| Historically, muscadine grape vines and the | | | | Grapes were harvested in huge numbers and |
| resulting fruit were discovered and recognized as | | | | supplied the Mother Vineyard Winery with fruit to |
| a very important horticultural product, found | | | | ferment into 'Virginia Dare,' wine in Manteo, N.C. |
| growing in huge populations and proportions in the | | | | This famous wine was pink, aromatic and similar |
| United States from Delaware southward along the | | | | to port wine. |
| Atlantic Seaboard. The first record of muscadine | | | | "Virginia Dare" wine was produced and sold during |
| grape vine occurrence was posted in the ship | | | | the mid-1800's, before the Civil War, and later |
| logbook in the year 1524 by the navigator | | | | reported by its market representative Paul |
| Giovanni de Varrazzano, who was hired as a | | | | Garrett as "the finest wine in the world." As its |
| captain from Florence, Italy by the king of France | | | | marketing action soared after World War I, |
| to explore and report on the inhabitants and the | | | | "Virginia Dare" wine emerged as the best selling |
| habitat of the New World. Captain Verrazzano | | | | wine in the United States. |
| described a big "white grape" (scuppernong) that | | | | As early American explorers anticipated, |
| was growing in great profusion at a valley in Cape | | | | muscadine grapes were destined to become a |
| Fear, N.C. | | | | significant horticultural commodity in the United |
| Not only were muscadine grape vines used by | | | | States: today being also grown in Mexico and |
| the American Indians for fresh fruit and juice, but | | | | experimental trials of hybrid muscadines have |
| they were also dried as raisins and preserved as | | | | been initiated in many third world nations. |
| winter snacks, as reported by Captain John | | | | Muscadine vines are immune to practically all plant |
| Hawkins in 1565 from his sailing records from | | | | pests, such as fungus, bacteria, and nematodes, |
| Florida. | | | | and the grapes are not commonly damaged by |
| In 1775, William Bartram in his book, Travels, | | | | insects. There are approximately 50 distinct |
| reported muscadine grape vines that he had | | | | species of grapes found throughout the world and |
| observed were virogously growing near Mobile, Al. | | | | more than half of these are native to the United |
| "when ripe they are of various colours, and their | | | | States. Grapes are an ancient biblical fruit and |
| juice sweet and rich." He reported that American | | | | were extensively grown and cultivated in |
| Indians actively preserved these grapes as raisins | | | | vineyards by the ancient cultures of Egyptian, |
| by drying them over gentle fires and later in the | | | | Babylonian, Greek, Israeli, and Roman for fresh |
| sun and air and "store them up for provision," for | | | | eating and for juice production and wine |
| winter meals. | | | | manufacture. |
| U.S. President, Thomas Jefferson, planted | | | | Over many centuries of grape development, new |
| vineyards and harvested muscadines at his home | | | | diseases mutated and spread within European ( |
| at Monticello, and also, he established the fruit | | | | Vitus vinifera) vineyards and threatened the very |
| gardens at the White House in Washington, D.C. | | | | life and production of this very valuable |
| during the early 1800's. | | | | commercial crop that had fueled the economy of |
| Arthur Barlowe in the year, 1584, wrote to Sir | | | | many nations for centuries past. Vast vineyards |
| Walter Raleigh extolling upon landing in N.C. the | | | | of grapevines withered from newly developed, |
| fruitful land was "full of grapes, that I think in all | | | | infectious diseases, however, it was discovered |
| the world, the like abundance is not to be found." | | | | that European grapevines could be grafted onto |
| Responding to that letter the following year, 1585, | | | | American native grapevines to overcome these |
| Sir Walter Raleigh described the mother-vine of | | | | devastating and destructive problems. Another |
| the scuppernong (white grape) muscadine with a | | | | solution to the European plagues of grapevines |
| base thickness of the grape vine stalk of two | | | | was to intercross the two trans-continental |
| feet through, and the huge vine covered ½ | | | | species to form hybrid resistant hybrids. |
| acre coiling up tree trunks growing 60 feet tall. | | | | |