Author(s):
Emily M Thompson* - University of North Alabama
Michael J Pretes, PhD - University of North Alabama
Abstract:
Vitis rotundifolia is a grape species that grows naturally in the southeastern region of the United States. This vine's fruit, commonly known as the muscadine, is a staple in traditional southern culture. During Prohibition, muscadines were most commonly used to produce homemade wine. Since Prohibition, vintners across the American South have continued to make wine from muscadines; however, muscadine wine has never held the same prestige as traditional grape (Vitis vinifera) wines. Muscadine wine is known for its sweet taste and inexpensive cost, but recent research has found that it is possible to make a drier wine from muscadine fruit. This project will investigate whether improved viticultural technology and increased knowledge of the grape can improve the reputation of muscadine wine. Muscadines contain large amounts of resveratrol, the chemical found in traditional red wines that is believed to lower the risk of heart disease. Muscadine vines also exhibit a hardiness that allows them to withstand the South's climate and resist common diseases that usually attack wine grapes, unlike American and European grape species. With a significant rise in demand, along with their hardiness, this plant has the potential to become an important crop in the South, possibly creating new jobs and boosting the region's economy.
