Growing Zones

Wine grapes grow almost exclusively between thirty and fifty degrees north or south of the equator. The world's most southerly vineyards are in the South Island of New Zealand near the 45th parallel. However, the world's most northerly vineyard is Blaxsta Vingård in Flen, Sweden, just above the 59th parallel. As a rule, grapevines prefer a relatively long growing season of 100 days or more with warm daytime temperatures (not above 95°F/35°C) and cool nights (a difference of 40°F/23°C or more).

This U.S. Department of Agriculture's Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows in detail the lowest temperatures that can be expected each year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These temperatures are referred to as "average annual minimum temperatures" and are based on the lowest temperatures recorded for each of the years 1974 to 1986 in the United States and Canada and 1971 to 1984 in Mexico. The map shows 10 different zones, each of which represents an area of winter hardiness for the plants of agriculture and our natural landscape. It also introduces zone 11 to represent areas that have average annual minimum temperatures above 40 F (4.4 C) and that are therefore essentially frost free.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is in the process of creating another version of the hardiness map using new mapping technology and an extended set of meteorological data. The new version of the revised map will include 15 plant hardiness zones to reflect growing regions for sub-tropical and tropical plants.

Source: USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 1475.  Issued January 1990, "Plant Hardiness Zone Map".

American & American Hybrids (Unless otherwise noted, all grown in zones 5-8 and are cane pruned.): Alden; Beta; Blue Lake; Buffalo; Campell Early (Island Bell); Canadice (zone 5-7); Captivator; Catawba (z. 5-7); Champanelle; (z. 5-9); Concord (hardy in z. 4); Delaware; Diamond (White diamond); Edelweiss; Fredonia (Early Concord; z. 4-9); Glenora; Golden Muscat; Himrod; Interlaken Seedless; Ives; Kay Gray; King of the North; Lake Emerald (z. 7-9); Mars (Mars Seedless); Moore Early (hardy in z. 4); Moored; Niabell (z. 5-9); Niagara (White Concord; z. 5-7); Ontario (z. 6-8); Portland; Price; Reliance; Schuyler (z. 7-9); Seneca; St. Croix; Steuben; Stover (hardy only to z. 7); Suffolk Red; Van Buren; Worden.
 
Muscadines (All can be grown in zones 7-9.):
Carlos; Doreen; Fry; Higgins; Jumbo; Magnolia; Nesbitt; Noble; Scuppernong; Sterling; Sugargate; Summit; Triumph.
 
European grapes & interspecies Hybrids (Unless otherwise noted, all can be grown in zones 7-9 and all are spur pruned):
Aurore; Baco Noir; Black Monukka; Cardinal; Chancellor; Chardonnay; Chenin Blanc (Needs 100 chill hrs.); De Chaunac; Emperor; Flame Seedless (z. 7-10); Foch (Marechal Foch; z. 7); Perlette (needs 100 chill hrs.); Seyval (Seyval-Villard); Thompson Seedless; Tokay (Flame Tokay (needs 100 chill hrs.); Verdelet; Villard Blanc; Zinfandel (needs 100 chill hrs.).

Varieties and Hybrids listed under the recommended regions that they will grow well in.
(Note: These are general regions. Other micro-regions exist within these broad regions)

	North-West US Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming Zones 3a - 9b represented Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, Campell Early (Island Blue); Diamond; Fredonia; Glenora; Himrod; Interlaken Seedless; Moored; Seneca; Suffolk Red.
	North-Midwest US Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota,South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming Zones 2b - 6a represented Beta; Edelweiss; Fredonia; King of the North; Reliance; St. Croix; Worden.
	North-East US Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia,Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire,New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia Zones 2a - 7b represented Buffalo; Canadice; Captivator; Catawba; Concord; Delaware; Fredonia; Moore Early; Niagara; Ontario; Steuben; Van Buren; Worden. European grapes - Aurore; Baco Noir; Chancellor; Foch (Marechal Foch); Seyve-Villard; Verdelet; Villard Blanc.
	South-West US Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah Zones 5b - 10b represented Black Monukka; Cardinal, Emperor; Flame Seedless; Golden Muscat; Niabell; Perlette; Thompson Seedless; Tokay
	South-Midwest US Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana,Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas Zones 4b - 9b represented Blue Lake; Champanelle; Doreen; Fredonia; Fry; Higgins; Ives; Jumbo; Lake Emerald; Magnolia; Portland; Pride; Scuppernong; Stover.
	South-East US Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina,South Carolina, Tennessee Zones 5b through 10b represented Blue Lake; Champanelle; Doreen; Fredonia; Fry; Higgins; Ives; Jumbo; Lake Emerald; Magnolia; Portland; Pride; Scuppernong; Stover.