In The Grape Grower Guide by Lon Rombough he talks about someone who is currently developing pure strains of rupestris. He died recently, but his wife might know. Email BunchGrapes.com and ask. Most strains of pure rupestris are not very edible though. But America (Vitis lincecumii X Vitis rupestris) is pretty good. It is resistant to Pierce's Disease. It requires a second variety for pollination. Sources: Double A Vineyards, Bunch Grapes.com Here is a link that might be useful: Garden For Nutrition.org

I'm guessing wildlife IS eating up that fruit. FWIW, my Master Gardener aunt played a trick on us once when we were visiting her in WI; we came upon some wild grapes while touring a local park & started to pick the fruit, while she hung back & watched - those grapes were so sour! She laughed & explained that was why they were still on the vine.

Mick, that may be the variety my parents looked for each year. They got harder and harder to locate, since the area became more and more residential. I live in SW Missouri -- could they also be called Fox Grapes? If so, they certainly were in our area and made wonderful jelly. You might google this variety, also contact Missouri Conservation Dept. and even Newton County Extension office for more information. Good luck - Sunny

Tomato Worm, You have at least 3 species of wild grape in OK; Vitis riparia (riverbank grape), Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine grape) and Vitis cinerea (gray-bark grape). I'm only familar with the riverbank variety, but I can tell you that it's pretty much what you described. The fruit are very bitter/sour, but not poisonous. They are often used to make preserves although I became accustomed to the taste of the unprepared berries as a kid, (kind of like I did with crab apples ;) I've attached a link to the gray-bark grape as a staring point... Here is a link that might be useful: Gray-bark Grape