Viticultural Performance of Seven Cabernet Sauvignon Clones in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, California

Abstract

Seven Cabernet Sauvignon clones from Foundation Plant Materials Service (FPMS), University of California, were evaluated over a three-year period in the Lodi-Woodbridge District of the northern San Joaquin Valley, California. FPMS 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 21 were all certified virus-tested. FPMS 6 had the greatest pruning weight (2.8 kg vine^-1) while FPMS 8 and 10 had the least (2.0 and 1.9 kg vine^-1, respectively). FPMS 6 had the lowest average yield (7.0 kg vine^-1) while FPMS 21 had the highest average yield (9.7 kg vine^-l). Vine yield was highly correlated (r² = 0.96) with cluster weight while cluster numbers did not differ. Contributions to cluster weight were made by both berries per cluster and berry weight. Despite yield differences of 2.7 kg vine^-1, average °Brix varied by only 1.2°. Titratable acidity and pH differences were negligible.