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Blaufränkish/Lemberger

Blaufränkish/Lemberger Throughout Pennsylvania

Blaufränkisch is a dark-skinned variety of grape used for red wine. Blaufränkisch, which is a late-ripening variety, produces red wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy character. In America the grape is also known as Lemberger, Blauer Limberger or Blue Limberger and grown in Pennsylvania, Washington state, Michigan, New Jersey, Idaho, New York, Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, and California.

The Blaufränkisch vine is known as an early budding variety that can be susceptible to early spring frost. It is a late ripening variety, and tends to be planted in warmer vineyard sites. Among the viticultural hazards that Blaufränkisch is most prone to are powdery and downy mildews. Blaufränkisch is considered a high productive vine capable of producing high yields fairly easily. In some parts of Europe it is not uncommon to see it harvested at 100 hectolitres per hectare (4,300 US quarts per acre). However over-cropping the vine has a tendency to produce thin wines with many green, weedy notes. Wikipedia

Counties Grown:

General Details

Blaufränkish/Lemberger growers in Pennsylvania

9

out of 58 participants across PA

Years Grown

10 to 15 years

most common response   more details

10 to 15 years
40.0% (4)
More than 20 years
30.0% (3)
Less than 5 years
30.0% (3)

Acres Grown

9.4 acres

total for Blaufränkish/Lemberger in the State of PA

Acres Grown

0.94 acres

average per participant   more details

1
30.0% (3)
0.8
20.0% (2)
0.9
10.0% (1)
0.2
10.0% (1)
1.7
10.0% (1)
1.9
10.0% (1)
0.1
10.0% (1)

Planting Properties

Spacing between rows

9 ft

most common response   more details

9 ft
77.8% (7)
8 ft
11.1% (1)
10 ft
11.1% (1)

Spacing between vines

6 ft

most common response   more details

6 ft
77.8% (7)
5 ft
11.1% (1)
4 ft
11.1% (1)

Pruning Method

Cane pruning

most common response   more details

Cane pruning
72.7% (8)
Spur pruning
27.3% (3)

Trellis System(s)

Vertical shoot positioning (VSP)

most common response   more details

Vertical shoot positioning (VSP)
88.9% (8)
High Wire
11.1% (1)

Growth Habit

Upright

most common response   more details

Upright
75.0% (6)
Unsure/Don't know
12.5% (1)
Semi-upright
12.5% (1)

Growth Vigor

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
66.7% (6)
Low
22.2% (2)
High
11.1% (1)

Crop Yield

Average Crop Yield Across Pennsylvania

2.86 tons/acre

without aggressive shoot/cluster thinning   more details

2
30.0% (3)
4
10.0% (1)
5.1
10.0% (1)
0.2
10.0% (1)
3.8
10.0% (1)
3.4
10.0% (1)
3.5
10.0% (1)
2.6
10.0% (1)

Cold and Frost Sensitivity

Bud Break Timing

Mid

most common response   more details

Mid
66.7% (6)
Early
33.3% (3)

Cold Injury of Permanent Vine Structures

Moderate susceptibility

most common response   more details

Moderate susceptibility
66.7% (6)
Low susceptibility
22.2% (2)
Unsure/Don't know
11.1% (1)

Cold Injury of Buds

Moderate susceptibility

most common response   more details

Moderate susceptibility
55.6% (5)
Low susceptibility
33.3% (3)
Unsure/Don't know
11.1% (1)

Crop/Disease Resilience

Difficulty controlling Downy Mildew

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
66.7% (6)
Difficult
11.1% (1)
Very difficult
11.1% (1)
Easy
11.1% (1)

Difficulty controlling Powdery Mildew

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
44.4% (4)
Difficult
22.2% (2)
Easy
22.2% (2)
Very difficult
11.1% (1)

Difficulty controlling Black Rot

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
66.7% (6)
Easy
22.2% (2)
Difficult
11.1% (1)

Difficulty controlling Phomopsis

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
66.7% (6)
Easy
33.3% (3)

Difficulty controlling Anthracnose

Easy

most common response   more details

Easy
66.7% (6)
Moderate
33.3% (3)

Difficulty controlling Sour Rot

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
55.6% (5)
Easy
22.2% (2)
Difficult
22.2% (2)

Difficulty controlling Botrytis Bunch Rot

Easy

most common response   more details

Easy
55.6% (5)
Moderate
33.3% (3)
Difficult
11.1% (1)

Sulfur/Copper Sensitivity

Not Sensitive

most common response   more details

Not Sensitive
50.0% (8)
Not sensitive
31.3% (5)
Unsure/Don't know
18.8% (3)

Grape Maturity and Composition

Brix at Harvest

20.56

avg response   more details

20
33.3% (3)
21
33.3% (3)
22
11.1% (1)
23
11.1% (1)
Lower than 17
11.1% (1)

Chance the fruit will reach desired maturity

80%

in a given year, measured over the last 10 years   more details

80%
33.3% (3)
100%
22.2% (2)
Does not apply
22.2% (2)
50%
11.1% (1)
70%
11.1% (1)

Harvest Timing

Late

most common response   more details

Late
75.0% (6)
Mid-season
25.0% (2)

Juice Yield, Processing and Chemistry

Juice Yield

166 to 180 gallons

per ton, most common response   more details

166 to 180 gallons
60.0% (3)
151 to 165 gallons
40.0% (2)

Processing Challenges

No processing challenges

most common response   more details

No processing challenges
100.0% (5)

Clarification Challenges

No clarification challenges

most common response   more details

No clarification challenges
100.0% (5)

Chemistry: Brix

20.25

avg response   more details

20
75.0% (3)
21
25.0% (1)

Chemistry: pH

3.30

avg response   more details

3.5
60.0% (3)
3
40.0% (2)

Chemistry: Titratable Acidity

6.80

avg response   more details

8
40.0% (2)
5
20.0% (1)
6
20.0% (1)
7
20.0% (1)

Wine Production

Years Experience Producing this Cultivar

Less than 5 years

most common response   more details

Less than 5 years
40.0% (2)
5 to 10 years
40.0% (2)
More than 20 years
20.0% (1)

Barrels

French oak

most common   more details

French oak
60.0% (3)
No barrels or oak alternatives
20.0% (1)
Oak staves
20.0% (1)

Desirable Attributes

Flavor/aroma

most common   more details

Flavor/aroma
37.5% (3)
Versatility
25.0% (2)
Brix
12.5% (1)
Acidity
12.5% (1)
pH
12.5% (1)

Style

Table/still

most common   more details

Table/still
100.0% (5)

Sweetness

Dry (RS:<1%)

most common   more details

Dry (RS:<1%)
80.0% (4)
Semi-dry (RS:1-2.5%)
20.0% (1)

Consumer Demand

Did you begin making wine with this cultivar because of customer requests?

No, we did not begin making wine with the cultivar because of customer requests

most common response   more details

No, we did not begin making wine with the cultivar because of customer requests
100.0% (5)

Over the past three years, have sales for wine made from the following cultivars increased, stayed the same, or decreased?

Sales have stayed the same

most common response   more details

Sales have stayed the same
60.0% (3)
Sales have increased
40.0% (2)

Do you have plans to, or would you like to, increase the volume of wine you have available for consumers to purchase?

Yes, I plan to/would like to increase the volume of wine made with the cultivar

most common   more details

Yes, I plan to/would like to increase the volume of wine made with the cultivar
60.0% (3)
No, I do not plan to increase the volume of wine made with the cultivar
40.0% (2)