There are several hundred widely different cultivars of grapes grown in the United States. The cultivars are grouped into four types: (1) European (Vitis vinifera), (2) American (Vitis labrusca and its derivatives), (3) Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia) and (4) French hybrids, crosses of V. vinifera cultivars with disease-resistant wild American species.

The European grape has been difficult to grow in West Virginia because it is very susceptible to cold injury and requires long, warm summers for proper fruit maturation. Disease and insect susceptibility are also serious problems with V. vinifera types. With proper site selection and training systems to allow recovery from winter damage, European grapes can be grown in some areas of West Virginia. Wineries prefer vinefera grapes for wine production and will often pay a premium price for them.

The American grape typified by the cultivar Concord is winter hardy and disease resistant. American grapes are the most commonly grown grapes east of the Rocky Mountians. Many new cultivars of excellent seedless table grapes, very different from Concord, have been developed.

Muscadine grapes are most commonly grown in the south because they are only hardy where temperatures rarely fall below 10 oF (-12 oC). Few places in West Virginia meet this requirement. The fruit and culture of Muscadine grapes is different from other grapes and will not be covered in this paper.

French hybrids are usually superior to American types for wine and are more cold hardy and disease resistant than European types. Several of these cultivars have been tested in West Virginia for their adaptability to eastern climatic conditions (see section on cultivars).