Niagara

Upstate New York's favorite grape

Posted by Evan Muday on 2023 January 3

Niagara is a white grape variety that is widely grown in the United States and Canada. It is known for its sweet, fruity flavors and is often used to make dessert wines and sparkling wines.

Niagara grapes are large and round, with greenish-white skin and juicy, sweet flesh. They have aromas of honey, peach, and pear, and flavors of grapefruit and honeydew melon. The grapes have a high sugar content and low acidity, which makes them well-suited for sweet wine production.

In the United States, Niagara grapes are grown primarily in the Finger Lakes region of New York and the Lake Erie region of Ohio and Pennsylvania. In Canada, they are grown in the Niagara Peninsula and the Okanagan Valley. The grape is also grown in some other regions, including New Jersey and Michigan.

Niagara grapes are often used to make sweet, fruity wines that are enjoyed as a dessert wine or aperitif. In the United States, Niagara wines are typically labeled as either "Niagara" or "Niagara White", while in Canada they are labeled as "Niagara" or "Niagara Icewine". The grapes can also be used to make sparkling wines, such as Asti Spumante and Moscato d'Asti.

See the Niagara Icewine Festival: https://niagarawinefestival.com/

Overall, Niagara is a versatile grape variety that is widely grown in North America and used to make a range of sweet and sparkling wines. Its characteristic sweet, fruity flavors make it a popular choice among wine lovers.