My bronze muscadines are starting to ripen, so this morning I ate a handful of those along with 2 figs off my Italian Black. I've got to say, not even a great fig can rival the complexity of the Muscadine; strong-tasting skin followed by sweet pulp. Their only downside is their bitter seed. If they were seedless I would probably rate them as the best fruit in the field. 

But the nice thing is, my little orchard has reached the point that on the same morning I can eat both! (plus a couple fall raspberries to boot).

VERY nice.  Grandma used to make jelly out of wild muscadines and it was GREAT!

My muscadines are ripening as well.  I love Nesbitt it is my favorite, tastes just like a concord grape.  

Muscadine Jelly definitely, I need to find out if I can grow them here in my climate.

Anyone grow muscadines in zone 6?

[QUOTE=Matt_from_Pittsburgh]Anyone grow muscadines in zone 6?[/QUOTE]

Matt, I think it would take a 'grape shuffle' or a greenhouse.  From my understanding they are are too sensitive to our winters.

The leading authority on muscadines is probably Ison's Nursery, they can answer the question about muscadines and climate for sure.

[QUOTE=Matt_from_Pittsburgh]Anyone grow muscadines in zone 6?[/QUOTE]

Off the top of my head, muscadines are generally zone 8 hardy. There might be a few that push 7 but I think zone 6 is pretty unrealistic without some effort.

I know that muscadines are mostly rated for zones 7 and up. Just curious to see if anyone has tried them in zone 6, anyway.

Muscadines should easily handle 7a and 6b.

GeneDaniels, having crappy Brown Turkeys and great Cowarts got me to dismiss the virtues of figs.  I wouldn't say that even the best aren't worthy--A good Bordeaux, CdD, BM, etc is pretty dessert table worthy. (And no, no small figs, must be *at least* 35g and preferably over 50g)

Not related directly to the muscadine grape (aka Bullace, Scuppernong and Southern Fox) but I have NY Muscat grape.   Some say Muscadine tastes similar to Muscat maybe thus the name?  

NY Muscat is cold hardy grows great around here and is mildew resistant.  I find it is delicious and the taste similar to the Muscat grapes from Italy and California that are at the store.

NY Muscat is a cross between Muscat Hamburg and Ontario so it is a vinifera hybrid not a rotundifolia like Muscadine.   This grape was developed at the Cornell U. Geneva N.Y. 

At one time it was extensively used for wine making and fresh market.  Now for wine  only vinifera (and a few hybrids) are used around here so most of the NY Muscat and concord vineyards have been converted to vinifera too bad.

Gene sounds like our orchards are similiar.  I am eating lots of Raspberries from mine and a few figs.  I have muscadines planted and hope for some next year and lot's years after that.  I have 44 fig plants in ground weather permiting and all other nasty things permitted.  Next year should be awesome.

Here is my Nesbitt, it is almost done,  Triumph has just started and Florida home should start soon, they are just coloring up.

 

Pino--I reallly like Muscats. None of the supermarkets around me carry them, but I see them at ethnic grocers sometimes and at this one little produce store in West Virginia.

Wild muscadines grow all over the open forests in Virginia in Z 7, though perhaps the selected varieties may have developed from more southern selections and vary in hardiness. I don't mind the bitter seeds at all, I chew them up as I eat them. I suspect they add to the health benefits. Muscadines I have purchased at Whole Foods were not nearly as good as the wild ones. Mike in Hanover, VA

My three muscadines did have some dieback with the brutal winter here last year (zone 7b, some lows around 0F). But that hardly phased them, they have grown by leaps and bounds this year. I have "sugargate" and an unknown bronze and unknown black. I am going to start an airlayer on the sugargate and use it to replace the unknown black because the unknown is so small and the sugargate is huge and wonderful tasting!

Here in Arkansas it is hard to hurt muscadines, they are native so they thrive. I guess about like figs in California - sigh ;-(

My brother has a nice bunch of muscadine vines he ordered from Ison's several years ago.  Not sure of the varieties but they sure make good jelly and wine.  Some are gold and some purple, some red.  All are delicious.  Critters are bad on them.