Table 2. Average wine quality of certain promising wine grape cultivars in the period 1992 - 2000.

Cultivar

Overall intensity of cultivar character (%)

Overall wine quality (%)

Descriptive comments about the wine

Highest

Lowest

Ave

Highest

Lowest

Ave

White type

Aris

72.2

*

72.2

50.0

*

50.0

Prominent sub-tropical, citrus and vegetative character. Spiciness and floral notes also evident to a lesser extent.

Chenin blanc 4/24

74.0

58.3

67.0

64.4

36.7

52.6

Predominantly strong sub-tropical to tree fruit character, but can be predominantly vegetative in some years.

Comtessa

69.4

61.1

64.2

63.8

55.6

60.1

Extremely prominent vegetative chararacter (asparagus and grassy). The wine also has a sub-tropical and citrus aroma.

Faberebe

69.9

63.2

66.7

73.3

54.6

62.9

Prominent floral character supplemented by a fairly prominent muscat, sub-tropical character. Fruity on taste.

Fontanara

64.8

57.4

61.1

59.9

47.8

55.8

Prominent citrus character and also slightly vegetative.

Forta

65.7

61.1

63.4

62.0

57.8

60.3

Predominantly sub-tropical, muscat, guava character and also slightly vegetative.

GM 6495-3

67.7

61.1

64.4

64.4

52.7

58.6

Predominantly sub-tropical supplemented by floral and vegetative.

GM 5495-4

69.7

57.4

64.0

60.1

42.6

54.4

Predominantly citrus to sub-tropical supplemented by vegetative.

GM 7116-26

66.7

54.7

59.4

57.1

46.3

53.6

Citrus, sub-tropical character supplemented by vegetative and spices.

Kanzler

71.7

58.3

64.6

64.4

60.2

62.5

Prominent vegetative, sub-tropical character and sometimes also a fair amount of citrus and floral.

Mariensteiner

74.1

58.8

62.6

64.8

47.2

56.4

Prominent sub-tropical character and also citrus and sometimes floral.

Optima

69.9

63.8

66.9

58.3

53.3

55.8

Sometimes little character, but predominantly sub-tropical, citrus.

Ortega

73.1

56.3

65.3

64.8

53.7

59.3

Predominantly vegetative to sub-tropical.

Osiris

61.1

49.1

56.2

57.7

47.2

52.2

Mildly prominent vegetative to sub-tropical character.

Perle

66.6

60.1

62.2

54.4

41.6

50.8

Thinnish wine with a floral, muscat to vegetative character.

Regner

72.2

53.7

62.1

64.9

53.7

58.0

Predominantly a mildly prominent sub-tropical character supplemented by floral, muscat and vegetative.

Septimer

68.5

59.2

62.8

60.1

53.3

56.8

Vegetative, sub-tropical character and at times some citrus.

Red type

Blauer Saint Laurent

67.7

58.9

63.2

65.1

50.4

58.2

Very prominent berry character supplemented by slightly vegetative character.

Blauer Spätburgunder

73.1

57.4

65.1

64.8

51.8

56.5

Prominent berry to vegetative character. Prominent tannins and also smokiness on taste. The wine’s colour is a bit pale at times.

Chenanson

71.3

49.5

58.6

52.7

45.3

50.5

Prominent berry character supplemented by some spice. Thinnish wines.

Deckrot

75.9

62.9

70.4

69.9

58.8

63.6

Very prominent berry character supplemented by vegetative.. Full, complex wines with extremely deep, dark colour and good acid.

Domina

73.3

55.6

65.4

73.1

50.9

62.6

Prominent berry to vegetative grassy character and also slightly smoky. The wines have a good dark colour. Acids in the wine are on the low side.

Helfensteiner

66.6

60.3

63.4

54.8

47.7

53.0

Berry to spicy character. Wines too pale.

Kolor

75.9

59.8

66.5

73.1

58.8

64.0

Very prominent berry character supplemented by vegetative. Intense dark red to red colour.

Müllerrebe WE 293

67.7

60.2

63.0

58.8

49.1

54.5

Berry to vegetative character. Wines too pale.

Portan

75.5

49.5

63.9

62.1

48.7

58.8

Prominent berry to vegetative type character. Fairly soft wines.

* There were sufficient grapes for vinification in one year only.