Patent Application
20090217435
Vitis vinifera L.
‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’.
Once known as a variety of Bordeaux, the Malbec grape is now being cultivated in South America, including Argentina. Malbec grapes produce outstanding red wines with characteristics that generally fall somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Historically, Argentine vintners did not engage in selecting grape varieties. A less than rigorous attention to grape variety selection meant that Malbec vineyards in Mendoza consisted of populations of a highly heterogeneous, haphazard mix of grape varieties throughout the vineyard. There is a need for distinct Malbec grape varieties with improved quality based characteristics such as low yield, plant balance, and fruit concentration.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with the Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart).
The present invention relates to a newly selected and distinct Malbec grape variety of the Malbec grapevine, Vitis vinifera L., which will hereinafter be denominated as the ‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’. It is an exact genetic clone of its mother plant. The mother plant, however, is different from the other Malbec varieties in at least, but not limited to, the attributes as specified in detail below. ‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’ has medium cluster size and very low cluster weight; loose cluster form; very small berry size and weight; very low vigor; extremely low level of millendrage (shot berries); medium to low level of polyphenols and tannins; very high level of color intensity and flavor complexity.
The Malbec grape variety ‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’ of the present invention originated from a very demanding selection process originating from a mother grape variety that was selected in 1992 from a diverse Malbec grapevine population and which has been asexually reproduced by self rooted cuttings. That mother grape variety was an unknown naturally occurring mutation of Malbec vines showing desirable characteristics as detailed below. The selection process began in 1992 and was carried out in Mendoza, Argentina.
The process began with a selection of genetically diverse parent plants of the Malbec grapevine plant population with unknown natural mutations. The selections were then asexually reproduced by self rooted cuttings. During three growing seasons, all selected plants were systematically observed in a vineyard in the Lunlunta district of the Maipu region of Mendoza, Argentina.
The goal was to identify a wide base of genetic profiles. The first criteria were to select those Malbec vines which showed overall good health and good fruit set. The next criterion was diversity, identifying those plants with varying levels of vigor; different dates of budbreak and harvest; and varying sizes of clusters and berries. Malbec grape varieties fitting these criteria were marked for further study.
This preliminary selection process resulted in the identification of 108 different Malbec grape varieties from the vineyard, located in the Lunlunta district of the Maipu region of Mendoza, Argentina.
All of the selected 108 varieties were then subjected to an ELISA test to detect for Arabis mosaic virus, Grapevine fleck virus, Grapevine fanleaf virus, Grapevine leafroll associated virus Types 1, 2, 3, and Tomato ringspot virus. Each grape variety was then multiplied from bi-nodal pruned budwood using micro-propagation techniques. This method ensured the overall good health of the multiplied plants.
A total of 51 to 55 micro-propagated plants from each grape variety successfully passed through the process of propagation and rustication, and having achieved the dimensions necessary to survive in the field, were planted in 1994 in a vineyard, located in the Agrelo district of the Luj an de Cuyo region of Mendoza, Argentina. The Malbec grape varieties were planted at a density of two meters between rows and 1.25 meters between plants and trained to a vertical shoot positioned trellis. All plants were pruned to a double Guyot system of loading canes with an average of 9 to 12 buds per cane.
The objective of the Malbec grapevine selection originating from a genetically diverse population with unknown naturally occurring mutations was to identify those grape varieties which possessed both vineyard performance and wine quality characteristics which were above the level achieved for the general population of Malbec grapevines.
The vineyard performance criteria included overall grapevine development, shoot growth rate, plantation failures, dates of budbreak, veraison and harvest, compactness, size, number of clusters, size, number, and millendrage level of berries, susceptibility to mildew, as well as brix, pH, acidity and anthocyanin levels. Given that the end goal of this selection process was to improve the overall quality of Malbec wine produced, certain elements of the above criteria were given more weight than others:
Color: Plants with overall high anthocyanin counts were given additional weight in the selection. Low anthocyanin count resulted in elimination from the selection.
Brix, Acidity and pH Levels: Proper development of these elements throughout the growing season as well as balance at the moment of harvest were important criteria for selection.
Berry size: The selection process sought to identify Malbec grape varieties with a high ratio of skin to juice, generally seeking smaller berries.
Millendrage: Malbec grape varieties were chosen for low levels of millendrage and shot berries, seeking even fruit set.
In 1997 fifteen grape varieties were selected with optimal vineyard performance (low yields, small clusters, small berries, high polyphenols and low millendrage) and varying yet complimentary flavor profiles. These fifteen varieties were vinified separately and characteristics (aroma, concentration, natural acidity, ripening time, typicity, astringency, flavor sensation) were compared.
In 1998 the five best grape varieties were selected using the joint vineyard and wine criteria described above. These were also sent to the University of Adelaide for virus testing, which turned out negative for all tested samples.
In 1999 the original 108 selected different Malbec grape varieties, including the five best varieties from 1998, were planted at 5,000 feet above sea level in the Gualtallary district of the Tupungato region in Mendoza, Argentina.
In 2002 using the same selection process as originally implemented, grape varieties ‘Catena Malbec Clone 13’ and ‘Catena Malbec Clone 17’ were selected as optimum for this vineyard site and planted in an experimental 3 hectare block.
In 2003 the five selected grape varieties were planted at 3,870 feet above sea level in the Altamira district of the San Carlos region in Mendoza.
In 2007 the selected five grape varieties, ‘Catena Malbec Clone 13’ to ‘Catena Malbec Clone 17’ passed a three year viral field study conducted by the Foundation Plant Services Department at the University of California Davis. They have recently been released from quarantine after having passed all pertinent viral tests and are currently being held at a vineyard in California.
Below is a detailed botanical description of the distinct grape variety ‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’:
Below are comparative tables (Table 1 and 2) and figures (
Table 1 reveals different physiological characteristics between ‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’ and the other 4 selected Malbec grape varieties (Clones 13 to 14, and 16 to 17) as well as the overall population.
The Malbec grapevine plant has a tendency for shot berries causing problems with homogeneity and cluster ripening. Homogeneity is a key factor for quality.
In addition, Table 2 shows some of the physiological characteristics and individuality of the ‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’ variety, when compared to the other selected Malbec grape varieties (Clones 13 to 14, and 16 to 17) and to the overall Malbec grapevine population.
The individuality of the Malbec grape variety ‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’ was also measured in terms of its chemical profile when compared to other selected Malbec grape varieties (Clones 13 to 14, and 16 to 17) and the overall Malbec grapevine population. Total polyphenols are shown in
The ‘Catena Malbec Clone 15’ was also measured in terms of its aroma and flavor profile when compared to the other selected Malbec grape varieties (Clones 13 to 14, and 16 to 17) and the overall Malbec grapevine population. The results are shown in
