
Many years ago, a close friend's mother gave me a jar of wild grape jam. I was shocked at how strong and delicious it was. Since she lived in the heart of Welsh's Concord grape country, I asked her why she bothered to collect the teeny wild grapes when she was surrounded by Concord grapes. The one word answer, "Flavor". The dark blue color and intense density of grape flavor made me start to taste test wild grapes where ever I went especially on family vacations. One place that yielded some interesting high yielding seedlings was Waugoshance Point near Sturgeon Bay, Lake Michigan west of Mackinaw City in northern Michigan. On this wind and water swept, rock strewn shallow peninsula had quite a few grapes skipping along the rocks. I thought maybe the flavor was due to the pure water and high mineral content of the soil. I selected a couple of the best seedlings from this group and put them in an arbor at the farm. They have been fruiting since 2021.
Blue Blaze High yielding selection that is lower in tartaric acid than most wild grapes. It is possible to enjoy these fresh too. Blue Blaze is not quite as tart as most wild grapes. Produces a incredibly dark blue juice rich in antioxidants. Incredibly vigorous vine, this selection needs twice the space as most cultivated grapes. Fruit is produced densely along the canes. Fruit clusters are small and loose but more densely packed with grapes compared to most wild grapes. Selected for its flavor and yield, Blue Blaze is one of only a few of 'pure' wild grape species that can be grown for juice, jelly and syrup production.
Order comes with seeds and cuttings for rooting.
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