Aug 26, 2011
A new winegrape variety trial at the University of California's Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier may help local vintners add a touch of distinction to San Joaquin Valley wines.
At the recently held Kearney Grape Day (August 16, 2011), UC Cooperative Extension viticulture specialist James Wolpert introduced growers to the 55 unusual varieties from Portugal, Spain, Italy and France being evaluated at the research center, located south of Fresno. But don't expect to see these exotic red and white wine varietals - such as Corvina Veronese, Forastera, Trebbiano Toscano and Petit Manseng - on wine labels any time soon.
The research aims to give vintners blending varieties that will make San Joaquin Valley wines with familiar names more interesting. Vintners may use up to a quarter of their grape volume to impart distinctive color, flavor and structure to a varietal wine without calling it a blend. Grapes being studied at Kearney may one day add a certain flavor note - such as cherry, tannin, black pepper or citrus - to fine San Joaquin Valley wine.
Wolpert, who is based at UC Davis, said the study represents the widest range of varieties evaluated in a public San Joaquin Valley trial in more than a generation. Characterization of the fruit composition is taking place in variety evaluations in Europe, however, such information rarely includes growing data, an important factor for Valley farmers.
"High levels of color and tannin cannot compensate for a variety whose yield is far below the economic threshold," Wolpert said.