PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Trent Preszler
AU  - Todd M. Schmit
AU  - Justine E. Vanden Heuvel
TI  - Cluster Thinning Reduces the Economic Sustainability of Riesling Production
AID  - 10.5344/ajev.2013.12123
DP  - 2013 Apr 19
TA  - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture
PG  - ajev.2013.12123
4099  - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/early/2013/04/18/ajev.2013.12123.short
4100  - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/early/2013/04/18/ajev.2013.12123.full
AB  - Crop levels of 1 (low), 1.5 (medium), and 2 (high) clusters per shoot established by cluster thinning (CT) were compared to non-thinned (control) Riesling vines over a three year period. Yields ranged from 5.2 to 12.4 t/ha in 2008 and from 4.0 to 9.3 t/ha in 2009, while crop loads (yield/pruning weight) ranged from 2.9 to 8.7, and 2.9 to 9.9, respectively. By 2010, yield and crop load (yield/pruning weight) did not differ among treatments. Cluster weight was unaffected by CT in 2008 and 2009 but in 2010 control clusters weighed 39% less than low crop. There was little or no CT effect on berry size, pH, TA, pruning weight, cluster light exposure or bud cold hardiness. Soluble solids at harvest ranged from 18.2°Brixin control to 22.3 in low crop in 2008, from 18.9 to 22.1 Brix respectively in 2009, and from 20.5 to 22.0 respectively Brix in 2010. A consumer wine aroma sorting trial revealed that the low crop wine, and the low and medium crop wines, differed in aromatic attributes from the other treatments in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Grower financial net return per hectare ranged from $2,832 in low crop to $16,055 in control in 2008, from −$115 to $8,596 respectively in 2009 and from $1,938 to $4,242 respectively in 2010. The only way financial losses associated with CT could be recouped would be withincreases of up to 143% over base market price for grapes.