Vitis vinifera Lilla

The 'Lilla' Table Grape produces medium-sized clusters, which are quite short and more or less compact, weighing between 400 and 500 grams. They are composed of ovoid to olive-shaped grapes, with a shiny skin that starts off greenish-white and turns yellowish-white when ripe, covered in a whitish bloom. The grape is crunchy, with a thin skin and juicy, aromatic flesh. Astringent and refreshing, grapes can be consumed fresh when ripe or transformed into fruit juice, jam, jelly, pastries and fruit salad. This variety is quite early, with harvesting starting at the end of August in the south and in September in the north.

The wine grape, in Latin Vitis vinifera, belongs to the Vitaceae family, just like the Virginia creeper. It has been cultivated for thousands of years in North Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Europe. Between 1000 and 500 BC, it was introduced by the Romans to Italy, Sicily, Spain, Portugal, and the south of France. During this ancient period, wines were diluted with water and flavored with herbs and spices. It is from the Middle Ages that we find wine as we know it today. In the 17th century, wine production shifted towards the search for higher quality wines, but at the end of the 19th century, phylloxera destroyed a large part of the French vineyards, and it is in the 20th century that the science of wine, oenology, emerged. This species is cultivated for its fruit in clusters called grapes, which can be consumed either fresh as table grapes, fermented into wine, or dried as raisins.

The 'Lilla' variety is an interspecific hybrid obtained around 1970 by Josef Csizmazia, a Hungarian breeder. Some believe it is the result of a cross between 'Villard Blanc' and another hybrid: 'Pannonia Kinsce' x 'Mathiasz Janos', while others believe it is a cross between 'Villard Blanc' x 'Olimpia' ('Italia' x 'Thallocsy lajos muskatoly'). It is found in Poland and Hungary and is still relatively unknown elsewhere. It forms a plant with long, sarmentous and voluble branches, called "canes" when they are old and lignified, reaching 4 to 6 metres (13 to 20 feet) in spread, or even more when trained. The young branches that bear the leaves, fruits, and tendrils allowing the vine to wrap around a support are called "shoots." Its root system can reach depths of up to 5 metres (16 feet) in the soil, providing the vine with good resistance to drought. The branches, carried by a twisted trunk with bark that peels off in strips with age, are very aesthetic. With remarkable longevity, the vine can live for several centuries. Its deciduous foliage consists of large leaves measuring 8 to 16 cm (3 to 6in) across, alternate, with 5 or 7 lobes and toothed edges, attached to the branches by a long petiole. They change from a tender green at bud burst to a medium green during the season, and in autumn they take on shades ranging from golden yellow to orange and reddish-purple, offering a very colourful spectacle. The very discreet flowering takes place in May-June. Opposite the leaves, it appears in the form of a 10 to 12 cm (4 to 5in) long cluster composed of insignificant small flowers, yellowish-green, with 5 prominent stamens. As a self-fertile variety, the hermaphroditic flowers self-pollinate. To form the cluster, the fleshy, globular berries are attached to the stem by small pedicels. The flower buds freeze at -2°C (28.4°F), but the relatively late flowering of this variety helps it to not be very susceptible to spring frosts. This hardy plant can be grown anywhere in cetral Europe, in sunny and warm locations, in well-drained, deep, even poor, dry, and calcareous soil.

The 'Lilla' Table Grape is a highly productive variety, with rapid fruiting, around 2 to 3 years, reaching its optimal yield after 7 to 8 years. However, it is advisable to prune it sparingly to avoid exhausting it. The harvest, uniform and abundant, takes place from late August to late September depending on the region and climate. It is important to pick the fruits only when they are ripe, as they do not ripen any further off the plant, and to carefully harvest the cluster on its pedicel using secateurs. One vine can produce between 20 and 30 kg per year, depending on how it is managed. Grapes can only be stored for a few days in a cool place or in the refrigerator.

Firm, juicy, and sweet, this table grape is delicious when eaten raw. It is also ideal for making jam, jelly, and fruit juice; for making clafoutis, cakes, flans, or loaves; for making fruit salads with other fruits; or for accompanying savory dishes based on poultry. It pairs perfectly with cheeses, endives, walnuts, and cured ham. Rich in carbohydrates (glucose and fructose) from 16 to 18 g per 100 g, grapes are a calorie-dense fruit (approx. 80 Cal/100 g). Their content of vitamins B (B2, B6) and C, phenolic antioxidants, dietary fibre, manganese, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron, make grapes a health asset. They are a healthy, natural, and delicious fruit.

In addition to its fruit-bearing capabilities, the 'Lilla' Table Grape can showcase its ornamental qualities when trained on a pergola, arbor, or wall. To enjoy table grapes from August to October, it can be interesting to associate it with other earlier varieties, such as: 'Chasselat doré', 'Chasselat rosé', 'Roi des précoces', 'Centennial Seedless', 'Perlette', 'Madeleine Royal', or later varieties: 'Dattier de Beyrouth', 'Italia', 'Muscat d’Alexandrie'. But in any case, among our wide range of grapevines, it is easy to find the one that best suits your desires.

For a more urban use, it is entirely possible to grow a grapevine in a pot on a balcony or terrace, trained in a warm location and pruned properly. In this configuration, the vine will be very ornamental.