Two new varieties of muscadine grape species to see release this fall, expand growing season

Two new varieties of muscadine not only promise a longer growing season but also recall two Arkansas icons, both names trademarked: Altus, the state's wine capital, and Mighty Fine, a name that describes its flavor and a favorite phrase of retired fruit breeder John Clark.

Altus and Mighty Fine are being released this fall by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Margaret Worthington, director of the Fruit Breeding Program for the experiment station, noted that although muscadines are known for being susceptible to damage when exposed to cold temperatures, both new varieties stand out for their ability to withstand colder weather compared to other muscadine varieties.

"I think it's an opportunity for Arkansas producers to expand what they're doing with different fruit crops," said Worthington, who is also an associate professor of horticulture with the experiment station, the research arm of the U of A System Division of Agriculture, and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the U of A.

"Muscadines are a nice fall crop, which makes them a good option for a berry grower wanting to spread out the labor and harvest throughout a longer season," she said.

Mighty Fine

The first variety, named Mighty Fine, will be a black, seeded, fresh-market release, meaning it will be sold as a fresh fruit like table grapes. Mighty Fine performed very favorably in consumer trials when compared to the accepted quality standard for muscadines, the Supreme cultivar, Worthington said.

The Mighty Fine muscadine is larger in size, and among 58 field day attendees in 2022 who sampled it, it was ranked as the favorite by 37%, coming in ahead of Supreme and two other genotypes researchers were considering releasing.

Worthington also said the new variety is self-pollinating and can produce fruit without needing another pollinizing variety.

Why "Mighty Fine?" Worthington said a grower suggested the name to her at a field day years ago. She said she liked it because it rhymes with muscadine and is a phrase frequently used by Clark, former director of the Arkansas Fruit Breeding Program and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of horticulture, who began the program's muscadine breeding in 2006.

Altus

The other new release, named Altus, is also black, seeded and cold hardy, but is smaller in size and targeted for wine and juice production.

Altus, in Franklin County, is home to many of the state's wineries and has hosted wine production since the late 1800s.

Hot- and cold-pressed juices produced from Altus muscadines were compared by 66 consumers to those from the Noble cultivar, the most widely planted black muscadine for wine and juice production, and Altus scored higher with consumers liking it for flavor, sourness and overall impression.

Renee Threlfall, an associate professor of enology and viticulture with the Division of Agriculture and Bumpers College, was a co-inventor of the Altus variety and noted it can bring floral notes to beverages.

Worthington credited Arkansas' Post Winery in Altus for being involved with the variety trials.

"I always really value when an industry partner is willing to trial new cultivars, so it's nice to have somebody like Post look at the vines and see things they like in them," she said.

Worthington noted that many wineries in the southeast U.S. make muscadine wine. In Arkansas, those include Post, Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, Mount Bethel Winery and Rusty Tractor Vineyards.

Muscadine wines are a serious business in Arkansas with a solid following. Muscadine wines earned top scores in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Arkansas Quality Wine competitions.

Those interested in purchasing these muscadine plants or Arkansas Fruit Breeding Program blackberries, grapes or peaches and nectarines, can find a list of licensed nurseries online.

"We are all excited about our first two muscadine releases," said Parker Cole, associate director of technology commercialization for the U of A System Division of Agriculture. "Mighty Fine and Altus are great varieties and are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Fruit Breeding Program team to deliver new varieties for producers."

Looking forward

Worthington noted that the breeding program is also working on seedless varieties, which consumers can look forward to in the years to come.

"I am very hopeful to see the muscadine industry grow in Arkansas," she said. "I think they're a really nice, adapted crop here, and I'm surprised I don't see as many muscadines being grown and eaten here as I did in North Carolina, where I'm from."