Two New Table-Wine Grapes Promising in Combining High Productivity and Wine Quality
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Two New Table-wine Grapes promising in combining high productivity and wine quality H. P. Olmo The following extract is from Experiment Station Bulletin 704, Ruby Cabernet and Emerald Riesling listed on page 16. Cuttings of Ruby Cabernet and Emerald Riesling are not offered for sale or distribution by the University of California, but may be purchased from nursery- men. If you want to know where they may be obtained, write to the Division of Viticulture, California Agricultural Experiment Station, Davis, California. Originating new varieties better The 'fruit clusters are borne on long aod tends to substantiate the small-scale adapted to California conditions is one peduncles, hang free, and are easily lo- development test. of the main activities of the grape breed- cated and harvested. Long-time aging tests to determine the ing program of the University of Califor- The berries are set loosely in the clus- ultimate development and length of life nia begun in 1929 by the Division of ters, resulting in good exposure and very of the wines are in progress, but no com- Viticulture. uniform ripening. parisons are yet available. In some instances, semicommercial The fruit remains in excellent condi- trials of the selections have been com- tion on the vine? and is not injured to Maturing pleted. This is the case with Ruby Caber- any great degree by sunburn or spoilage. net and Emerald Riesling. The opinions of all tasters are in agree- ment that Ruby Cabernet matures more Features for Vintner rapidly and becomes marketable sooner Ruby Cabernet The fruit reaches the crusher in excel- than Cabernet Sauvignon. Whether this Ruby Cabernet-a hybrid of Carignane lent condition, and the juice yield is much more rapid mellowing indicates a shorter x Cabernet Sauvignon-combines the ex- higher than that of Cabernet Sauvignon life and incapacity to reach a great peak cellent viticultural features of the Cari- because of a smaller proportion of skin of development with prolonged aging gnane with the outstanding wine quality and seeds in relation to the volume of the cannot be foretold at present. of the Cabernet Sauvignon. berry. Ruby Cabernet has been tested in two The fermentation is easily accom- Emerald Riesling localities-the University Farm at Davis plished without taking special precau- in Yo10 County and St. Helena in Napa tions. Emerald Riesling is a hybrid of Mus- County. Ruby Cabernet greatly exceeded Clearing of the wine takes place rapidly cadelle-of California-and White Ries- the yield of Cabernet for every one of the and completely after fermentation, and ling. It was first propagated for wine four years of record, both at Davis and its composition is such that no lots have trials at Davis in 1939. St. Helena. The fact that the new Ruby ever spoiled with the usual cellar treat- In 1940, a row of 10 vines was budded Cabernet can bear over seven tons per ment. at St. Helena on heavy adobe soil in a acre of high-quality fruit seems to dis- The wines of Ruby Cabernet appear as low-lying area subject to spring frosts. prove the widely held opinion that high sound as those of Cabernet Sauvignon in During the 1944 season the spurs of all quality and low yields must go together. every respect. The color of the wine is varieties in this block had injured or Despite much heavier production, more intense in Ruby Cabernet and ap- dead buds. Ruby Cabernet ripens from four to six pears to have good stability. Its hue is Emerald Riesling was the only variety days in advance of the Cabernet Sau- often more reddish. to give a fair yield from the growth of vignon. The typical Cabernet aroma is recog- basal buds that were not injured, averag- The acidity of the must of Ruby Caber- nizable in the young wine, and the bou- ing 10.9 pounds per vine. The St. Helena net was higher than Cabernet Sauvignon quet that is so characteristic of Cabernet data of 1946 and 1947 are from vines at the same sugar content both at Davis Sauvignon develops with aging. Tasters propagated on St. George rootstock and and St. Helena. comparing the new wines are more likely in their first year of bearing. to recognize the Cabernet characteristics in'the new variety than in Cabernet Sau- Characteristics Features for Grower vignon itself. From the grower's viewpoint, the va- The tasting scores on wines of one and The musts and wines of Emerald Ries- riety has many good features. two years of age demonstrate the excel- ling are characterized by high acidity. It buds out late in the spring, only lence of the finished wine, certainly rating At maturity the fruit still remains a several days earlier than Cabernet Sau- it on a par and often surpassing the prod- deceptive green, even though the Balling vignon. The vine is a very vigorous uct of the world-famous Cabernet Sau- is high enough for producing table wine. grower and is productive enough with vignon. The grower could easily leave the fruit spur pruning so that more costly pruning on the vine past the proper stage for mak- systems are not necessary. ing the best product. The habit of growth is open and semi- Commercial Winery Test The clusters are much more resistant to upright, so that training and pruning are The findings of these studies, presented fruit rots and the attacks of Botrytis than easy. There is no tendency toward over- from such small-scale experiments, might is the Folle blanche. bearing with normal handling, and the justly be criticized. A comniercial winery The fruit has been exceptionally clean vine retains rather consistent annual test during the 1946 season well demon- and free from spoilage after transport. growth and fruiting. strates the general excellence of the wine, Continued on next page CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE, JUNE, 1948 11 Tests using one or more formulations of this material have been in progress Citrus Red Mite during the majority of weather condi- tions of the past two years and no injuri- ous effects to the citrus trees or fruit have new chemical gives promising been evident. As a result of investigations so far con- results in control experiments ducted with K-1875 it is suggested that in conventional spray applications, 11,L~ to two pounds of a wettable powder be 1. R. Jeppson used per 100 gallons of a spray. In con- centrate spray applications I0 pounds of Known by the code K-1875 the new Field experiments have shown that the a 40% wettable powder may be used in chemical, bis (p-chlorophenoxy ) meth- citrus red mite moves about sufficiently 100 gallons of spray and applied at about ane, promises aid tothe citrus grower in to contact the toxic residues of K-1875 100 gallons per acre. his fight to control the citrus red mite. and that the residues remain effective for K-1875 appears to be compatible with Of the hundreds of compounds which one to several weeks. many of the insecticides, fungicides, and indicated toxicity to insects or mites only deficiency treatments presently used on a few have actually shown outstanding citrus. possibilities for use in the control of the Applied as Concentrate No apparent loss of toxicity occurred citrus red mite. Possibilities of applying spray concen- when both dry and paste concentrates of As inadequacies in the citrus red mite trates of the chemical rather than full these mixtures were held in storage for control became evident, the Citrus Ex- coverage applications are suggested by eight months. No p!ant injury or loss in periment Station intensified its program these studies. toxicity to the mites was found when nor- of investigation of new materials. The cost per acre of applying spray mal dosages of K-1875 and each of the One of the chemicals tested with en- concentrates is but 1/10 to 1/5 that of following were applied to citrus: Cryo- couraging results was the acetal, his (p- complete coverage spray because many lite, nicotine sulfate, derris, zinc oxide, chlorophenoxy ) methane, now available more acres can be treated within a given zinc sulfate, soda ash, manganese sulfate, commercially under the name of Neotran. period of time. Fermate, Zerlate, oil and parathion. In laboratory research studies the More consistent results have been ob- Experimental work done by a commer- chemical proved to be very toxic to the tained when this chemical is applied as cial laboratory and reported to the Citrus citrus red mite in all stages, including concentrate sprays than with dust appli- Experiment Station indicates it is of a eggs. The residues remained toxic to the cations. A greater deposit of K-1875 per low order of toxicity to warm blooded mites for a relatively long time after ap- unit of vegetative area is usually obtained animals, and that it is about one-tenth as plication to foliage and fruits. when applied as a concentrate water sus- toxic as is DDT when judged on the basis In field applications, formulations pension than as a dust using the same of both acute and chronic oral toxicity. containing K-1875 in such solvents as application equipment. It is not absorbed through the skin in kerosene, methylated naphthalenes, and The deposit of the toxicant in concen- significant quantities and it is not signifi- tetrahydro naphthalene, were found to be trate spray applications is not as subject cantly irritating to the skin. toxic to both the mites and their eggs. to moisture conditions and unfavorable This material is judged to be one of The resulting field controls were gen- air movements as are dusts, so an ade- the least toxic insecticides ever developed.