens 2-4 weeks earlier than Concord but is used similarly.

• Niagra: Know as the "White Concord". White grape juice is commercially produced from this variety. Hardy to 0-10 degrees below zero. May struggle in colder mountain valleys.

Wine Grapes: Although not as common in other states, there are many wine grapes hardy to Utah. There are actually at least two commercial vineyards in the Moab area. These and many other wine varieties are worthy of consideration as juice grapes. Combining juice from different varieties creates interesting flavors that often adds more depth to the overall flavor profile.

• Frontenac and Frontenac Gris: Two varieties introduced by the University of Minnesota that have become widely popular in the Northern States. Both are hardy to at least 30 degrees below zero.

• La Crescent: Another introduction from the University of Minnesota hardy to at least 30 degrees below zero.