🍇 Vitis rupestris
A wild American grape species; the basis of many phylloxera-resistant rootstocks.
Vitis rupestris, the rock grape, is a wild American species. It grows in the United States along stream banks and on stony and sandy ground. The name comes from this: in Latin rupestris means "growing on rocks".
The species is interesting not for wine. Its berries are small and sour, and wine from them is rarely made. But its roots resist phylloxera, the insect that destroyed many European vineyards in the 19th century. That is why the rock grape became the basis of many rootstocks. European vines are grafted onto American roots, and the plant is protected from the pest.
Among rootstocks with its share are, for example, 101-14 Millardet et de Grasset. It also stands in the pedigree of a number of French hybrids.
The species belongs to the grape varieties and species, and its importance for winemaking is indirect: it helps wine exist by saving the vine.
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Vitis rupestris → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Offspring
- 🍇 Rosette, 🍇 101-14 Millardet et de Grasset, 🍇 Couderc 603, 🍇 Castel 19637, 🍇 Ganzin 4, 🍇 Bayard
Frequently asked questions
What is Vitis rupestris?
A wild American grape species that grows on stony ground and resists phylloxera.
Why do growers need it?
Rootstocks are made from it and its descendants, and European vines are grafted onto them.
Is wine made from the rock grape?
Rarely. The berries are small and sour; the species is valued for its roots.
What to read next
- 🍇 Bayard — A French hybrid by Georges Couderc from 1882.
- 🍇 Rosette — A red hybrid by Albert Seibel from France, formerly grown in New York State.
- 🍇 Couderc 603 — A red wine hybrid bred in France in 1883.
- 🍇 Ganzin 4 — An old French rootstock from 1879: Aramon × rupestris.
- 🍇 Castel 19637 — A French hybrid by Pierre Castel: Cinsault × rupestris.
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