STUDIES ON THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF SOME RED-WINE GRAPE CULTIVARS GROWN ON THE SANDY SOILS OF SOUTHERN OLTENIA

Abstract

The present research aimed to evaluate the productive and qualitative potential of several red grapevine cultivars intended for red wine production, originating from the ampelographic collection of the Research and Development Station for Plant Cultivation on Sandy Soils, Dăbuleni. In 2024, among the red-wine grape cultivars, the highest yield was recorded for the cultivar 'Fetească neagră', reaching 24,868 kg/ha, which significantly exceeded the control cultivar 'Băbească neagră' by 13,839 kg/ha. These results confirm the high productive potential of 'Fetească neagră', emphasizing its adaptability to the specific pedoclimatic conditions of the sandy-soil region in southern Oltenia. Regarding the sugar content of grapes intended for winemaking, the measured values ranged from 182 g/L in the 'Cristina' cultivar to 240 g/L in 'Fetească neagră'. Sugar concentration is a key indicator of grape technological maturity, directly influencing the potential alcohol content of the resulting wine and the level of residual sugars remaining after fermentation.The findings recommend the 'Fetească neagră' cultivar as particularly well-suited to the pedoclimatic conditions of the Dăbuleni area, offering favorable prospects for producing high-quality red wines.