- Spring 1997 "Update" Newsletter Article -
Australian grape variety may prove viable as new "San Joaquin Valley red"
From CATI Publication #970401
Copyright © 1997. All rights reserved.
A wine grape cultivar new to California's San Joaquin Valley may prove to be an attractive option for growers making new plantings in the next few years.
Viticulture trials at California State University, Fresno have indicated that the popular Australian red variety Syrah has the potential to produce well in warm, dry regions such as central California. Harvests from test plots in the last two years have yielded from eight to 14 tons per acre, according to a report just published and available from the California Agricultural Technology Institute (CATI).
In what could be an advantage for growers here, the treatments that produced the greatest yields were those that underwent minimal pruning of cordon- trained vines (MPCT).
The tests have been overseen by research scientist Keith Striegler, operating from the Viticulture and Enology Research Institute (VERC).
"There is increasing interest in Syrah by California growers and wine producers," Striegler said. "High-quality wines have been produced commercially with fruit from MPCT vines and have received many awards, both in Australian and international wine shows."
Syrah has its origins in France and from there was carried all over the world, Striegler said. It is currently one of the most important cultivars in Australia, where it is known as Shiraz. "Quality wine is made from Syrah even when the cultivar is grown in hot viticultural areas such as Riverland (in south Australia)," he noted.
The tests conducted at Fresno State included three pruning treatments. Researchers examined yield, cluster weight and clusters per vine, berry weight and berries per cluster, soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity and other things.
Preliminary results "suggest that Syrah is a promising red wine grape cultivar for the San Joaquin Valley," Striegler said. Further research is needed to determine equilibrium vine responses to the production systems included in the study; additional trials are being conducted this year.
The initial report on the project is titled "Effect of Production System on Vegetative Growth, Yield, and Fruit Composition of Syrah Grapevines Grown in the San Joaquin Valley." Copies are available and may be viewed or requested from the Research Publications page.{ page top }