Referred to as "the best American table grape" in The Grapes of New York (Hedrick, 1907), Delaware is an early-ripening red variety with small berries and clusters, and mild flavor. Of the labrusca types, it has the best fruity notes and the least labrusca character. It requires a deep, fertile, well drained soil for satisfactory vine growth and good fruit zone exposure for consistent fruitfulness. Delaware is used to make wines including dry, sweet, and ice wine, and is famed for its spicy sparkling wines.

Mid-wire Cordon (MWC) training is used where neither Top Wire Cordon (TWC) nor Vertical Shoot Positioned (VSP) training is appropriate for the cultivator being grown. Examples include cultivators with upright shoot growth that do not require maximum sunlight exposure of the fruiting zone (i.e., cultivators that have relatively disease-resistant fruit that does not benefit from increased exposure to sunlight), and also cultivators with weak trunk growth due to inherent lack of vigor or susceptibility to winter injury. MWC training may be appropriate where training to TWC is difficult due to the difficulty in establishing permanent trunks, and where economics do not justify increased labor inputs associated with VSP training. MWC training employs a fruiting wire at 36-48”, with (generally) one set of catch wires at least 10” above the fruiting wire.Learn More

To learn more about the types of diseases susceptibile on our plants, click here.