How to Grow and Care for Grapevines

Wine grape (Vitis vinifera) is a woody, fruit-bearing vine with a very long and vivid history of cultivation for culinary, recreational, and ritualistic purposes - most notably in winemaking. The earliest known evidence of domesticated wine grapes has been identified in Georgia, and carbon dating traces its domestic origins all the way back to 6000 BC. In addition to wine, the fruit of the wine grape is eaten in the form of grapes, raisins, and currants.

Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia) is a grapevine species native to North America. Compared to its close relative Vitis vinifera, muscadine has small clusters of round berries that have thicker skin and fleshier texture. The berries are usually dark purple or black when ripe.

The riverbank grape is a woody vine that can grow up to 15 m in length. It uses tendrils to climb trees, shrubs, and fences. Riverbank grape is native to North America and is found extensively throughout Canada, as well as the Northcentral and Northeastern United States.

Mustang grape (*Vitis mustangensis*) is a flowering grapevine that produces grapes. The grapes from mustang grape are a popular ingredient in home-brewed wine. This species has leaves with a white, satiny surface on their lower side.

Summer grape (Vitis aestivalis) is a fruit bearing species native to the central and eastern United States. The cultivar Norton is considered one of the oldest American grapes in commercial production. However, the summer grape has limited commercial viticulture. This is due to its low acidity and neutral flavor profile.