Winegrape Varieties for Diverse Regions of Michigan Joseph A

Joseph A. Fiola, Ph.D. Specialist in Viticulture and Small Fruit Western MD Research & Education Center 18330 Keedysville Road Keedysville, MD 21756-1104 301-432-2767 ext. 344; Fax 301-432-4089 [email protected] www. http://extension.umd.edu/smallfruit.umd.edu

Recommended and “Trial” Winegrape Varieties for Diverse Regions of Michigan Joseph A. Fiola, Ph.D. Specialist in Viticulture and Small Fruit University of Maryland Extension

The Wine is Made in the Vineyard!

1 General considerations • Climate/Variety interaction critical • Consistent production at your site • Consistently high quality at your site – Cold Hardiness – Disease and pest pressure – Temperature during ripening (cool nights) – Ripe all or majority years!! • Demand by existing wineries • Demand by consuming public (winery) • Crop value consistently exceeds cost of production

Grape Varieties

“Ripe grapes”

Pest Resistant • Disease • Insect • Cold!

Disease tolerant Hybrids •Vidal •Traminette •Chardonel •Chambourcin

2 Grape Prices per Ton

New York 2006 Virginia 2005 • Cab Sauv - $1813 • Cab Sauv – $1437 • Cab Franc - $1657 • Cab Franc – $1447 • Chardonnay - $1332 • Chardonnay – $1372 • Riesling - $1582 • Viognier – $1639 • Vidal blanc - $ 650 • Vidal blanc – $ 837 • Traminette - $1049 • Traminette – $ 940 • Chambourcin - $ 875 • Norton - $1485

Crop value consistently exceeds cost of production

“Preferred” conditions for producing high quality grapes: • Moderate winters and limited frosts • Preferably minimums >0oF • Adequate snow insulation • Well drained, low fertility soil • Warm sunny days during ripening • Preferably maximums <90oF • Cool nights during ripening - <60oF • Limited precipitation • manage vigor • final ripening

Variety choices:

Know your site! -Cold! -Growing season

Variety choices:

Know your site! -Cold! -Growing season

Variety choices:

Know your site! -Cold! -Growing season

Relative variety ripening whites reds

4 General consideration of vinifera relative to other species/hybrids • Vinifera must be grafted to pest-tolerant rootstock • As a group, vinifera are more susceptible to fungal and certain other pathogens • vinifera are more susceptible to cold injury – Native American spp > hybrids > V. vinifera • vinifera grape prices are roughly twice that of hybrids or Americans

Vinifera vs. Species/Hybrids • Must be grafted to pest tolerant rootstock – C3309 – 101-14 – Riparia Gloire

Phylloxera

Not grafted Grafted ‘Chardonel’

Rootstock Selection • Phylloxera resistant • Vigor management (RG) • Depth of rooting • Fit to specific soil types Riparia Gloire • Tolerate drought (110R) C3309 • Tolerate wet soils (RG; Clay=101-14) • Nematode resistant (SO4, 5BB, 1616) • 3309, 101-14, RG Recommended

5 ‘Vignoles’ (hybrid – ‘Ravat 51’) • Strengths: – Aromatic – Early harvest – Consumer recognition – Late harvest wines • Weaknesses: – Susceptible to botrytis • Tight clusters • Trace bloom leaf pull

‘Seyval Blanc’ (hybrid) • Strengths: – Good cold hardiness – Good yields – Versatile - blending • Weaknesses: – Over cropping – Establishment – Sour rot

‘Chardonel’ (‘Seyval Blanc’ x ‘Chardonnay hybrid’) • Strengths: – Good cold hardiness – Good heat tolerance – Good disease resistance – Versatile • Weaknesses: – Over cropping? – Ripe rots? – Limited local testing – Phylloxera susceptible

6 ‘Vidal Blanc’ (hybrid) • Strengths: – Good cold hardiness – High yields – Versatile – work horse – Late bud break – Good bunch rot resistance • Weaknesses: – Over cropping – Susceptible to tomato & tobacco ringspot viruses • Must graft to rootstock

‘Traminette’ (‘Gewürztraminer’ hybrid) • Strengths: – Good yields – Excellent fruit quality – Good cold hardiness – Good disease resistance – High demand • Weaknesses: – Limited commercial experience – Late season?

‘Pinot Gris’/‘Pinot Grigio’ (vinifera)

• Strengths: – Adaptable cultivar – Fair cold hardiness – Early harvest – Consumer recognition • Weaknesses: – Susceptible to botrytis • Tight clusters

7 ‘Riesling’ (vinifera) • Strengths: – Regional recognition – Consumer recognition – Regional Adaptation – Fair cold hardiness – Early harvest • Weaknesses: – Susceptible to botrytis • Tight clusters

‘Gewürztraminer’ (vinifera) • Strengths: – Regional recognition – Consumer recognition? – Regional Adaptation – Aromatics – Early harvest • Weaknesses: – Susceptible to botrytis • Tight clusters

‘Chardonnay’ (vinifera) • Strengths: – Adaptable cultivar – High fruit quality - recognition – Good Yields (4 t/a) – Fair cold hardiness – Clones available • Weaknesses: – Early bud break - frost – Susceptible to botrytis, PM, DM, and GY

8 ‘Pinot Blanc’ (vinifera) • Strengths: – Similar to Pinot Gris – Fair cold hardiness – Early harvest – High quality wine • Weaknesses: – Consumer recognition – Susceptible to botrytis? • Tight clusters

‘Chambourcin’ (hybrid) • Strengths: – High quality • versatile – Good cold hardiness – Disease resistant • Weaknesses: – Late ripening – Name

‘Pinot Noir’ (vinifera) • Strengths: – Regional recognition – Consumer recognition – Early ripening – High quality fruit • Weaknesses: – Susceptible to fruit rot • tight cluster – Narrow window of ripening

9 ‘Merlot’ (red vinifera) • Strengths: – High demand – Excellent fruit quality – Ripens early • Weaknesses: – Cold tender – Susceptible to bunch rot Only best sites!

‘Cabernet Franc’ (vinifera) • Strengths: – Good demand and value – Good rot resistance – Cold hardiness > Cab Sauvignon – Clones #1 and #214 – Ripens earlier that CS – Later ripening • Weaknesses: – Occasionally poor fruit set – Leafroll virus – Herbaceous when under ripe

“Super Hardy Hybrids”

10 American Varieties

‘Catawba’ ‘Concord’ ‘Niagara’

‘Delaware’ Wine and Juice

SCRI Grant “Improved grape and wine quality in a challenging environment” http://www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/alson-h-smith/grapes/viticulture/research/scri-index.html

NE1020 Variety Trial “National” Variety Trial

Other Cool Climate Varieties for “Trial” Whites ‘Valvin Muscat’ NY Hybrid; gaining popularity ‘Cayuga White’ NY Hybrid; versatile; pick early ‘Albariño’ Gaining popularity; rot resistant; early? ‘Marsanne’ Early; good food wine; French ‘Verdelho’ Early; good food wine; Madeira

Reds Villard Noir Hybrid; wine like PN; late Malbec Early; potential but cold tender? Gamay Noir Early; potential but cold tender? Souzão (suh-ZAH-oh) Early; heat tolerance? Portuguese Plant a small “research” vineyard!

Wine Marketing:

Know your clientele

Take an occasional risk! Plant a small “research” vineyard

““Wine was given by God, not that we might be drunken, but that we might be sober. It is the best medicine when it has moderation to direct it. Wine was given to restore the body’s weakness, not to overturn the soul’s strength.” St. John Chrysostum (4th Century preacher)

12 Joseph A. Fiola, Ph.D. Specialist in Viticulture and Small Fruit Western MD Research & Education Center 18330 Keedysville Road Keedysville, MD 21756-1104 301-432-2767 ext. 344; Fax 301-432-4089 [email protected] www. http://extension.umd.edu/smallfruit.umd.edu