Carlos
Carlos is a widely grown bronze muscadine that was released by North Carolina State University in 1970 by W.B. Nesbitt, V.H. Underwood, and D.E. Carroll. It has multiple uses including juice, jelly, U-pick, and wine. The vines are vigorous and high yielding with smaller berries that ripen between August and October. Vines will develop Pierce’s disease symptoms and are susceptible to black rot, crown gall, and leaf rust, but they do have intermediate tolerance to angular leaf spot, bitter rot, and powdery mildew.
Figures
A cluster of Carlos grapes.
Shoot tip and tendrils of Carlos.
Adaxial and abaxial sides of Carlos leaves.
Origins and History
Carlos is a muscadine that was released by W.B. Nesbitt, V.H. Underwood, and D.E. Carroll at North Carolina State University in 1970. It was the result of the cross Howard x NC 11-173 (Topsail x Tarheel) made by C.F. Williams in 1951, and it was later selected in 1954 as NC 57-56. Its lineage includes only Vitis rotundifolia.
Vine Traits
Carlos is one of the most widely planted muscadine cultivars. It has self-fertile flowers and is a highly vigorous and productive vine. Clusters are loosely compact and consist of bronze round berries that average only 5 grams in weight. They tend to ripen uniformly from August to October. They also are relatively cold hardy, and their buds will increase in hardiness over the winter months, surviving down to -21.5˚C.
Carlos has intermediate tolerance to bitter rot (Greeneria uvicola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Punith.), powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator (Schw.) Burr.), and angular leaf spot (Mycosphaerella angulata Jenkins). However, it is susceptible to black rot (Phyllosticta ampelicida (Engelm.) Aa), leaf rust (Phakopsora muscadiniae Buriticá), and crown gall (Agrobacterium tumefaciens). Additionally, they may develop Pierce’s disease (Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa Wells et al.) in high pressure areas.
Vineyard Considerations
Carlos vines will perform well in USDA cold hardiness zones 7 through 10. They are often trained to either a single wire bilateral cordon or a Geneva double curtain with two bilateral cordons. They should be spaced 12 to 20 feet between vines and 10 to 12 feet between rows, and they should be spur pruned.
Quality
Due to their smaller size, wet stem scar, and short storage capacity, Carlos berries have limited value for fresh market. Though, they are widely used for juice and wine production, allowing for their suitability for mechanical harvest. Juice made from Carlos has been scored higher than commercial juices for flavor, but it was rated as slightly too intense in muscadine flavor and too tart. It does, however, have a preferable soluble solid to acid ratio.
References
Campbell, J., A. Sarkhosh, F. Habibi, A. Ismail, P. Gajjar, R. Zhongbo, V. Tsolova, and I. El-Sharkawy. 2021. Biometrics assessment of cluster-and berry-related traits of muscadine grape population. Plants 10:1067.
Mortensen, J.A. 1987. Grape cultivar choices for wine, juice, jelly, or fresh fruit. Proc. Viniculture Short Course Miss. State Univ. 2:10-14.
Hoffmann, M., P. Conner, P. Brannen, H. Burrack, W. Mitchem, B. Cline, P. Perkins-Veazie, and B. Poling. 2020. Muscadine grape production guide for the Southeast. NC State Extension.
Graves, C.H. 1987. Occurrence of crown gall on muscadine grapes. Proc. Viniculture Short Course Miss. State Univ. 2:4-6.
Brooks, R.M., and H.P. Olmo. 1970. Register of new fruit and nut varieties list 25. HortScience 5:383-390.
Threlfall, R.T., J.R. Morris, J.F. Meullenet, and R.K. Striegler. 2007. Sensory characteristics, composition, and nutraceutical content of juice from Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine) cultivars. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 58:268-273.
Clark, J.R., T.K. Wolf, and M.K. Warren. 1996. Thermal analysis of dormant buds of two muscadine grape cultivars and of Vitis labrusca L. ‘Mars’. HortScience 31:79–81.
Hegwood, C.P. 1987. Viticulture research update. Proc. Viniculture Short Course Miss. State Univ. 2:7-9.
Mortensen, J.A., and C.P. Andrews. 1981. Grape cultivar trials and recommended cultivars for Florida viticulture. Proc. Florida State Horticult. Soc. 94:328-331.
