Grapes Victoria Red

Vitis ‘Victoria Red’

Characteristics

Culture

Victoria Red grapes were named a 2017 Texas Superstar plant by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horticulturalists after years of field trials around the state. “It fits the bill for a Texas Superstar plant,” said Dr. Larry Stein, Agrilife Extension horticulturist, Uvalde. “It’s tolerant to disease, productive and fruit quality is high. It requires a little management but is a very well adapted plant with great aesthetics and flavor.”

Noteworthy Characteristics

The University of Arkansas, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Tarkington Vineyards have released a Pierce’s disease (PD) tolerant grape variety named ‘Victoria Red’. Evaluated as Arkansas 1475, ‘Victoria Red’ was bred in 1971. It has been shown to be very tolerant to Pierce’s disease (Xylella fastidiosa) referred to as “PD”. The most significant characteristic of ‘Victoria Red’ is its sustained health, vigor and productivity in Coastal Texas, an area of the United States with extremely high Pierce’s disease (PD) pressure. The Tarkington Vineyards’ location is approximately 40 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and has very intense Pierce’s disease (PD) pressure. Vines at this location were vigorous and productive for twenty years while all other susceptible varieties died rapidly from PD.

Victoria Red is a seeded grape with both large berries and clusters that are attractive and quite long with a bright red skin color. Clusters can reach 1 foot in length and berries are typically the size of 50cent pieces. Average cluster weight at Tarkington Vineyards near Victoria, TX exceeded one pound. 

Problems

A major limitation of this variety can be its lack of cold hardiness as it routinely suffered cane and trunk injury in West-Central Arkansas. However, it has been grown successfully in the Lubbock area, but obviously has some occasional freeze damage.

Uses

‘Victoria Red’ is recommended primarily as a fresh-fruit cultivar in USDA hardiness zones 7b or warmer. ‘Victoria Red’ is typically a two seeded berry with an occasional third seed trace. In addition to yield and quality potential, ‘Victoria Red’ has loose clusters which appears to make it resistant to bunch rot organisms common on more tightly clustered varieties.

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Courtesy of Texas Superstar.com and Texas A&M Agrilife Today