Jeannette E. Warnert
(559) 241-7514
cell (559) 240-9850
jwarnert@uckac.edu
 
New winegrapes to be part of Grape Day 2005
 
In an effort to improve the flavor and increase the value of San Joaquin Valley wines, University of California researchers have collected winegrape cultivars from other parts of the world to identify varieties that impart a hint of blackberry or a better tannic structure or a longer finish.
 
Seventeen such selections will be shown at Grape Day 2005, 8 a.m. to 12 noon Aug. 12, at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center, 9240 S. Riverbend Ave., east of Parlier.
 
We may not find a winegrape that will stand alone, but they could be used in blending to create new flavor profiles in valley wines, said UC Davis viticulturist James Wolpert, the leader of the project. Were not going for the $20-per-bottle wine market. That market is so small. Were talking about the larger part of the industry wines that sell for $5, $4 or even $3 a bottle.
 
To make delicious wines at the right price, winemakers need inexpensive grapes that provide extraordinary flavors. Wolpert's study will determine whether his winegrape cultivars from Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece will produce a large crop in the San Joaquin Valley. If agricultural production is successful, winemakers will sample the grapes to determine whether they have unique characteristics they can use to flavor their products.
 
Grape Day 2005 will include presentations from seven other grape production scientists on topics of interest to valley grape growers. The schedule is as follows:
 
Indoor presentations, 8:30 to 10 a.m.  

• Reassessment of grapevine petiole analyses and guidelines by Larry Williams, UC Davis viticulturist.
• Vineyard weed management and herbicide resistance by Anil Shrestha, UC Integrated Pest Management weed ecologist.
• Managing vine mealybug by Kent Daane, UC Berkeley entomologist.
• Powdery mildew resistance in California, by Stephen Vasquez, UC Cooperative Extension viticulture farm advisor for Fresno County.

Field tours, 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon

• Alternative winegrape varieties for the San Joaquin Valley by James Wolpert, UC Davis viticulturist.
• Canopy management for raisin vineyards by Matthew Fidelibus, UC Davis viticulturist.
• Breeding grapevine rootstocks for nematode resistance by Peter Cousins, USDA Agricultural Research Service grapevine rootstock breeder.

For more information, contact Grape Day 2005 coordinator Matthew Fidelibus at (559) 646-6510, mwf@uckac.edu . 

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