What's The Difference Between Muscadine And Scuppernong Grapes?

Hello EC Kraus,

I was wondering what the difference was between muscadine and scuppernong grapes? I hear people talk about both as if they were the same thing. Are they? Or are they different?

Thanks
Justin S.,

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Hello Justin,

Muscadine/Scuppernong grapes are indigenous to the Southeast region of the U.S. They grow both wild and domestically in backyards and on farms from Arkansas to The Carolina's and everywhere South of there.

Muscadine and Scuppernong are a couple of names that are sometimes used loosely to mean the same grape, but in reality, a Scuppernong is a particular variety of Muscadine.

Over the decades Muscadines have been domesticated and grafted into varying sizes and color. Today, there are an endless list of Muscadine varieties. While Scuppernong is a variety of Muscadine it is not considered a hybrid or cultivar. It has been know to be in existence since at least the 1600's and has been domesticated in its own right. This is how some of the confusion comes about.

Today in spite of the facts, most people refer to the red varieties as Muscadines and to the white varieties as Scuppernongs. I say, regardless of what you call them, these grapes make wonderful country wines. Using Scuppernongs is even a great way to learn how to make white wines for the first time.

Preparing these grapes my take some effort though. Because of there incredibly thick skins, running them through a grape crusher may be necessary as opposed to simply crushing them by hand.

An alternative to getting a grape crusher would be to use a steam juicer to extract the juice. The steam juicer bursts the skins with steamed heat. The juice then falls out the colander of steamed grapes and runs out into a collector. Once cooled, the juice is ready to go straight into the fermenter.

I hope this information helps you understand a little better about Muscadines and Scuppernongs.

Best Wishes,
Customer Service

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Comments (5)

Name: Sandra
Time: Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Scuppernong is bronze/white type variety of muscadine. Muscadines are in general either bronze a.k.a. white or black a.k.a. purple. Scuppernong was THE first variety of muscadine and became so well known that lay people started using the term scuppernong to describe any bronze/white type muscadine which is innacurate. There are several varieties of both bronze, and black muscadines of which scuppernong is only one. Also, the terms variety and cultivar can be used interchangeably. Personally I like to eat them fresh right off the vine.

Name: Vita M.King
Time: Wednesday, August 24, 2011

muscadines make very very very good wine,when the berry is right.the wine has a very very very nice color to it,and the smell and the taste go hand in hand.it is very very good,i have made it before,it is one of my familys wines.the muscadines have to be right just like the grapes,you use.and yes i have used the big blueblack grapes,from one of my relatives vines,they made the best wines.the grapes,were the very very good ones.the vines had been in the family before i was born.and i am 49 years old.i don't know where they came from,i just know that they made the best wines,jams,jellys,cobbars,pies.and yes i like eating the muscadines,and eatting the dewberrys,and using them to make wine,the drewberry wine is great.happy wine making and i am always learning about wine,i think that it is great.

Name: Bill Dorsey
Time: Sunday, September 30, 2012

Are the James grapes considered Muscadine grapes. They are dark in color. I was wondering if this is one of the factors used to distinquish the different grapes. Thanks

Name: Customer Service
Time: Monday, October 1, 2012

Bill, I had to do some research on this because I am not familiar with this grape. It appears to be be grown primarily in SC. From the best of what I can gather it is a hybrid of Lambrusco and a Muscat of some variety, however I cannot verify any of this. Hope this helps you out.

Name: Eddie Rhoades
Time: Tuesday, October 23, 2012

A red delicious is an apple and a yellow delicious is an apple. An Elberta is a peach and a Hale's haven is a peach. A Sugargate is a muscadine and a scuppernong is a muscadine that was found growing along the Scuppernong river.