To me Higgins, blsck beauty and triumph are very tasty. When I lived in Nederland TX I had all 3 growing and they were quite productive. the only care they were given was an annual pruning.

My muscadines have started ripening a week or two ago. Supreme, a black variety, ripens first, but I don't get many until enough are ripening to more than satisfy the local bird population. I have used scare tape for the birds, which seems to help a little, but didn't put it up this year.

The racoons and oppossums can be a problem also, but I put an electrified wire about 8" from the ground, which stops them.


Ned

To keep the birds (especially Robins) from eating my grapes, I cover each row with bird netting. I purchase the netting from Jim's Supply Company, Inc. Bakersfield, CA. The netting comes 14-ft. wide X 5,000 ft. long. It works great, and gives 100 percent protection, with absolutely no loss of fruit. At the end of the season, just pull the netting off and throw it away. - Millet (1,270-)

Thanks for the tip Millet.

Buddingman, the ones I like best right now (that is subject to change) are Supreme, Janebell. Both bear well here and tasted very good. Stan went on a little muscadine testing tour up where he lives a year or so ago (which I think was hosted by Clemson U.), and of all the ones he tasted, he like Sweet Jenny best, so I now have one of those.

I also have a Southern Home, which is supposed to be a muscadine-bunch grape cross. I haven't tasted it, but I am told it is basically a bronze muscadine in appearance taste. The foliage is more deeply lobed than a typical muscadine.


Ned

I don't know what kind of muscadine I have,started ripening two week ago.I had 3 bushes before ,but two of them I dug out ,because flavor been not good for me.

This is my muscadine

I will have to get my sister to check the vines we picked last year--I just seem to remember September.

I have a brother that has the large bronze Scuppernongs that are very good--but I have not made wine with them. I understand that they actually make a better wine that the muscadines.

Here are some thing that you may not know about muscadines.
Karl

http://www.themothervine.com/history.php

Glad to hear they are loaded with resveratrol!

Here in SW Florida, we have the wild progenitor of muscadine everywhere. They take a long time to fruit, and the fruit is much smaller, but it's abundant and delicious. I went to South Carolina and tasted the domesticated kind, and I hated it. I like the wild kind much, much better. Go figure.

Skeet
If you want to share that Muscadine wine recipe here, I promise not to tell anyone.
Karl

This is from my notes on the latest batch:

11 # Muscadines (Frozen)
2 3/4 # Sugar
4 1/2 Qts of water
1 1/2 tsp pectinase (aka Pectin enzyme)
1 1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 camden tablet

combine everything above in an open bucket--squeeze muscadines to expose pulp--(I just did this by hand)--cover with a towel and let set 24 hr. Measure specific gravity--should be above 1.090 (mine was 1.108)

After 24 hr, add one pack of rehydrated wine yeast (I used K1-V1116) and stir daily. When Specific gravity has dropped to about 1.020, Transfer
to a appropriate size container with an airlock (This batch was about 1.5 gallons, so I used 2-- 3 L wine bottles)

This recipe was adjusted up from the 1 gallon recipe for the total quantity of muscadines I had (I think the original recipe called for 6# per gallon).

My starting pH was 3.38 which is a good starting point--It should be below 3.6 and above 3.0.

Thanks for sharing!

Since we are talking about muscadines in the South Eastern part of the United States, many on this post might not know that there is a muscadine vineyard located in Charleston. The Irvin House Vineyards which are located on 48 acres is the only domestic winery in Charleston. Irvin House Vineyards grows muscadines, harvest them, produces the wine and bottles it on site. There are 5 different varieties of their muscadine wines for tasting and enjoyment when one takes their tour. In fact, I have an appointment there on Friday April 9, 2010. I'll have to stop by Lazz's house, and once again see how his trees have grown since the last time I visited. - Millet (1,233-)

Yes I have been by the place a few times, never stopped in. It is on Wadmalaw Island. I love muscadines. Ned has a very nice muscadine growing down at his place.