Florida Vineyards or should I say what varietal grow in Florida?
Traditionally, grapes are cultivated in each region based on geographic conditions, and not necessarily on which wine is is most popular in the market. In this regard, American winemakers in the southeast and Gulf states have been limited in the grapes that they can cultivate because the humid conditions of their terrior promote the development of Pierce's disease. Vitis Viniferia grapes are particularly susceptible to this disease, in which bacteria attacks the "water conducting" elements of the vines (xylem). Thus wine growers in this region were primarily dependent on growing native Muscadine grapes, which were mostly resistant to the disease. Researchers at the University of Florida’s Leesburg Research Station, began a program to create a new grape that was fully resistant to Pierce's disease. Led by Dr. John Mortenson, in 1968, the team was able to develop a complex hybrid grape from crossing a Florida-developed muscadine hybrid with the Cardinal (a Vinifera hybrid) table grape. They called this new white grape Blanc Du Bois, and claimed that is was completely resistant to the destructive disease. For the past two decades, southern winemakers have validated this claim by producing dry, fruity Blanc Du Bois wines, many which have won medals in international competitions. Florida was it's original birthplace.
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