Brilliant

We assume Brilliant gets its name from being just that, brilliant. This cultivar is seriously versatile as it can endure temperatures down to -15 degrees °F as well as withstand hot Missouri summers. Additionally, Brilliant tends to thrive in sandy or limy soils.

Vine Characteristics

• Dark red and fragile shoots.
• Fibrous leaf texture with a distinct white color on the underside of the leaf.
• Majority of the shoots come out of the basal bud rather than, “spur buds.”
• Skins of the grape are light pink, uneven fruit set and often have many stunted berries at full ripeness.

Winemaker’s Notes

• Pink fruit makes for curious cellar work.
• Difficult to extract color but can be achieved through extended maceration.
• Lower acidity, pH can be slightly high.
• When making a white wine, Brilliant is still fermented on skins but only for a short period.
• Does okay with some exposure to oxygen.
• Lower alcohol potential for this bright and exceptionally tart wine.