I'm interested in planting Syrah, Barbera and Zinfandel and I'm trying
to find specific info on clonal characteristics with no avail.
Suggestions? I'm looking for a Syrah clone with a more fruit forward
approach (Australian) as opposed to the French peppery approach. Also
looking for Zin that's more likely to result in a good late harvest
wine if conditions are appropriate.

Clone selection does have some influence, but have you considered:

Not sure about zin clones for late harvest wine, but the fall rains will
have a large impact on bunch rot (zin having very tight clusters
promotes this), and the summer night time temperatures will make or
break your acid balance and pH, so where you live is a strong
consideration. You want cool (50-ish deg F) night time temperature for
best acid balance.

On the Syrah (and reds in general), the pepperiness has a lot to do with
picking the grapes at a specific ripeness when the pyrazines are at a
maximum (typically 23.5 to 24 deg Brix). If you let the fruit mature
more (25-26 deg Brix) you get past the pepperiness and into the ripe
fruity/jammy flavors. Also, the winemaking style (fermentation
temperature and yeast selection) have major impact on fruitiness of the
wine. Cooler fermentation promotes fruitiness.

Gene

Elpac Eparg wrote:
> I'm interested in planting Syrah, Barbera and Zinfandel and I'm trying
> to find specific info on clonal characteristics with no avail.
> Suggestions? I'm looking for a Syrah clone with a more fruit forward
> approach (Australian) as opposed to the French peppery approach. Also
> looking for Zin that's more likely to result in a good late harvest
> wine if conditions are appropriate.
>

I have to agree with the previous post regarding Syrah; in my experience,
vineyard management practices, harvest decisions, and vinification
techniques have more to do with the fruit forward character of Syrah than
the clone.

The Australian methods that produce such rich wines depend, IMHO, on a few
key vinification techniques; ripe harvesting ('damn the acid, get the sugar
up'); acid adjustment right at the outset of primary; lots of oxygen
throughout primary ferementation; and rack-and-return (delestage) which
again increases oxygenation, but also gets the seeds out earlier, reducing
tannins. The Aussie's also seem to prefer American oak over French, although
some of the most interesting south australian wines I've had recently have
been unoaked (such as the Torbreck 'Juvenile').

I got my own Syrah vines simply by going to a vineyard from which I was
familiar with some of the resulting wine. I offered to help prune - and in
return, was allowed to keep a load of cuttings, from which I self-rooted the
cuttings. If I were to do so now, I would graft such cuttings on to existing
rootstock in the vineyard. Don't know the clone #'s.




> I'm interested in planting Syrah, Barbera and Zinfandel and I'm trying
> to find specific info on clonal characteristics with no avail.
> Suggestions? I'm looking for a Syrah clone with a more fruit forward
> approach (Australian) as opposed to the French peppery approach. Also
> looking for Zin that's more likely to result in a good late harvest
> wine if conditions are appropriate.
>

Appropriate and insightful remarks - thanks! While I recognize the
impact of terroir, vineyard practices etc.... I keep seeing various
clones that must have distinct characteristics to warrant unique
numbers. Why? Further thoughts on how I can learn more?

Ric wrote:
> I have to agree with the previous post regarding Syrah; in my experience,
> vineyard management practices, harvest decisions, and vinification
> techniques have more to do with the fruit forward character of Syrah than
> the clone.
>
> The Australian methods that produce such rich wines depend, IMHO, on a few
> key vinification techniques; ripe harvesting ('damn the acid, get the sugar
> up'); acid adjustment right at the outset of primary; lots of oxygen
> throughout primary ferementation; and rack-and-return (delestage) which
> again increases oxygenation, but also gets the seeds out earlier, reducing
> tannins. The Aussie's also seem to prefer American oak over French, although
> some of the most interesting south australian wines I've had recently have
> been unoaked (such as the Torbreck 'Juvenile').
>
> I got my own Syrah vines simply by going to a vineyard from which I was
> familiar with some of the resulting wine. I offered to help prune - and in
> return, was allowed to keep a load of cuttings, from which I self-rooted the
> cuttings. If I were to do so now, I would graft such cuttings on to existing
> rootstock in the vineyard. Don't know the clone #'s.
>
>
>
>
> > I'm interested in planting Syrah, Barbera and Zinfandel and I'm trying
> > to find specific info on clonal characteristics with no avail.
> > Suggestions? I'm looking for a Syrah clone with a more fruit forward
> > approach (Australian) as opposed to the French peppery approach. Also
> > looking for Zin that's more likely to result in a good late harvest
> > wine if conditions are appropriate.
> >