The Effect of Training System and Yield on Fruit Quality of ‘Marquette’ and ‘La Crescent’ Wine Grapes ( Vitisspp.) in a Vermont Vineyard

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of training system and yield on fruit quality parameters of ‘Marquette’ and ‘La Crescent’ ( Vitisspp.) wine grape cultivars in a Vermont vineyard. The grapevines studied were grown at Lincoln Peak Vineyard in New Haven, VT. Three training systems were sampled with ‘Marquette’: Geneva Double Curtain (GDC), Single Wire (SW) and Vertical Shoot Position (VSP). Fruit of ‘La Crescent’ was sampled from only the GDC and SW training systems. Fruit quality parameters measured included soluble solids concentration, pH, and titratable acidity of the juice. The balance of these parameters may be indicative of final wine quality and may enable growers to optimize vineyard management in cold climates. Significant differences in yield and quality measures were found among training systems. While many quality parameters were impacted by the training system, variation in yield among vines accounted for little of the variation. For both cultivars, GDC trained vines produced the highest yields without compromising fruit quality.