Vitis vinifera Agata - Grape vine

The 'Agata' vine is a variety of seedless black muscat of unknown origin, cultivated in Switzerland and Italy. It is useful for its natural resistance to diseases, without treatments. This vine produces clusters of black grapes that are not very large, but the berries have an original sweet flavour with a slight taste of raspberry. The harvest takes place, depending on the region, the year, and the climate, from August 25th to September 25th. This vine requires little maintenance while remaining attractive and tasty. It naturally grows well on a pergola or arbour.

Vitis 'Agata' is a deciduous fruiting climbing plant belonging to the Vitaceae family, like all vines. One of its ancestors is Vitis vinifera, a species cultivated since time immemorial in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. This hybrid probably also possesses the genes of Vitis labrusca, a North American species that has passed on its natural resistance to phylloxera, which parasitises the roots of European vines. Its grapes have also inherited the thick skin of this parent, as well as its particular flavour, described as "foxy" when vinified. When tasted fresh, they offer a delicate red fruit aroma to the palate.

The 'Agata' vine develops twining stems with tendrils that can exceed 4 metres in length over time. It forms a trunk, often knotty and twisted, covered with fibrous, brown bark that flakes off in strips as it ages. Its long green stems bear beautiful round leaves with serrated edges, medium green , turning yellow before falling in autumn. It blooms in late spring, in May, earlier or later depending on the region, in the form of dense, pyramidal to cylindrical clusters, loaded with tiny nectar-rich green flowers. After pollination by bees, the berries that we call grapes are formed. The clusters of the 'Agata' vine are quite small (weighing about 200 grams), cylindrical and moderately compact. They are composed of small grapes with thick blackish-purple skin. Their green, tender, seedless, juicy, and sweet flesh, reveals a raspberry aroma. This variety is very hardy, resistant to diseases, and easy to grow in any well-drained garden soil. It is pruned in late winter, after frost, above 3 buds (dormant buds) to promote the formation of new flowering shoots.

Planted in the sun, the 'Agata' vine will be very decorative along a wall, on an arbour, a pergola, in the ground, or a large container on a terrace. This vigorous variety is also widely planted for garden ornamentation, thanks to its decorative foliage.