|
Delaware is an early-ripening red variety with small berries, small clusters, and a mild American flavor. It is an important dessert variety in Japan but is used primarily for juice and white wine in the U.S. Rain during harvest season may cause the tender skins to crack. Delaware requires a deep, fertile, well-drained soil for satisfactory vine growth; on such soils, with good management, its yields may be as high as those of Concord. On all but the most favorable soils, Delaware should be grafted on a phylloxera-resistant rootstock to ensure vigorous growth. Delaware is very sensitive to drift of 2,4-D and related herbicides which may limit its production in the Midwest. Once prized for champagne in New York, Delaware is now being replaced by several interspecific hybrid and vinifera varieties. It remains, however, one of the highest quality American varieties for wine. Description prepared by Bruce Bordelon, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN |