General Details

Merlot growers in Lehigh

4

out of 19 participants across PA

Years Grown

5 to 9 years

most common response   more details

5 to 9 years
25.0% (1)
16 to 20 years
25.0% (1)
More than 20 years
25.0% (1)
10 to 15 years
25.0% (1)

Acres Grown in this County

6.2 acres

total for Merlot in Lehigh County

Acres Grown in this County

1.55 acres

average per participant   more details

0.5
25.0% (1)
1.5
25.0% (1)
0.6
25.0% (1)
3.6
25.0% (1)

Acres Grown in PA

32.9 acres

total

Planting Properties

Spacing between rows

8 ft

most common response   more details

8 ft
50.0% (2)
9 ft
50.0% (2)

Spacing between vines

6 ft

most common response   more details

6 ft
50.0% (2)
4 ft
25.0% (1)
3 ft
25.0% (1)

Pruning Method

Spur pruning

most common response   more details

Spur pruning
100.0% (4)

Trellis System(s)

Vertical shoot positioning (VSP)

most common response   more details

Vertical shoot positioning (VSP)
100.0% (4)

Growth Habit

Semi-upright

most common response   more details

Semi-upright
50.0% (2)
Unsure/Don't know
25.0% (1)
Upright
25.0% (1)

Growth Vigor

High

most common response   more details

High
50.0% (2)
Low
25.0% (1)
Moderate
25.0% (1)

Crop Yield

Average Crop Yield In This County

3.20 tons/acre

without aggressive shoot/cluster thinning   more details

3
25.0% (1)
5
25.0% (1)
2.5
25.0% (1)
2.3
25.0% (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% (4)

Cold Injury of Permanent Vine Structures

High susceptibility

most common response   more details

High susceptibility
75.0% (3)
Not susceptible
25.0% (1)

Cold Injury of Buds

Moderate susceptibility

most common response   more details

Moderate susceptibility
50.0% (2)
High susceptibility
25.0% (1)
Not susceptible
25.0% (1)

Crop/Disease Resilience

Difficulty controlling Downy Mildew

Difficult

most common response   more details

Difficult
50.0% (2)
Moderate
50.0% (2)

Difficulty controlling Powdery Mildew

Easy

most common response   more details

Easy
50.0% (2)
Moderate
25.0% (1)
Very easy
25.0% (1)

Difficulty controlling Black Rot

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
50.0% (2)
Easy
50.0% (2)

Difficulty controlling Phomopsis

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
50.0% (2)
Easy
50.0% (2)

Difficulty controlling Anthracnose

Very easy

most common response   more details

Very easy
50.0% (2)
Moderate
25.0% (1)
Easy
25.0% (1)

Difficulty controlling Sour Rot

Easy

most common response   more details

Easy
75.0% (3)
Very easy
25.0% (1)

Difficulty controlling Botrytis Bunch Rot

Moderate

most common response   more details

Moderate
50.0% (2)
Easy
25.0% (1)
Very easy
25.0% (1)

Sulfur/Copper Sensitivity

Not Sensitive

most common response   more details

Not Sensitive
42.9% (3)
Not sensitive
28.6% (2)
Unsure/Don't know
28.6% (2)

Grape Maturity and Composition

Brix at Harvest

21.00

avg response   more details

22
50.0% (2)
19
25.0% (1)
21
25.0% (1)

Chance the fruit will reach desired maturity

90%

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

90%
50.0% (2)
Does not apply
25.0% (1)
30%
25.0% (1)

Harvest Timing

Late

most common response   more details

Late
50.0% (2)
Mid-season
25.0% (1)
Very late
25.0% (1)

Juice Yield, Processing and Chemistry

Juice Yield

151 to 165 gallons

per ton, most common response   more details

151 to 165 gallons
50.0% (1)
166 to 180 gallons
50.0% (1)

Processing Challenges

High pH

most common response   more details

High pH
50.0% (1)
No processing challenges
50.0% (1)

Clarification Challenges

No clarification challenges

most common response   more details

No clarification challenges
100.0% (2)

Chemistry: Brix

22.00

avg response   more details

22
100.0% (2)

Chemistry: pH

3.75

avg response   more details

4
50.0% (1)
3.5
50.0% (1)

Chemistry: Titratable Acidity

6.50

avg response   more details

6
50.0% (1)
7
50.0% (1)

Wine Production

Years Experience Producing this Cultivar

16 to 20 years

most common response   more details

16 to 20 years
66.7% (2)
5 to 10 years
33.3% (1)

Barrels

American oak

most common   more details

American oak
66.7% (2)
Hungarian oak
33.3% (1)

Desirable Attributes

Flavor/aroma

most common   more details

Flavor/aroma
28.6% (2)
Brix
14.3% (1)
Acidity
14.3% (1)
pH
14.3% (1)
Easy to stabilize
14.3% (1)
Versatility
14.3% (1)

Style

Table/still

most common   more details

Table/still
100.0% (3)

Sweetness

Dry (RS:<1%)

most common   more details

Dry (RS:<1%)
100.0% (3)

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% (2)

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
66.7% (2)
Sales have increased
33.3% (1)

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
50.0% (1)
No, I do not plan to increase the volume of wine made with the cultivar
50.0% (1)