Tag Archive for: Muscat

Moscato Giallo

Moscato Giallo is a vigorous variety with fruitful basal nodes and high yield potential when spur pruned. The clusters are large, loose, pyramidal and with large, bright-yellow, thick-skinned berries, ripening in late September or October in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Due to its high yields, relatively good disease resistance, and good wine quality potential, it can be considered a viable option to better known muscat varieties such as Muscat of Alexandria.

Blanc du Bois’ fruit cluster characteristics.

Blanc du Bois

‘Blanc du Bois’ is a white hybrid grape cross developed by Dr. John A. Mortensen at the University of Florida’s Central Florida Research and Education Center (Leesburg, FL) in 1968. In Mortenson’s original release document, he indicated three descriptors of significance for ‘Blanc du Bois’: (1) early ripening; (2) grows well on its own roots (though rootstocks may be necessary on some soils and for nematodes); and of greatest significance, (3) resistance to Pierce’s disease. In addition, and also of major importance, ‘Blanc du Bois’ has very good wine making qualities. It was named in recognition of Emile DuBois, an immigrant from France to Florida, who planted >150 grape cultivars in the Tallahassee area and produced award-winning wines in his time. ‘Blanc du Bois’ is considered one of the best southeastern cultivars for premium wine due to its balanced flavor and resistances to both Pierce’s disease, phyllozera, and powdery mildew. It grows vigorously with a semi-erect growth pattern and produces medium-sized clusters with large berries. ‘Blanc du Bois’ ripens mid to late July in areas of Georgia west of Atlanta and will yield 1.8-4.5 metric tons (2-5 tons) per acre with good viticultural practices. It is grown throughout the Southeast but is most common in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Though well adapted to the southeastern climate, it is still highly susceptible to anthracnose. The soluble solids content is on average lower than Vitis vinifera cultivars.

Figure 2 Sunpreme cluster

Sunpreme

Sunpreme is a white seedless raisin grape bred by David Ramming, USDA-ARS. It is the first raisin variety to spontaneously dry-on-vine, without cutting canes or otherwise separating the fruit from the vine. It has fruitful basal nodes and may be spur-pruned. The combination of spontaneous drying and fruitful basal nodes should make it possible to harvest and prune Sunpreme with machines, a degree of mechanization that is not possible with other raisin varieties. However, Sunpreme is also prone to preharvest fruit drop caused by the abscission of cluster branches. Compared to other Thompson-type raisin grapes, Sunpreme has larger, rounder, berries, and heavier raisins that are lighter in color. Sunpreme grapes and raisins also have a pleasant, mild, Muscat flavor.