Vitis vinifera Palatina - Grape Vine

The Palatina vine is a hybrid variety of Hungarian origin, with a fairly upright and vigorous habit, capable of reaching a height of 4m (13ft) when trained on a trellis or arbour. This variety produces sweet, golden-yellow table grapes with Muscat notes, which are ready to be harvested around mid-September. The clusters of medium to large, loosely packed berries are not very susceptible to major vine diseases. This vine thrives in most neutral to limestone soils that are well-drained and sunny. It is very resistant to cold temperatures and drought.

The wine grape (Vitis vinifera) grew wild over 5000 years ago in North and Central America, Europe, and Central and Eastern Asia. The subspecies sylvestris still exists, and it is a climbing vine that grows on the edges of forests and can reach great heights in trees. The current varieties, known as grape varieties, are classified under the vinifera subspecies (although there are other cultivated species, but they are very rare). 

Palatina is a hybrid obtained through a cross-breeding performed in 1966 by three Hungarian breeders, between the Villard Blanc variety (credited to the Drôme-based company Seyve-Villard) and the Queen of the Vines (a Hungarian variety known by various names in different languages: Königin der Weingarten, Reina de la Vinas, Queen of the Vineyards, etc.).
This vigorous climbing woody vine with an erect habit can easily reach a height of 4m (13ft) and spread 3m (10ft) if not pruned. It needs to be trained on a trellis or arbour, which it can cover fairly quickly. Its foliage is a beautiful matte light green, with three or five-lobed leaves that are toothed along the edges. Like most grapes, it is self-fertile. Its flowering occurs in May-June, depending on the year and region, producing very small greenish hermaphroditic flowers.
These flowers develop into medium to large, loosely packed clusters. The berries are medium to large, oval-shaped, initially greenish-yellow and ripening to golden yellow, with a bronze hue on the side exposed to the sun. These fruits are ready to be harvested around mid-September. With a fairly thick skin that gives them a crunchy texture, these berries are sweet with a pleasant hint of Muscat flavour. This variety is highly resistant to diseases, particularly powdery mildew. It is advisable to perform summer green pruning to remove certain leaves so that the grapes are exposed to the sun and can develop their golden colour, which is a sign of their taste quality.
This vine is very hardy (to -25°C (-13°F)) and grows best in full sun, in neutral to limestone, even slightly acidic, well-drained soil. Ordinary soil, even rocky, is sufficient, as it is resistant to drought. Soil that is too rich, or excessive fertilization will promote vegetative growth more than fruit production. Simply provide organic fertiliser after harvest to store reserves for the winter. Your vine will use these reserves to start afresh in the following spring.

Palatina grapes can be consumed as table grapes or juice, for example in a vitamin-packed fruit cocktail for breakfast. In general, grapes are rich in vitamin B, a source of fibre and manganese, and they are well-supplied with antioxidants. They are also believed to play a role in preventing cardiovascular diseases, and above all, they are a healthy, natural, and delicious dessert. To create unique fruit salads, sow Peruvian Ground Cherry (Physalis peruviana) at the end of spring to harvest its amazing orange fruits from August to October. To enjoy grapes over a long period, plant other varieties of grapevines with staggered ripening times.