Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 22

A mighty
Georgia leads the nation in production of muscadines, the state's official grape
By Jane F. Garvey
fine vine
G
eorgia is the largest grower
of muscadine grapes in the
U.S. with about 1,100 planted
acres, according to Georgia Grown, the
marketing division of the Georgia
Department of Agriculture. This
beloved grape is a backyard favorite,
and Gov. Brian Kemp proclaimed the
muscadine as the official state grape
beginning Jan. 1, 2021.
Muscadines, Vitis rotundifolia
(round leaf), are native to the
Southeast and are impervious to the
diseases, insect threats and climate
issues that attack Vitis vinifera, the
grapes used to make Chardonnay and
Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
The thick skin of muscadines
provides natural resistance to diseases,
fungi and pests and accounts for
about 40 percent of the grape's weight.
Its skin also contains healthy
antioxidants.
The fragrant grapes are common
Above: The Paulk
family has farmed
in Wray for six
generations.
Right: In addition
to products from
Paulk Vineyards,
the family sells
muscadine-based
Muscadine preserves, jellies and
syrups often can be found at farm
stands, apple houses and vineyards
around the state.
Because there are many different
cultivars, muscadines vary widely in
taste. The most widely planted variety
is Carlos, which makes white wine, and
Noble, for red wine. Muscadines are
used in still or sparkling wines, dry or
sweet wines, and even may be
fortified to craft Port-like sippers.
One variety called Tara, a bronze
in backyard gardens and also grow
wild in the woods. Muscadine colors
include dark purple (almost black),
green, bronze and shades in between.
Scuppernongs are a bronze/green
variety of muscadine.
In Georgia, muscadine season runs July through October.
health supplements under its Nobility
Products brand.
grape, has broad appeal. The similarity
of Tara wines to some Vitis vinifera
white wines could
explain its popularity,
says Greg Ison,
president of the
Georgia Muscadine
Association. His family
owns Ison's Nursery
and Vineyard in
Brooks, the largest
grower of muscadine
vines in the world.
" Our history with
[muscadines] dates back 90 years to
1934, when our grandfather, Grady
Ison, planted the first muscadine vine
The grapes are harvested for fresh fruit, wines and other
products, such as jams, jellies and juices. Cooking with
muscadine wine is common, but the fruit also can be used in
sorbets, quick breads, cakes, pies and fruit crisps.
Several family farms offer U-Pick opportunities, sell cartons
of harvested grapes at local farm stands and ship to grocery
stores across the Southeast. Visit bit.ly/muscadinesga for a list
of locations.
22 Georgia Magazine October 2024
on our farm, " says Darlene Ison-Evans, who runs the nursery
and vineyard along with brother Greg and sister Janet.
Ison's business started as a mail-order nursery. In the 1960s
their dad, Bill Ison, and former University of Georgia horticulturist
B.O. Fry began breeding muscadines to improve the
grapes' size, taste and crop yields. Today Ison's Nursery holds
patents for 22 muscadine varieties, many of which are grown by
backyard enthusiasts, wineries and U-Pick operations.
For an example of wine made from the Tara variety, check
COURTESY PAULK VINEYARDS
COURTESY PAULK VINEYARDS
COURTESY PAULK VINEYARDS
http://bit.ly/muscadinesga
Georgia Magazine - October 2024

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