Patent Grant
PP34494
Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The plant claimed relates to a new and distinct variety of Vitis vinifera L.
Variety denomination: The plant claimed shall be known as ‘EJG One’.
The present invention is not a subject of any federally sponsored research or development.
The new and distinct grapevine described and claimed herein originated from a wine grape breeding program. Hand pollination of the flowers of ‘Aspiran Bouschet’, Vitis vinifera L., a non-patented seed parent variety, with pollen of ‘Muscat of Alexandria’, Vitis vinifera L., a non-patented pollen parent variety, was performed in May 2012, and the resulting seeds were germinated in a greenhouse. The seedling vines were planted in a vineyard near Ripperdan, Madera County, Calif. in June 2013. The present variety of grapevine was selected as a single plant in January 2016 based on fruit yield, flavor, and composition, and was first asexually propagated by hardwood cuttings at Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo County, Calif. in February 2016. The resulting propagules were planted in a vineyard in April 2016 near Ripperdan, Madera County, Calif., as a replicated planting of ten vines. The resulting vines were found to be true to type, showing attributes of the original vine when observed in fruit for at least three seasons. Wine was made from grapes harvested from the ten vines and the wine was evaluated through chemical and sensory testing.
The following description relates to the ‘EJG One’ grapevine when grown under normal horticultural practices near Ripperdan, Madera County, Calif. Some of the characteristics of the grapevine may vary depending upon changes in crop load and/or change of location of cultivation.
The ‘EJG One’ grapevine is characterized by producing medium-small dense clusters of small, deeply colored black grapes (alternatively referred to herein as “fruit” or “berries”) with red flesh and a strong, distinct, pleasant fruity and muscat flavor. ‘EJG One’ grapes have normal development of seeds. The grapes ripen for winemaking each year in September or October. ‘EJG One’ flowers are perfect with functional stamens and a pistil and produce viable pollen. ‘EJG One’ is fertile with spur pruning. ‘EJG One’ grapes are suitable for wine production and the wine is positively distinguished by its deep red color, coating mouthfeel, and floral, muscat, and fruity flavors and aromas. The positive color, mouthfeel, flavor, and aroma attributes of the wine demonstrate the usefulness of ‘EJG One’.
‘EJG One’ differs from its seed parent by producing grapes with a fruity and muscat flavor, while the seed parent produces grapes with a non-muscat flavor. ‘EJG One’ differs from its pollen parent by producing grapes with black skin and red flesh, while the pollen parent produces grapes that are green or yellow in color, which may be characterized as white in viticulture and/or winemaking terminology. Microsatellite (e.g., simple sequence repeat) markers were used to develop a DNA fingerprint of ‘EJG One’, and a comparison of the ‘EJG One’ DNA fingerprint to an extensive, non-public database of grapevine variety DNA fingerprints showed that the ‘EJG One’ DNA fingerprint was different from all the other DNA fingerprints. This observation is consistent with the origin of ‘EJG One’ as a distinct grapevine that arose from a seed resulting from pollination between varieties.
Commercially grown wine grape varieties that are most similar to ‘EJG One’ are ‘Turan’ (non-patented) and ‘Muscat Hamburg’ (non-patented). ‘EJG One’ differs from ‘Turan’ in several important ways. For example, ‘EJG One’ is later ripening than ‘Turan’, which ripens for winemaking in July or August. ‘EJG One’ also has larger grape clusters than ‘Turan’. Further, ‘Turan’ shoots are strongly erect, while ‘EJG One’ shoots are semi-drooping. ‘EJG One’ differs from ‘Muscat Hamburg’ in that ‘EJG One’ grapes are deeply colored, with black skin and red flesh, while ‘Muscat Hamburg’ grapes are lightly colored, with pale black skin and colorless flesh. ‘EJG One’ grapes are smaller than ‘Muscat Hamburg’ grapes; however, both ‘EJG One’ and ‘Muscat Hamburg’ grapes have a muscat and fruity flavor.
The accompanying photographs illustrate ‘EJG One’ in full color. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a color representation of this type. For reference, many of the photographs include the following: a 24-color card sold by CAMERATRAX, a code number (12072240) that was used for testing ‘EJG One’, and gridlines in which each square is 1 cm×1 cm. The grapevines and portions thereof shown in the photographs were grown in the vicinity of Ripperdan, Madera County, Calif. The photographs were obtained during the year 2020 when the grapevines were about four (4) years old.
The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘EJG One’. Colors refer to the designations of the Munsell Book of Color Glossy Collection, Part No. 40115B, Serial No. 55635311119, published in 2012. The descriptions pertain to grapevines grown in the vicinity of Ripperdan, Madera County, Calif. that were observed during 2020 and other years, and the descriptions are believed to apply to plants of the variety grown under similar conditions elsewhere. The vines from which the observations were made were about four (4) years old and were grown on their own roots (not grafted).
