It was extensively used in breeding by Elmer Swenson, with its Vitis riparia background providing a degree of adaptation to the harsh climate of the upper Midwest.
Although recorded as a cross of Beta by Witt, many have doubted this pedigree, and Swenson suggested that the male parent may be Jessica, a cross of Vitis labrusca by a variety of Vitis aestivalis.
Because Witt appears to have been lost, precluding genetic testing, the truth may not be known.
This fruit-related article is a stub.
You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.This wine grape–related article is a stub.