Lon's Favorite Grape Growing Books :

Wonderful mix of information on old grape varieties, species, breeding, and culture information. An amazingly complete book for its time and still an inspiration to breeders and grape growers of all stripes. While other grape breeders used mostly Vitis labrusca and V. vinifera, Munson used several other American species to produce grapes that are still the standard in disease resistance and good quality. This was the book that inspired and guided the late Elmer Swenson through nearly 70 years of grape breeding.

1.  Foundations of American Grape Culture by T. V. Munson, 1909.  This book is sometimes available used at Amazon.com and can also be purchased at the following locations:

http://www.munson.org/books.htm

THE classic book on old American grape varieties. Excellent history of grapes in America, as well as botany, and some of the finest color illustrations possible at that time. Variety traits and descriptions still hold true today. I have a number of grapes covered in this book and they are all just as Hedrick described them. Great for identifying old varieties, too.

2.  The Grapes of New York by U.P. Hedrick, 1917.

Covers most grapes that came after those in the first two books, and the newer grape varieties have the original breeders' descriptions. Also includes known parentages and patent dates, to find if a variety is still under legal plant protection, too.

3.  Register of New Fruit and Nut Varieties by Brooks and Olmo, 1972.

For winemakers, there is wonderful advice on how best to make wine with many of the newer cold hardy hybrid grapes. There is also a section on breeding with information about many breeding programs, and (my favorite) pictures of the late Elmer Swenson and several other cold climate grape breeders. Not to mention very good information on growing grapes in cold climates.

4.  Northern Winework by Tom Plocher and Bob Parke, 2003.

Excellent descriptions and background of the classic wine grapes. It's possible to work out just about all the known ancestry of the French Hybrid grapes with this book, too.

5.  A Practical Ampelography by Pierre Galet and Lucie Morton,   1979.

The classic text for Viticulture classes at the University of California at Davis. Lots of good information, though rather heavy going in places.

6.  General Viticulture by A. J. Winkler, et. al., 1974.

One of the first books to cover grape growing for home and small growers, especially for the eastern U.S. Comes after "The Grapes of New York" and covers some varieties that came out after the earlier book. In format and purpose, it was rather like an early version of "The Grape Grower".

7.  Manual of American Grape Growing by U.P. Hedrick, 1919.

A good history of grape growing in the eastern U.S. There were surprises for me when I first read it.

8.  Winegrowing in Eastern America by Lucie Morton, 1985.

Good information on grape breeding and background of grape species from other countries. This is mainly for someone interested in breeding grapes, or other fruits.

9.  Advances in Fruit Breeding by Jules Janick and James Moore, 1975.

This is a British book, so it's methods are for the English climate, and not suited to much of America. However, it also contains a lot of very creative greenhouse and pot growing techniques of grapes, as well as lists of cool climate grapes which many American growers will enjoy reading. Included are a number of wine grapes, and some of the best of the old vinifera table grapes, ones of real quality and character that Americans don't see much because the grapes have seeds. While some of the terms and methods may seem unfamiliar, it's written from the author's own experience, so it contains lots of bits you won't find in standard texts. All in all, this book is a worthy addition to the collection of any serious grape grower.

10.  Successful Grape Growing For Eating and Winemaking by Alan Rowe, 2000.

A little irregular in presentation, but lots of useful information and personal touches from the man who was at the forefront of introducing the French Hybrids to America. Varies with the different editions, and there were several.

11.  Wine Growers Guide by Philip Wagner, 3rd ed., 1996.