Cascade is a red complexhybrid grape variety that was created by FrenchviticulturistAlbert Seibel in the early 20th century inAubenas,Ardèche, in theRhône Valley. It has been commercially available in North America since 1938 and has since been planted inCanada and theUnited States (particularlyNew York). However, in warmer climates, the grape is highly susceptible to a number ofgrapevine viruses, which has discouraged plantings of the variety.[1]
Cascade is aSeibel grape, being produced from a crossing ofSeibel 7042 andGloire de Seibel by the French viticulturist Albert Seibel in the early 1930s.[1] The variety was first released for commercial production in 1938. Known originally as Seibel 13053, the grape was given the name "Cascade" by theFinger Lakes Wine Growers Association in 1970.[2] The exact reasoning behind the name is unclear, with some winegrowers speculating that the name came from the way that the highly productive vine would have fruit "cascading off the vine" like a waterfall even fromwater sprouts andsuckers.[3]
Cascade is considered an interspecific "complex hybrid", meaning that within its pedigree are grape varieties from several species of theVitisgenus. Taken together the pedigree of Cascade includes varieties from theVitis vinifera,Vitis labrusca,Vitis rupestris,Vitis rotundifolia andVitis lincecumii species.[1]
Seibel 7042 is acrossing of Seibel 5351 and Seibel 6268. Gloire de Seibel is a cross of Seibel 867 and Seibel 452. From these parent and grandparent varieties, Cascade is descended fromConcord,Chasselas Musqué and theVitis viniferateinturier grapeAlicante Bouschet (great-grandparents to Seibel 5351). Cascade also has extended relations with anothervinifera teinturierAlicante Ganzin (grandparent to Seibel 452) and theMunson grape (great-grandparent to Seibel 452). Thephylloxera-resistancerootstock varietyRupestris du Lot is also related to Cascade as a grandparent variety to Seibel 452.[1]
In Canada, Cascade was crossed with the whiteVillard grape Seyve-Villard at theUniversity of Guelph Horticultural Research Institute of Ontario to produce the white wine grapeL'Acadie blanc.[1]
Cascade is a veryearly ripening variety that can be very productive and highyielding. The color of the grape berry skins can have a bright blue hue.[4] It is a moderately winter hardy vine able to withstand winter temperature down to −10 °F (−23 °C).[2] The grape carries strawberry notes and aromas. It bears heavily (over 50 lbs per vine is common) and in the opinion of some growers "can't be overcropped" (meaning it does not lose its varietal character with higher yields as other varieties such as Pinot Noir do).
However, while its loose-berry clusters tend to have good resistance to fungal infections (such asdowny andpowdery mildew), in some climates the vine is highly prone to a number of soil-borne viral grapevine disease such astomato ringspot virus which creates yellow veins in the leaves, stunts the growth of shoots and causesfruit clusters not to set properly.[1][5]
In 1975 there were 183 acres (74hectares) of Cascade planted in New York state but the relatively poor quality of wine produced from the grape and its susceptibility to grapevine disease has caused many producers touproot those plantings.[1] Today there are some plantings of Cascade inVirginia where the variety is usually ready forharvest by mid-August.[2] Cascade may be a useful grape in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S.
According toMaster of WineJancis Robinson, Cascade tends to producelight bodied wines that are very low inacid.[1] While it is rarely made as avarietal, though it can be used inrosé production, it is often blended with other hybridgrape varieties such asMaréchal Foch andBaco noir, contributing to the perfumearoma of the wine.[2]
As a relatively recently created hybrid variety, Cascade is not known under many synonyms with only S 13053 and Seibel 13053 being recognized by theVitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC).[6]
