Grape News! Cornell Breeder Unveils Names of New Wine Grapes

Two new varieties of wine grapes have just been named.

Cornell University professor Bruce Reisch this morning announced the winners of a grape-naming contest. They are "Arandell" and "Aromella."

The names were among more than 1,000 submitted in a contest that solicited ideas from the public.

The identities were revealed at the Viticulture 2013 event in Rochester.

Speaking on WNBF Radio's Binghamton Now program, Reisch said it can be difficult to name new grapes. He said it can be challenging to develop names that haven't been used before and don't pose conflicts with companies in the wine industry.

A colleague suggested holding a naming contest. The promotion received plenty of attention and it generated ideas from people across the United States and around the world.

Reisch said before he knew it, he had about 1100 name suggestions. Ultimately, the big pool of ideas was trimmed to a group of nineteen prospective names.

Those names were circulated among leaders in the New York wine and grape industry who helped choose the winners.

California winemaker and songwriter Michael Borboa submitted the name "Aromella" for an aromatic, muscat white wine grape.

Alaska wine enthusiast Michael Fleischhauer suggested "Arandell" to identify a new red wine grape.

Now that the grapes have names, Reisch is hopeful winemakers will start to experiment with them. Vines of Aromella and Arondell are available form Double A Vineyards in Fredonia and Grafted Grapevine Nursery in Clifton Springs.

Here's a selection of some of the name suggestions that didn't quite make the grade - for one reason or other...

• Most common: Big Red
• Most random: Floridian Dew
• Most fun to say: Zitrustaminer
• Most culturally relevant: Edehka Gakwa (“the sun” in the Native American Cayuga language) and Tkwëhtä’ë:’ (“red” in Seneca)
• Best regional: Gorgess
• Chilliest: Coldaroma
• Most practical: Sensibility
• Best accent: Newyorka
• Best fashion sense: Leatherstocking Allure
• Worst fashion sense: Velour
• Most political: Obama White and Romney Red
• Scariest: Viampirat
• Clumsiest: Bumble
• Most ambitious: Elderclimber
• Best wordplay: Berry My Heart
• Greenest: Orgarnet
• Most appetizing: Confitnoir
• Least appetizing: Blue Puker
• Best suggestion inspired by a song: Red Toupee or Dark Side of the Wine
• Best suggestion inspired by an animal: Ghost Deer White