Mass carrier

Mass carrier is a viticulture technical term for grape varieties that can regularly bring very high grape yields .

As with all crops, there is a clear relationship between quantity and quality. This is particularly true of the grapevine. As a rule, very high yields only deliver mediocre quality. Usually, well-bearing, large-grape grape varieties are used for the production of simple wines in order to achieve sufficient cost coverage. The wines of mass carrier varieties are usually poorer in extract and are perceived as thin and empty.

No specific yield and variety can be specified for bulk carriers, as this is influenced by many factors, care measures and annual fluctuations. There are varieties which, due to their genetic characteristics, always bring low yields and others relatively high yields. However, this does not exclude that excellent quality can be produced with these varieties. The winemaker needs to know what quality he can achieve with a certain variety on a certain location or whether he wants to achieve this. He has to agree which maintenance measures can be used to achieve this in the year of production. This varies greatly from company to company and region and country and year.

Well-bearing grape varieties were very important until the middle of the last century. Until then, the focus was on the crowd due to the lack of wine. Until the second half of the 19th century, the white Heunisch grape variety and its types (a mass carrier) were widespread in Europe. The variety spread very early in Europe, probably starting from the Caucasus . She regularly produced high and safe yields and was very undemanding. There was also up in the second half of the 19th century no phylloxera , downy mildew and powdery mildew . The Heunisch variety was subsequently replaced by better quality grape varieties due to a lack of sufficient quality and is no longer relevant today. She left her genetic share through natural crossbreeding in many grape varieties that are very important today.

Volume regulation

Factors that influence the area yield of the vine - according to ALLEWELDT (Eichhorn 1971)

Locational factors affecting the development of the vine

To prevent the market from being flooded with inferior quality wines, there are regional, national and EU directives. On the one hand, these regulations limit the amount of wine produced per hectare and the amount of quality wine brought to market. These must meet certain requirements and are subjected to a chemical and sensory test. In addition, regional winegrowing groups are subject to further self-imposed regulations in order to promote the quality of the regional varieties and their wines.

In most cases, these upper limits only include the amount that can be marketed as quality wine from the area. The excess of the same area is wine (formerly known as table wine). The limits are set differently depending on the country, variety and wine-growing region.

It should be noted, however, that a better quality is not generated solely with the specifications of a yield limitation. This includes a number of measures that influence the quality of the wine. It should not be forgotten that the entire winemaking process results in the product.

In addition to the variety and a clone , the following factors and measures have an impact on yield and quality.

Natural factors

Course of the flowering of the grape variety Grüner Veltliner (Weinbauschule Krems, Sandgrube) from 1965. In cooler growing areas, the annual fluctuations in the annual weather in spring can be clearly seen from the different times of the flowering. Late flowering results in a later start of ripening in autumn.

They result from the location factors climate , location and soil , the terroir and cannot be influenced.

The weather has the greatest influence on the quality and quantity of the grapes.
The previous year's weather, the level of yield and the wood maturity (reserve material storage) in the previous year are also decisive.
The timing of the flowering of the vines - is an important indicator of the grape ripeness in autumn.
The course of the weather until flowering, during flowering and after flowering with the development of the berry size.
The supply of heat and water after flowering and when the berries are softened. Abundant rainfall after flowering promotes the size development of the berries and thus the yield.

Maintenance measures

These are carried out by the winemaker as required. Depending on the measure, the yield and quality of the grapes can be influenced.

Of the maintenance measures, the yield regulation (also grape thinning) has the greatest influence on the yield and thus also on the quality. It is usually carried out with the foliage work, which also reduces the number of grapes when weak shoots break out.
The pruning has only a limited influence on yield and quality. It has an effect on the yield, but is also a regulator of the growth and the distribution of the shoots of the vine. The pruning requires supplementary care measures such as yield regulation during the growing season. Depending on the variety and clone, eye fertility is strongly influenced by the previous year's yield, winter and spring temperatures (winter and late frosts), bud maturation in the previous year and the annual weather, especially during the flowering period.
Soil care influences the supply of water and nutrients and thus vigor and berry size. A quantity regulation is not possible with it.
From the fertilization, the nitrogen supply alone has an influence on the vigor, leaf area development and the yield. In deficiency and excess, nitrogen has an unfavorable effect on yield and quality. Years of undersupply can lead to a lack of yield, amino acid deficiencies in the must, fermentation disorders and unpleasant aging tones (atypical aging tone - UTA ). Nitrogen fertilization is not suitable for yield regulation
The age of the vine also has an influence on the yield. Old vines deliver lower yields and thus somewhat better grape quality, if this is not caused by harmful factors, e.g. E.g .: a disease or pest infestation. Old vines have an extensive and deep root system. This enables you to better overcome stressful situations such as "dryness". Old vines do not always give better grape ripeness, especially if the vines suffer from degradation diseases.

literature

Karl Bauer, Ferdinand Regner , Barbara Schildberger: Viticulture. (= AV specialist book. ). 9th, updated edition. Cadmos, Vienna 2013, ISBN 978-3-7040-2284-4 .

Individual evidence

↑ Erika Maul: Three extravagant mutants of the White Heunisch: three-colored Heunisch, red-striped Heunisch and seedless Heunisch. In: Hans Reiner Schultz, Manfred Stoll: Weinbaujahrbuch 2014. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-8001-7949-7 , pp. 13-22.
↑ Otto Currle, Otmar Bauer, Werner Hofäcker, Fritz Schumann, Wolfgang Frisch: Biology of the vine. Build, develop, grow. Meininger, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse 1983, ISBN 3-87524-031-6 , p. 213.

[Heunisch_Mutanten-1] Erika Maul: Three extravagant mutants of the White Heunisch: three-colored Heunisch, red-striped Heunisch and seedless Heunisch. In: Hans Reiner Schultz, Manfred Stoll: Weinbaujahrbuch 2014. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-8001-7949-7 , pp. 13-22.

[BiologieRebe-2] Otto Currle, Otmar Bauer, Werner Hofäcker, Fritz Schumann, Wolfgang Frisch: Biology of the vine. Build, develop, grow. Meininger, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse 1983, ISBN 3-87524-031-6 , p. 213.