Schuyler Grapes

Schuyler. (Zinfandel x Ontario) From Cornell University's Geneva, New York experiment station. Extremely productive, bearing large clusters of very sweet, soft, juicy, black berries. In the eastern U.S. it has a very slight labrusca flavor, but in the West, it is totally neutral. Somewhat susceptible to powdery mildew for me, but training it to an open growth habit is usually enough to keep it clean. It must be pruned very short, to two bud spurs, and may still need thinning to prevent overcropping. Hardy to about -15oF, but needs a fairly long fall to harden off well: in 1999 there was an early frost that was just enough to nip the leaves of the vines and only Schuyler was affected. That year Schuyler failed to harden most of its wood, leaving only about six inches of live wood at the bases of most canes. A very juicy table grape, Schuyler also makes a neutral light red wine.