General Details

Merlot growers in Erie

5

out of 19 participants across PA

Years Grown

5 to 9 years

most common response   more details

5 to 9 years
20.0% (1)
16 to 20 years
20.0% (1)
More than 20 years
20.0% (1)
Less than 5 years
20.0% (1)
10 to 15 years
20.0% (1)

Acres Grown in this County

4.2 acres

total for Merlot in Erie County

Acres Grown in this County

0.84 acres

average per participant   more details

1.5
40.0% (2)
0.5
20.0% (1)
0.6
20.0% (1)
0.1
20.0% (1)

Acres Grown in PA

32.9 acres

total

Planting Properties

Spacing between rows

9 ft

most common response   more details

9 ft
60.0% (3)
8 ft
40.0% (2)

Spacing between vines

6 ft

most common response   more details

6 ft
60.0% (3)
4 ft
40.0% (2)

Pruning Method

Spur pruning

most common response   more details

Spur pruning
80.0% (4)
Cane pruning
20.0% (1)

Trellis System(s)

Vertical shoot positioning (VSP)

most common response   more details

Vertical shoot positioning (VSP)
100.0% (5)

Growth Habit

Upright

most common response   more details

Upright
60.0% (3)
Semi-upright
20.0% (1)
Unsure/Don't know
20.0% (1)

Growth Vigor

High

most common response   more details

High
40.0% (2)
Low
40.0% (2)
Moderate
20.0% (1)

Crop Yield

Average Crop Yield In This County

2.66 tons/acre

without aggressive shoot/cluster thinning   more details

2.5
40.0% (2)
1
20.0% (1)
5
20.0% (1)
2.3
20.0% (1)

Average Crop Yield Across Pennsylvania

2.92 tons/acre

without aggressive shoot/cluster thinning   more details

3
22.2% (4)
1
16.7% (3)
2.5
16.7% (3)
2.3
11.1% (2)
2
5.6% (1)
5
5.6% (1)
7.6
5.6% (1)
3.5
5.6% (1)
5.5
5.6% (1)
1.8
5.6% (1)

Cold and Frost Sensitivity

Bud Break Timing

Mid

most common response   more details

Mid
100.0% (5)

Cold Injury of Permanent Vine Structures

High susceptibility

most common response   more details

High susceptibility
100.0% (5)

Cold Injury of Buds

Moderate susceptibility

most common response   more details

Moderate susceptibility
40.0% (2)
High susceptibility
40.0% (2)
Low susceptibility
20.0% (1)

Crop/Disease Resilience

Difficulty controlling Downy Mildew

Difficult

most common response   more details

Difficult
40.0% (2)
Moderate
40.0% (2)
Very difficult
20.0% (1)

Difficulty controlling Powdery Mildew

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
60.0% (3)
Easy
40.0% (2)

Difficulty controlling Black Rot

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
40.0% (2)
Easy
40.0% (2)
Difficult
20.0% (1)

Difficulty controlling Phomopsis

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
80.0% (4)
Easy
20.0% (1)

Difficulty controlling Anthracnose

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
60.0% (3)
Very easy
20.0% (1)
Easy
20.0% (1)

Difficulty controlling Sour Rot

Easy

most common response   more details

Easy
60.0% (3)
Moderate
40.0% (2)

Difficulty controlling Botrytis Bunch Rot

Easy

most common response   more details

Easy
60.0% (3)
Moderate
40.0% (2)

Sulfur/Copper Sensitivity

Not Sensitive

most common response   more details

Not Sensitive
44.4% (4)
Unsure/Don't know
33.3% (3)
Not sensitive
22.2% (2)

Grape Maturity and Composition

Brix at Harvest

22.00

avg response   more details

22
40.0% (2)
19
20.0% (1)
23
20.0% (1)
24
20.0% (1)

Chance the fruit will reach desired maturity

80%

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

80%
40.0% (2)
90%
20.0% (1)
Does not apply
20.0% (1)
30%
20.0% (1)

Harvest Timing

Mid-season

most common response   more details

Mid-season
40.0% (2)
Late
40.0% (2)
Very late
20.0% (1)

Juice Yield, Processing and Chemistry

Juice Yield

151 to 165 gallons

per ton, most common response   more details

151 to 165 gallons
66.7% (2)
166 to 180 gallons
33.3% (1)

Processing Challenges

No processing challenges

most common response   more details

No processing challenges
66.7% (2)
High pH
33.3% (1)

Clarification Challenges

No clarification challenges

most common response   more details

No clarification challenges
100.0% (3)

Chemistry: Brix

22.00

avg response   more details

22
100.0% (2)

Chemistry: pH

3.50

avg response   more details

3
33.3% (1)
4
33.3% (1)
3.5
33.3% (1)

Chemistry: Titratable Acidity

6.33

avg response   more details

6
66.7% (2)
7
33.3% (1)

Wine Production

Years Experience Producing this Cultivar

5 to 10 years

most common response   more details

5 to 10 years
50.0% (2)
16 to 20 years
50.0% (2)

Barrels

American oak

most common   more details

American oak
50.0% (2)
Hungarian oak
25.0% (1)
French oak
25.0% (1)

Desirable Attributes

Flavor/aroma

most common   more details

Flavor/aroma
37.5% (3)
Brix
12.5% (1)
Acidity
12.5% (1)
pH
12.5% (1)
Easy to stabilize
12.5% (1)
Versatility
12.5% (1)

Style

Table/still

most common   more details

Table/still
100.0% (4)

Sweetness

Dry (RS:<1%)

most common   more details

Dry (RS:<1%)
100.0% (4)

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% (3)

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
50.0% (2)
Sales have increased
50.0% (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
66.7% (2)
No, I do not plan to increase the volume of wine made with the cultivar
33.3% (1)