The best grape varieties for central Russia

Grapes love warmth. Growing this berry crop in the temperate zone was difficult a century ago. Only with the advent of selective breeding were scientists able to develop plants resistant to harsh climatic conditions. Today, there are numerous elite varieties. grapes for the middle zoneNow you can grow grapes no worse than on the southern slopes of the country.

Cultivation of grapes in central Russia

The climate in this area is unstable. Conditions are not ideal for growing berries. For this heat-loving plant to fully develop and produce a harvest, it must possess the following characteristics:

• A short growing season. It takes 95-120 days from bud break to full ripening of the berries. Spring warmth in the temperate zone arrives at varying rates. Some years, temperatures rise to 18-20°C as early as April, while others may not reach 18-20°C until mid-May. Therefore, the plant needs time to develop a strong green mass and produce a harvest during the summer.
• High frost resistance. Grapes must withstand temperatures of at least -20°C.
• Have resistance to fungal diseases. In central Russia, summers are generally cool and rainy, which encourages the development of fungal diseases. Therefore, strong immunity is essential for plant survival.

A selection of the best grape varieties for the Central Belt

The best grape varieties For central Russia, these berry crops will yield a bountiful harvest. The common advantages of the berry crops presented in the photos are their high yield, easy adaptability to changing weather conditions, frost resistance, and short ripening period.

Lucy the Red

The plant's growing season is short, lasting 105-120 days. The vines and soils can withstand temperatures down to -30°C. The bushes are spreading. The clusters form dense, conical buds. Each berry weighs 400-500 g. A hectare of planting yields 200-218 centners. The fruits are elongated-oval in shape. When cut, numerous seeds are visible inside. The plant has a high immunity.

Venus

Blue sultana grapes A rare variety. The growing season lasts approximately 120 days. The berries are round. The skin is not prone to cracking. The berries in the clusters are moderately compact, cylindrical or conical in shape. The variety is resistant to powdery mildew, but is susceptible to gray mold in rainy weather. In winter, it does not freeze at -25-26°C. The average weight of one bunch is 200-300 grams. Harvest occurs in the second half of August. The average yield is 8-10 kilograms per plant.

Muscat of Moscow

A berry variety with vigorous bushes and a short ripening period of 115-120 days. The yield per plant is 5-6 kilograms. Resistance to fungal diseases is average. The fruits ripen in the second half of August. The clusters are cone-shaped, with an average weight of 400-500 grams. Frost-resistant, it can withstand temperatures down to -25°C. The berries are oval and light green. The flavor is pleasant, with a muscat aroma. It is often infested with spider mites.

"Tenderness"

The growing season lasts 115-120 days. It is grown primarily on an industrial scale. The yield per hectare is 124 centners. The clusters are small, weighing 200-370 grams. Their shape resembles a cone. The bushes are vigorous. The fruits are oval, with light green skin with a white tint. It exhibits high resistance to mildew, oidium, and gray mold. It tolerates winter temperatures down to -22°C.

"Lowland"

Early ripening varietyThe complete formation and ripening cycle takes 120-130 days. Clusters are 500-700 grams in size and are oval-shaped. A bush can yield 6-7 kilograms. The berries are oval, dark red with a purple tint. They can withstand temperatures down to -23°C and have moderate disease resistance.

"Winner"

This mid-late variety ripens fully in 135-150 days. Clusters average 800 grams. The maximum possible bunch weight has been 2.5-3 kilograms. Grape growers harvest 140-145 centners per hectare. It exhibits high disease resistance. The fruits are red with a purple tint and oval in shape. The flowers are bisexual.

Transfiguration

The grape growing season lasts 95-105 days. The bunches are conical in shape and medium-dense, weighing on average 700-1000 grams. The yield per hectare is 200-236 centners. The berries are elongated and cylindrical. The skin is a delicate pink. The flesh is firm and crisp. Disease and pest resistance is average.

"Lunar"

The ripening period is mid-early, 120-130 days. The average bunch weight reaches 500-600 grams. The yield per hectare is 130-140 centners. The berries are round-conical or round-cylindrical in shape. The skin is white-pink. It has increased disease resistance. Frost resistance is down to -22°C.

Agat Donskoy

Ripens in August. The berries are large, round, and a rich, dark blue. The clusters form cone-shaped clusters. A bush can yield 14-15 kilograms. The berries are tightly packed together, weighing up to 400-500 grams per cluster. The plant can withstand temperatures down to -26°C and exhibits high resistance to gray mold and mildew. Ripe grapes are harvested in the second half of August.

"Cocktail"

The grapes are early ripening, with a maturity period of 95-105 days. Harvest begins in late July or early August. The bunches are medium-sized and irregular in shape. Each bunch weighs 400-600 grams. Winegrowers have been able to harvest 322 centners per hectare. The skin of the berries is yellow with a green tint. The flesh is juicy, with a single seed. The plant has high disease resistance. Frost resistance is down to -27°C.

Libya K

The full cycle of formation and ripening takes 105-115 days. The clusters are cylindrical-conical, with an average weight of 500-700 grams. The yield per hectare is 135-140 centners. The berries are pinkish, obtusely ovoid in shape. They are moderately resistant to diseases. They can withstand winter temperatures down to -21°C.

Gourmet Kraynova

The berry harvest occurs in the first half of August. The formation and ripening cycle takes 105-115 days. The bunch resembles a cone or cylinder. A ripe bunch weighs 0.9-1.6 kilograms. The skin is pink with a burgundy tint. The flesh is juicy, with no more than 2-3 seeds. The berries are ovoid. The yield on an industrial scale reaches 180-200 centners.

Helios

The hybrid's growing season is 95-105 days. It exhibits resistance to most common fungal diseases. The average cluster weight is 0.5-0.7 kilograms. In winter, it can withstand temperatures down to -23°C. The yield per bush reaches 7-8 kilograms. The fruits are blunt, ovoid, and the skin is matte pink.

Bogotyanovsky

A table variety with a medium ripening period of 115-120 days. The fruits are borne in loose clusters, weighing 0.7-1.5 kilograms. The berries are oval in shape, with light green skin. A single plant with eight buds yielded 10-15 kilograms. It exhibits resistance to gray mold.

"White Early"

This early-ripening grape has a growing season of 105-120 days. Bunches form at 500-700 grams. The yield per hectare of vineyard is 128-130 centners. The berries are oval, with yellow-green skin. The flesh is firm and tasty. It is resistant to mildew, gray mold, and oidium.

"Chrysolite"

This table hybrid ripens in the second half of August. The clusters form and weigh 0.5-0.6 kilograms. The yield per hectare is 220-240 centners. The berries are ovoid and greenish-yellow. The plant has moderate disease resistance. Frost resistance is -23°C.

"Citrine"

The ripening period is short; by early August, the fruits reach the desired sweetness. The berries are large, egg-shaped, white with a slight yellow tint. The clusters are medium-dense, weighing 400-800 grams. They exhibit good resistance to fungal diseases and tolerate temperatures down to -25°C.

"Pink Pearl (The Scent of Summer)"

The growing season lasts 115-120 days. It has moderate frost resistance, freezing at temperatures below -20°C. The yield per bush is 6-8 kilograms. The clusters are not very large, weighing 500-600 grams. It is rarely affected by fungal diseases.

Table varieties for the middle zone

Table grapes are especially prized in the central part of the country. Eating fresh local berries is always more enjoyable than those transported thousands of kilometers away.

Aleshenkin

The crop has a short growing season of 110-118 days. Seasonal yield per vine is 20-25 kilograms. Bunches form cone-shaped, averaging 500-600 grams. The grape is relatively frost-sensitive, surviving temperatures down to -20°C only. Disease immunity is high. The berries are oval and yellow-green.

Muscat Delight

The ripening period is 110-115 days. Clusters weigh 350-700 grams. It can withstand temperatures down to -25°C. The berries are oval-round and amber in color. It exhibits high resistance to powdery mildew, downy mildew, and gray mold.

"Diana"

A mid-season table grape. Harvesting occurs in mid-September. Each bunch weighs 400-500 grams. The skin is thick and greenish-yellow. It is poorly resistant to harmful fungi. A hectare of plantings can yield 14 tons during the growing season.

"Seedling Malengre"

The variety ripens in 110-115 days. The clusters grow wide and conical. The fruits set are round and medium-sized. The skin is white with a yellow tint. During the growing season, commercial winegrowers were able to harvest 75-80 centners per hectare. It is highly frost-resistant.

Codryanka

This early hybrid ripens berries in 110-120 days. The vines are frost-resistant to -22°C in winter. They are moderately resistant to mildew and oidium. The berries are oval-shaped and have a matte violet-blue color. A yield of 13-14 tons is obtained per hectare of vineyards.

"Laura"

The growing season is short, lasting 110-120 days. The clusters are cone-shaped. The berries are oval and green-amber in color. The vines and buds are not damaged by frost at temperatures down to -26°C. The grape is resistant to gray mold. The average yield per bush is 5-6 kilograms.

Arcadia (Nastya)

Fruiting begins in the second year after planting. The growing season lasts 115-120 days. The plant can withstand temperatures down to -23°C. The clusters are broadly conical, each weighing 700-800 grams. A single bush can yield 20-40 kilograms of fruit. The berries are ovoid and white-amber in color.

"Victoria"

The berry harvest occurs in mid- to late August. The clusters are loose. The oval-ovoid fruits are raspberry-red. The average cluster weight is 700-800 grams. It can withstand winter temperatures down to -27°C. A bush can yield 40-50 kilograms. The plant is resistant to fungal diseases.

"Malengr (precox)"

An early-ripening variety. The clusters are fairly loose, weighing no more than 400 grams. A bush yields 5-8 kilograms. The berries are small, round, and light green with a yellow tint. In rainy weather, ripe berries are prone to rot. The plant is highly frost-resistant.

"Northern"

The grapes can withstand temperatures down to -30°C without cover. Harvest occurs in late August and early September. The berries are round, deep blue in color, with a matte waxy coating. The clusters are cylindrical, averaging 200 grams. They have a high resistance to fungal diseases.

Wine (technical) varieties

Wine berry crops need a lot of sun to get enough sugar. Elite grape varieties allowed winegrowers to produce excellent wine, despite the relatively short period of active sun during the summer in central Russia.

"Crystal"

It ripens in the first half of August. The berries are small, yellow-green, and round-oblong in shape. They survive freezing temperatures down to -29°C. This grape is very sugary and produces an excellent white wine. 160-200 centners are harvested per hectare of vineyards. The clusters are loosely formed, weighing 200-300 grams per bunch.

Platovsky Muscat

This wine grape variety has an extremely short ripening period. The clusters are small, cylindrical or conical, weighing no more than 300 grams. The skin is dense and milky yellow. The taste is very sweet, with a muscat flavor. It is highly frost-resistant and resistant to fungal diseases.

"Siegerrebe"

An early-ripening grape variety. The berries are pink and round. The clusters grow shapeless. Yields depend on weather conditions and fertilizing, but average 50-120 centners per hectare. The variety is susceptible to chlorosis but moderately resistant to other diseases. When overripe, the berries tend to fall from the bunches. Ideal for blending.

Solaris

An ultra-early variety with vigorous bushes. It tolerates winter temperatures down to -25°C without cover. It has good immunity to powdery mildew and mildew. The clusters are cylindrical and loose, weighing an average of 150-200 grams. The fruits are round, light yellow with a green tint. It is used not only for winemaking but also for fresh consumption.

"Amethyst"

The berry ripening period is short. Clusters reach 300-400 grams. Their texture is loose. The fruits are round-oval. The skin is thick, dark blue with a purple tint. The sugar content in the berries is between 20-21%. Uncovered, they can withstand temperatures down to -32°C. They are used for juice and wine production.

"Bacchus"

A wine grape variety with early ripening. Clusters grow dense, weighing up to 300 grams. The berries are uniform in size, round, and yellow-green in color. The flesh is juicy and sweet. It is often susceptible to powdery mildew. The yield is high, despite the small size of the berries and clusters.

Bianca

A sweet white grape with an almond flavor. It ripens quickly. The bunches are loose, weighing no more than 200 grams. The fruit is used to make dessert wines. In winter, it can withstand temperatures down to -27°C. It has high resistance to various types of powdery mildew. Harvest occurs in mid- to late August.

Hope of Altai

The grapes ripen in the second half of August. The grapes are large and deep blue. They are elongated oval in shape, with a pointed tip. The bunches grow shapeless, weighing 800-1000 grams. Winegrowers have been able to harvest up to 15 kilograms per vine.

F-14-75

Fruit forms and fully ripens in 100-105 days. The vine ripens well. In winter, it can withstand temperatures down to -26°C. Clusters are medium-dense, weighing up to 200-250 grams. It exhibits high disease resistance. The fruits are round, with a creamy-pink hue. The yield is moderate.

Reviews

Winegrowers in central Russia note that they are familiar with the descriptions of a large number of grape varieties. In practice, few of the best varieties perform well. In unstable conditions, they require more time than in southern regions. Despite their high frost resistance, all varieties require protection. Without protection, even light frosts or ice will kill the fruiting buds, resulting in no harvest.

No matter how good a grape variety's quality base, it requires constant care. Failure to follow even the most basic rules will result in a bountiful harvest.