Grapevine (Vitis spp.) SUPAGA

Grapevine (Vitis spp.) 'Supaga'

One of the best northern varieties with international acclaim—extraordinarily frost-hardy, high-yielding, and excellent in taste.

The 'Supaga' variety is the pride of Latvian breeding and, in many respects, even surpasses its famous sister 'Sukribe'. It is an exceptionally vital vine that has gained popularity from Scandinavia to the USA. It offers large, sweet, and highly aromatic berries where the typical "wild" flavor of North American varieties is subtly suppressed in favor of a delicious dessert taste. Thanks to its extreme resilience, it is ideal for covering walls and for producing high-quality wine without unnecessary chemicals.

Main advantages of the variety:

• High frost hardiness: Safely withstands freezes down to -25 °C (-13 °F); no winter covering needed.
• Early ripening: Ripens reliably even in short summers (115 - 120 days), often by late August.
• Excellent taste: Large, sweet berries with a refined, noble aroma.
• Enormous yield: With good care, a single vine can provide up to 25 kg of grapes.
• Self-fertile, very vigorous growth, and excellent wood ripening.

Origin and Registration

• Origin: Latvia (Dviete). Breeder: Pauls Sukatnieks.
• Crossing: Sister variety to 'Sukribe'. Created by crossing the European variety 'Madeleine Angevine' and the North American 'Dvietes Zilā'. Officially registered in Latvia and Sweden.

Variety Characteristics

Vine / Shrub

• Vigor and Habit: Very strong and vigorous growth. Shoots ripen exceptionally well in the autumn.
• Garden Use: Due to its vitality, it is perfect for greening building walls, gazebos, or growing on high trellises.
• Pollination: The variety is fully self-fertile.

Bunches and Berries

• Bunches: Medium to large (150 - 400 g), conical in shape and moderately dense.
• Berries: Large (approx. 3.5 - 4.8 g), round in shape with a greenish-yellow color and a waxy coating. Contain 1 to 3 seeds.
• Taste and Composition: Exceptionally sweet and aromatic. It has a suppressed V. labrusca flavor, making it an excellent dessert grape. Sugar content reaches 14 to 18%, or up to 23% in peak conditions.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost: Withstands frosts down to -25 °C (-13 °F). It is perfectly adapted to northern climates and requires no winter protection.
• Diseases: Shows medium to good resistance to downy and powdery mildew. Basic prophylactic treatment before and after blooming is recommended.
• Location: Requires a sunny spot, ideally protected from northern winds. Thrives best in slightly acidic soils.

Cultivation Recommendations (Pruning and Thinning)

• Pruning: A short pruning to 4 - 6 buds is recommended. The total load should be 30 - 40 buds per vine.
• Yield Regulation: Due to extreme productivity, thinning the bunches is necessary (maintaining a reasonable number of clusters per shoot) to maintain berry size and wood quality.

Harvest and Use

• Harvest Time: Early variety. Ripens in early September, or even late August in sunny years.
• Use: Universal—premium table grape for fresh consumption, as well as excellent material for making aromatic white wine.