Rochefort grape

Origin: Talisman x Cardinal + mixture of pollen) – amateur selection.

Rochefort grape – a table grape variety of extra-early ripening (95-105 days), created by the Russian breeder E.G. Pavlovsky. Vines are very vigorous; a single vine can have up to 30 shoots. Shoot maturation is good, practically along the entire length. Flower is bisexual; flowering begins in early June.

Bunches large, 500–700 g, conical, moderately compact. Berries round or slightly oval, large, 8–12 g (20 g), 28×26 mm, dark red in color, becoming black when overripe. Skin of medium thickness, not noticeable when eating. Flesh of medium density, juicy, fleshy, with a pleasant varietal taste and muscat aroma. Sugar content 15–18%, with acidity 6–7 g/l. Yield and transportability are high.

Frost hardiness: buds in the eyes withstand down to -23 °C

Location: not demanding on soil, but grows better on light, sufficiently moist ground. The plant is drought-resistant. Prefers sunny sites protected from strong winds.

Planting and care: similar to those for cultivated grapevine.

Pruning: optimal load per vine 30–35 buds. Prune fruiting canes to 6–8 buds.

Diseases and pests: resistance to downy mildew 3–3.5 points, to powdery mildew – 2.5–3.0 points

Propagation: rooting of cuttings is good

Use: Fruits are consumed fresh, have good transportability and an excellent marketable appearance. In agronomic and commercial characteristics and in reliability it surpasses many other varieties. Recommended for cultivation in protected (covered) culture.