Solaris grape variety
Solaris is a remarkable in many respects technical grape variety from Germany, bred in 1975 at the Institute for Grape Breeding (Staatlichen Weinbauinstitut) in Freiburg by the researcher Norbert Becker. As a parent form, the author used a hybrid GM 6493, obtained in 1964 by Professor Vilеm Kraus from Czechoslovakia on the basis of crossing the varieties Zarya Severa and Muscat Ottonel. The local complex-resistant variety Merzling, which was born in 1960 at the same Institute by complex hybridization of Save-Villard 5276 with a descendant, served as the paternal form. Riesling and Pinot Gris.
As a result, Solaris has concentrated in itself almost all the positive properties of its ancestors, proving to be an excellent grape for the production of various types of high-quality white wines, and at the same time possessing exceptional unpretentiousness to growing conditions, early maturity and high resistance to common diseases.
The originators managed to protect his right to be considered a purebred representative of the noble species Vitis vinifera, which opened up the possibility of cultivating the variety in the European Union, where strict laws exclude the possibility of making wines from interspecific hybrids. By the way, in the pedigree of our hero, traces of the Amur and American grapes are still traced, which, in fact, determined his high resistance to unfavorable environmental factors, however, the proportion of these genes was considered insignificant. After many years of testing, Solaris was approved for commercial cultivation in 2001.
Currently, the variety is grown in relatively small volumes in the countries of northern Europe - Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, but the area under it and the geography of distribution is growing steadily every year. Surprisingly, there are plantations of Solaris even in Sweden and Norway, which can hardly be considered states with a developed wine industry. Moreover, even here the plants manage to form a conditioned crop. In our country, the German hero is widespread only in amateur plantings, but it does not yet have an official admission in the State Register of varieties, despite all its promising potential.
Agrobiological properties
The bushes are characterized by high vigor of growth, and during the growing season they form a large amount of vegetative mass. The crown of a young shoot is closed, grayish due to dense tomentose pubescence, with a wine-red edge of emerging leaves. As the leaves grow, they first acquire a bronze hue, and then become rich green. The profile of the leaf blade is strongly wavy, the upper side is vesicular, the reverse side is without pubescence. A typical leaf is rather large, rounded, three-lobed, with a weak degree of dissection. The lateral notches are small, open with parallel sides and a rounded bottom, or in the form of a reentrant angle. Often they may be absent altogether. The petiole notch is found closed, with almost no lumen, or open lyre-shaped. Petioles are of moderate length, green, without signs of anthocyanin pigmentation. The teeth along the perimeter of the leaves are of medium size, triangular with straight edges and pointed tops. The flowers are bisexual, which allows them to pollinate well even in bad weather. There were no problems with peas of berries, as well as shedding of buds and ovaries behind Solaris. Ripening of the vine in the case of its violent growth can be slow, in connection with which experts recommend grafting plants on rootstocks, limiting excessive vegetative activity. Matured shoots become yellowish brown in internodes and darker in nodes.
Bunches reach medium size by the time they ripen. They are cylindro-conical in shape, moderately loose in structure. The mass is 300 - 400 grams. The comb is not too long, herbaceous, light green in color. The berries are relatively large, rounded, golden in color, covered with a matte whitish waxy bloom.The weight of 100 grapes ranges from 400 to 600 grams. Their pulp is juicy, rather tender, with a harmonious neutral taste. The juice yield during processing is high, its sugar content depends on the time of grape harvest, and can reach very high values in the case of a long stay of the fruit on the bushes. By the beginning of September, the sum of sugars in berries is about 22 g / 100 ml, and by October it may even approach 30%. At the same time, the titratable acidity remains sufficient, usually without falling below 6 - 8 g / l. The skin is thin, which can damage the berries by wasps and other insects. Seeds are present, but their mass fraction in the harvest is small.
The harvested grapes are used to make various types of wines, united by their highest quality. Late harvest bunches are processed into dessert-type wines, and from the harvest grown in cool regions and picked at the initial stage of maturity, excellent dry drinks are obtained. In their bouquet can be traced the tones of hazelnuts and fruits, in particular bananas and pineapples. The wines themselves are full-bodied, good alcoholic and neutral in taste, which allows them to go well in blends with other varieties. The assemblages with Riesling and Pinot Blanc are especially successful.
Solaris begins to ripen at a very early date, therefore, in traditional wine-growing regions, harvesting can begin in late July - early August. The growing season for reaching technical ripeness does not exceed 110 - 120 days from the day of budding. At the same time, the minimum sum of active temperatures is 2200 - 2300 ° C, allowing domestic winegrowers to cultivate it in the open field even in the Non-Black Earth Zone. The frost resistance of bushes in harsh climatic conditions may be insufficient, and therefore in the northern regions, plants are covered for the winter. The yield is consistently high, due to which the variety is considered very reliable. The tendency to overload is not too strong, and therefore rationing can be limited only by competent spring pruning.
Solaris has increased resistance to the main fungal diseases, and it can be cultivated practically without chemical treatments. Of the requirements imposed by the variety, only a sufficient supply of soil with moisture and magnesium can be noted. During the ripening of the bunches, the fruit zone should be clarified to improve air exchange in it.
