‘Stewart White’ and ‘Colbert Red’ rejected among more than 1,000 names submitted by public

(Ithaca, N.Y.) – After months of sifting through more than 1,000 suggestions from around the world, a Cornell University breeder will reveal the secret identities of two new wine grapes today.

Bruce Reisch, professor of horticulture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, will introduce the grapes at 10 a.m. during the Viticulture 2013 conference in Rochester, N.Y.

While the winning names for the red and white wine grapes won’t be announced until then, two of the losers — rather, runners-up — have been revealed now: “Colbert Red” and “Stewart White.” These two names, submitted to honor television personalities Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, didn’t pass the judges’ sniff test.

To learn why, go to:

http://cornelluniversity.tumblr.com/post/42433450865/jon-stewart-and-stephen-colbert-fail-the-taste

And here are some other names that came close, but didn’t quite have the right bouquet:

• Most common: Big Red
• Most random: Floridian Dew
• Most fun to say: Zitrustaminer
• Most culturally relevant: Edehka Gakwa (“the sun” in the Native American Cayuga language) and Tkwëhtä’ë:’ (“red” in Seneca)
• Best regional: Gorgess
• Chilliest: Coldaroma
• Most practical: Sensibility
• Best accent: Newyorka
• Best fashion sense: Leatherstocking Allure
• Worst fashion sense: Velour
• Most political: Obama White and Romney Red
• Scariest: Viampirat
• Clumsiest: Bumble
• Most ambitious: Elderclimber
• Best wordplay: Berry My Heart
• Greenest: Orgarnet
• Most appetizing: Confitnoir
• Least appetizing: Blue Puker
• Best suggestion inspired by a song: Red Toupee or Dark Side of the Wine
• Best suggestion inspired by an animal: Ghost Deer White

WHAT:          After open, international competition, names of Cornell University’s newest wine grapes will be announced at Viticulture 2013.
WHEN:          Today, Feb. 7, 2013, at 10 a.m.
WHERE:        Rochester Riverside Convention Center, 123 E. Main St., Rochester, N.Y.
MEDIA:         Media members are welcome to cover the announcement by Cornell horticulture professor Bruce Reisch.

For more information, contact John Carberry in Cornell’s Media Relations Office at 607-255-5353 or johncarberry@cornell.edu.