Kay Gray

Kay Gray is a white grape variety. It is a new breed between ES 217 x unknown strain because of open faded. The crossing was made in 1965 by Elmer Swenson on his own farm near Osceola, Wisconsin. For mounting Kay Gray has been released since 1981.

It is a very complex breeding in the genes of Vitis labrusca and Vitis wild vines riparia are available. Is named the variety after Dick Gray, former director of the Minnesota Freshwater Biological Institute and friend of Swenson. Kay Gray later went into the new varieties Louise Swenson and Brianna. The white wines are neutral and are barely above the level of a table wine also.

Planting of early maturing varieties are known in the U.S. state of South Dakota ( Viticulture in South Dakota), as well as in Canada.

Elmer Swenson was looking for earlier maturing and hardy varieties that are suitable for the northern United States. Kay Gray is down to -35 degrees Fahrenheit ( - 37 ° C) hardy and can temporarily even lower temperatures. Prone is the variety resistant to the fungal disease powdery mildew, downy mildew and black rot.

Normally precious vines have hermaphrodite flowers and are thus self-pollinator. Wild vines and most American vines are dioecious. You have plants with male or female flowers. For fertilization, therefore, it always requires a male and a female plant. The same is true for the variety Kay Gray.

See also the article viticulture in the United States and viticulture in Canada and the list of grape varieties.

Ethnicity ES 217 (Minnesota 78 x Golden Muscat) open faded. When the father places it could be the old variety Onaka. A confirmation of this assumption is still pending.