Breeding Of Wine-Grape Lines And Their Brewing Characteristics

As the world's number one ratafee, wine has always been having an important position in international trade. However, China still has great deficit in international wine trading.. One major cause of this situation is limited vintage varieties. Namely the yield of current fine wine-grape varieties is insufficient, while the older imported varieties are experiencing degeneration and quality decline over time, thus creating shortage of raw materials to meet the demand for making top-grade wine. Therefore, for the healthy development of our wine industry, it is a task of great prominence and priority to breed excellent vintage varieties owned by China and adaptable to the ecological environment of China.In light of this realization, we started to carry out sexual hybridizing with a number of wine-grape varieties in 1978, using Guirenxiang, Baiyu, Baiya, France blue and a few others as parents. In 1985, eight promising grape-wine strains were preliminarily selected. Then re-selection and final evaluation were made from 1999 to 2003, resulting in four excellent strains named as the 'Hongza Lines'. Meanwhile, we conducted an extended study regarding the botanical, agrobiological, fruit quality and vintage characters of the four lines, with Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc as controlled varieties. The main results are as follows:1. Breeding and selecting the four new strains of 'Hongza Lines'. 'Hongza No.1', the hybrid of Guirenxiang × Baiyu, has Kelly green color, an average spike-weight of 230 gram and a soluble solid content of 19.5~21%. It grows moderately and produces remarkable early-stage high yield. Although quite fast to diseases such as Plasmopara viticola and Coniothyrium diplodiella, it is nevertheless vulnerable to freezing. 'Hongza No.2, the hybrid of Baiya × France Blue, also has Kelly green color and is very sweet, with an 160-gram average spike-weight and 22% soluble content. Its growth pattern is stronger with large amounts of side-tips. It is high-yielding and extremely cold-resistant. 'Hongza No.3' is the hybrid of Baiya x France Blue, with mulberry fruit color, an average spike-weight of 240 gram and a soluble solid content of 19.2%. It also displays a strong growth pattern and flourishingside-tips. High-yielding and quite resistant to plasmopara viticola and gloesporium fructigenum, it has moderate fastness to freezing, which also differs considerably with individuals. The hybrid of GuirenxiangxBaiyu, 'Hongza No.4' bears buff fruit that takes a baby pink color on its sun-facing side. Its average spike-weight is about 100 gram, and soluble solid content 20.5%. Having fine and long vines and tendrils and a fairly strong growth pattern, It demonstrates good quality in early-stage high-yield and quite strong fastness to freezing.2. Investigation into the fecundity and yield of the four lines. Our study shows: 'Hongza No.l' is distinctively characterized by its early fecundity and high-yield quality. In the following year after cutting, its individual blooming rate was 100% with an average of 7 spikes on each plant. The third year saw a yield of 2082.8kg/666.7m2and the fourth year 3397.3 kg/666.7m2, markedly higher than Chardonnay controlled, which only had a few blooming plants in the second year, with 0.43 spike each, a yield of 736.6lkg/666.7m2 in the third year and 2171.7 kg/666.7m2 in the fourth year. The'other three lines also exhibit better yielding quality than Cabernet Franc controlled.3. Investigation into the cold-resistance of the 'Hongza Lines'. We found that 'Hongza No.l is extraordinarily cold resistant. It survived the winter of 2002 uncovered in the field. While the other Lines and controlled varieties were found either frozen to death or suffering serious damages, 'Hongza No.l' turned out untouched, budding at 75.79%, a higher rate than in year 2000(66.86%)and 2001(73.61%), and proceeding to have a normal growth and fecundation. Therefore it can preliminarily be considered as a cold resistant line that can be left uncovered on a trial basis in areas where winter burial is required and can also serve as a germ plasm resource for further resistance breeding..4. Statistical study of the disease-resistance of the 'Hongza Lines'. Compared with Chardonnay controlled, 'Hongza No.l', 'No.2', and 'No.3' have both lower infection rate and lower infection index to plasmopara viticola and coniothyrium diplodiella. Being the most disease-resistant variety among the three, Hongza No.4's infection rate and infection index to plasmoparaviticola were respectively 4% and 1.5 (10% and 3.5 for Chardonnay) and no infected spikes or pellets to coniothyrium diplodiella were found (14% and 6.5 for Chardonnay). The disease-resistance of 'Hongza No.3' is the lowest (plasmopara viticola: 12%, 4.5; coniothyrium diplodiella: 10%, 4.0), lower than 'Lizhu' controlled (plasmopara viticola: 10%, 4.0; coniothyrium diplodiella: 8%, 3.0).5. Physical and chemical analysis of 'Hongza Lines' wine samples. The alcohol degree of the test samples for the four lines are respectively 10.84, 10.59, 11.02 and 11.41, all higher than Chardonnay controlled (10.19), thus meeting the requirements for brewing high-quality wine. Furthermore, their dry extract contents are high and the titration acid and pH value within reasonable range.6. Sensory evaluation of 'Hongza Lines' wine samples. The sample of 'Hongza No.l' has distinct characteristics and fine typicalness, with golden and lustrous color, outstanding fruit and wine aroma and pure, unifying flavor that is rich, refreshing and has lasting aftertaste. Its overall evaluation (94) scores higher than Chardonnay(90). It exhibits good potential and quality advantage to be a candidate for dry white wine. On the other hand, 'Hongza No.4' is more suitable for making semi-dry or semi-sweet white wine due to its higher sugar contents.7. Overall evaluation of 'Hongza Lines' in comparison with Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay controlled. In major economic and agronomic properties, 'Hongza Lines' either are close to or surpasses Cabernet Franc amd Chardonnay as varieties controlled. As a whole they display advantages such as early-maturing, high-yield, superb quality, high disease and cold resistance. They also exhibit certain superiorities in winemaking. In conclusion, 'Hongza Lines' can be tentatively designated as fine winemaking varieties and breeding resources fit to be developed in Shandong Province.