Jessica is an early, hardy green grape from Canada. In flavor it is very good for so early a variety, being sweet, rich yet sprightly and almost free from foxiness. But the fruit lacks in attractiveness and keeping quality, and shells badly when overripe. The clusters and berries are small, and the color is too green and the cluster too loose for a good grape. Jessica may be commended for earliness and hardiness and is therefore desirable, if at all, in northern regions.
William H. Read of Port Dalhousie, Ontario, grew Jessica from seed planted some time between 1870 and 1880. It was introduced in 1884 by D. W. Beadle of St. Catharines, Ontario. Jessica has been quite thoroughly tested in different parts of the United States but has never become popular and is to be found only in varietal vineyards. The parentage of the variety is unknown but it is generally considered to be of mixed Labrusca and Vinifera blood, the tendrils, foliage, fruit characters and the weaknesses of the grape all showing a Vinifera hybrid.
Vine medium in vigor, usually healthy, hardy, variable in productiveness. Canes medium to long, numerous, thickish, moderately dark brown with red tinge changing to ash-gray on some canes; tendrils continuous to intermittent, bifid or trifid. Leaves small to medium, intermediate in thickness; upper surface medium to dark green, glossy, often somewhat rugose; lower surface pale green, very pubescent; veins indistinct. Flowers nearly fertile, open in mid-season; stamens upright.
Fruit ripens among the earliest of the white grapes, keeps only fairly well. Clusters medium to small, not long, slender, tapering, usually single-shouldered, intermediate in compactness. Berries small to medium, roundish, light green, often tinged with yellow, covered with thin grayish-white bloom, rather persistent unless overripe, moderately soft. Skin rather thin, of average toughness, adheres but slightly to the pulp, contains no pigment, faintly astringent. Flesh pale green, almost transparent, juicy, tender, soft, sprightly, sweet, good to above in flavor and quality. Seeds adhere somewhat to the pulp, about average in size and length, medium to broad, notched, brownish; raphe buried in a narrow groove; chalaza small, above center, circular, nearly distinct.