| Family | Grape |
|---|---|
| Type | White, Regional (Hybrid) |
| Availability | Sold-out |
| Juice Price | $10.25 |
| Brix | 20.0 |
| pH | 2.81 |
Availability: Sep 28 - Oct 1
About Ravat 51 Grapes
Ravat 51, or “Vignoles”, is a white hybrid grape cross made by J.F. Ravat in 1930 between Seibel 6905 and Pinot de Corton grape varieties. Named Vignoles by the Finger Lakes Wine Growers Association in 1970, later genetic testing in 2008 has proved that Vignoles grapes do not share any major genetic similarities with Seibel 6905 or Pinot Noir. This actually means that the Vignoles grape variety is largely unrelated to the Ravat 51 grapevine that was imported into the United States in 1949 — and that the parentage of Vignoles grapes is currently a mystery.
Regardless of the name it is called, Vignoles vines are moderately vigorous and can produce fruits with adequate sugar for winemaking while retaining high acidity. The grape itself buds late on the vine, which helps it avoid being decimated by early spring frosts. The fruit of the Vignoles grape has a thick skin, allowing it to remain on the vine well into November (which allows it to be used to produce award-winning dessert-style wines with high acid and good balance). These features make it incredibly successful in cooler climates like Pennsylvania, New York, and other Eastern states and means that wines produced from Ravat 51/Vignoles grapes resemble Riesling or Chardonnay in character while having exceptional quality.
Flavor
Wines made from Ravat 51 grapes are typically described as being “crisp” wine with a nose resembling tropical fruit. Made into a semi-sweet or harvest wine, Vignoles can provide a pronounced floral taste with hints of apricots, pineapples, honey, peaches, orange rinds, melons, guava, and orange blossoms – all with a somewhat tart finish. It’s said that the tart taste is on par with acidic flavors found in almonds, honey, or liqueur.
Uses
Vignoles grapes are often prized for their ability to produce balanced and fruity late-harvest style sweet white wines (including ice wine), although Vignoles grapes are also used to produce fruity dry and off-dry white wines as well. If they are to be used in any variety of table wine, they are usually harvested the last week in September. Vignoles grapes are also very suitable for dessert wines and can be harvested late in the year for this purpose.
Recommendations:
Reduce acid by 0.3
